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Miracle On Ice...37th Anniversary query...

torontoeers

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Nov 20, 2010
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Port Perry Ontario
Ok hockey nuts...I was listening to my local sports guy McCown his guest cohort (name escapes me now) and phone in guest Richard Dietsch (who is one of my absolute faves hear from), today on local radio discuss it...
The question they posed that intrigued me was 'If the USA had beaten Canada in the semi final game rather than the Soviets would the event have the same cache ?'
McCown and Dietsch said absolutely not the other fella wasn't convinced right away...I tend to agree that it wouldn't have. Their reasoning and mine was that at the time the US was in a time of crisis in some regards? With Iran hostage, the economy, the Cold War etc. I would expand it myself to include the fact that the USSR team they faced was perhaps the best ever assembled...imo BETTER than the one Canada faced in '72 (which many of you know was a pretty damn big deal here). That same team effectively waxed the NHL all star squad the year prior (at MSG I THINK?) and also waxed Canada about 8 -1 or something in the Canada Cup here the year after Miracle. I am thinking as essentially a group of college kids facing the BIG Red Machine (as did all on radio today) that this is likely the greatest upset/sporting victory of all time? Curious if you all feel same, where you were that day/ were you watching (either the final vs Finland or the Semi vs USSR), and if you can think of any sports victories that compare? Buster Douglas over Iron Mike? that might come to my mind but still doesnt equate imo....Happy anniversary regardless! [cheers]
 
While a hockey win over Canada might have been unexpected, I believe the Canadians were still playing amateurs in international events in 1980.

Hence, a win over them wouldn't have meant all that much, comparatively speaking, even to the few hockey-loving Americans who were paying attention. And coming off the 72 Summit Series.....and later, the Russian ass-kicking of Canada in the Challenge Cup (which, I think, is that MSG series to which you refer, played in either 1978 or 1979).....not even the biggest US homer could have remotely envisioned them playing the Big Red Machine close, let alone beating them.

Here in the States, a lot of folks who know nothing about the game (and don't care about it) consider it the greatest win in the history of US Sports. Internationally speaking, nothing really comes within light years; probably because there aren't many team sports.....perhaps outside soccer.....where the US is (or was) so badly overmatched on paper. In some manner, I feel many Americans viewed it as some small measure of revenge for the USSR's uber-controversial 1972 win over the undefeated-for-all-time US team in Olympic basketball.

I believe the game was televised on tape delay by ABC; I want to say it was played on a Sunday morning (though I may be confusing it with the Gold Medal game). While it was certainly an amazing game, I myself don't think the sheer depth of the upset really sank into the conciousness of most Americans until some time later.

I don't remember who produced it.....or on what network it ran..... but somebody did a very compelling show on Russia's perspective on the loss several years ago. To this day, I've never figured out why HC Tikhonov benched Tretiak in the 3rd period.

The best I can glean is that Tikhonov had some kind of personal hard-on for Tretiak, who was the USSR's highest profile international star.....who didn't like Tikhonov all that much to begin with......and wasn't thought to have played especially well, by his standards, in the first 2 periods.

From what I remember from that Show, Tretiak basically wanted to murder Tikhonov after the game. 37 years after the fact, I get the impression the Russians stilll consider the game to be the single biggest accident of pretty much any type in the history of the civilized world.
 
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While a hockey win over Canada might have been unexpected, I believe the Canadians were still playing amateurs in international events in 1980.

Hence, a win over them wouldn't have meant all that much, comparatively speaking, even to the few hockey-loving Americans who were paying attention. And coming off the 72 Summit Series.....and later, the Russian ass-kicking of Canada in the Challenge Cup (which, I think, is that MSG series to which you refer, played in either 1978 or 1979).....not even the biggest US homer could have remotely envisioned them playing the Big Red Machine close, let alone beating them.

Here in the States, a lot of folks who know nothing about the game (and don't care about it) consider it the greatest win in the history of US Sports. Internationally speaking, nothing really comes within light years; probably because there aren't many team sports.....perhaps outside soccer.....where the US is (or was) so badly overmatched on paper. In some manner, I feel many Americans viewed it as some small measure of revenge for the USSR's uber-controversial 1972 win over the undefeated-for-all-time US team in Olympic basketball.

I believe the game was televised on tape delay by ABC; I want to say it was played on a Sunday morning (though I may be confusing it with the Gold Medal game). While it was certainly an amazing game, I myself don't think the sheer depth of the upset really sank into the conciousness of most Americans until some time later.

I don't remember who produced it.....or on what network it ran..... but somebody did a very compelling show on Russia's perspective on the loss several years ago. To this day, I've never figured out why HC Tikhonov benched Tretiak in the 3rd period.

The best I can glean is that Tikhonov had some kind of personal hard-on for Tretiak, who was the USSR's highest profile international star.....who didn't like Tikhonov all that much to begin with......and wasn't thought to have played especially well, by his standards, in the first 2 periods.

From what I remember from that Show, Tretiak basically wanted to murder Tikhonov after the game. 37 years after the fact, I get the impression the Russians stilll consider the game to be the single biggest accident of pretty much any type in the history of the civilized world.
I too remember watching a special on it, years ago...can't remember what it was or who produced it...but one thing did stick in my mind about it... The look on the Soviet players faces when watching the Americans win. It was not one of upset or anger to my eyes, but perhaps of wonderment for lack of a better term? Almost like they expected to win so much, that they forgot, (or perhaps had never had the opportunity within that iron fisted regime) the joy in hard fought victory...it was a look I can even remember a slight semblance of here in 87...although not quite as intense...
And yep I remember that Tretiak / Tikhonov hatred rather well....were I #20 I think I may have murdered him years before 1980 lol...and certainly afterward...

And good point re the Canadian amateur angle btw...that would certainly cement the argument if there was one...I am trying to think first year of actual pro's now lol...I am guessing it was Salt Lake? Or the Olympic games before that ? Lillehammer? Albertville? I remember a 'Unified Team' which i think was a Canada Cup squad though made up of Russians and sordid Baltic Republics...Sheesh...my memory....
 
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I too remember watching a special on it, years ago...can't remember what it was or who produced it...but one thing did stick in my mind about it... The look on the Soviet players faces when watching the Americans win. It was not one of upset or anger to my eyes, but perhaps of wonderment for lack of a better term? Almost like they expected to win so much, that they forgot, (or perhaps had never had the opportunity within that iron fisted regime) the joy in hard fought victory...it was a look I can even remember a slight semblance of here in 87...although not quite as intense...
And yep I remember that Tretiak / Tikhonov hatred rather well....were I #20 I think I may have murdered him years before 1980 lol...and certainly afterward...

And good point re the Canadian amateur angle btw...that would certainly cement the argument if there was one...I am trying to think first year of actual pro's now lol...I am guessing it was Salt Lake? Or the Olympic games before that ? Lillehammer? Albertville? I remember a 'Unified Team' which i think was a Canada Cup squad though made up of Russians and sordid Baltic Republics...Sheesh...my memory....

I know what you mean about the look on the Russian players' faces.

Not sure if it was shock......bewilderment.......disbelief......suicide......or a combination of all of them. Regarding that Unified Team, I'm pretty sure it participated in at least one Olympic Games after the fall of the USSR (and was composed mostly of now-Russian players). Come to think of it, wasn't there also an Olympic team representing what was called the "CIS" (meaning Commonwealth......or something like that.....of Independent States) ??

I assume that was also Russia and the Eastern Bloc countries; but I'm not sure if it came before or after the Unified Team.
 
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