40 years ago today...
- Thread starter Spartanhusker
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I don’t think I’ve ever been more emotional watching a sporting event.... yes, even a Husker game
The US needed to beat Finland 2 days later to win the gold medal - they trailed 2-1 after 2 periods
With the US losing 2-1 to Finland after two periods, US coach Herb Brooks famously told his players, "If you lose this game, you'll take it to your ******* graves. Your ******* graves."
With the US losing 2-1 to Finland after two periods, US coach Herb Brooks famously told his players, "If you lose this game, you'll take it to your ******* graves. Your ******* graves."
‘Miracle’ was on the other night. Fun movie. So I found the entire, original broadcast of the actual game on YouTube and watched some of the key moments.
Fun trivia: There was a moment in the game where goalie Jim Craig gets hit pretty hard and is down on the ice for a moment. In the movie this moment is over-dramatized a bit, as in real life he gets up pretty quickly and I don’t believe the trainers even come on the ice. But during the actual game, ABC’s cameras cut to a shot of a celebrity (who would have been at the peak of his fame at this time) that was clearly angry and concerned. Who was that celebrity?
Fun trivia: There was a moment in the game where goalie Jim Craig gets hit pretty hard and is down on the ice for a moment. In the movie this moment is over-dramatized a bit, as in real life he gets up pretty quickly and I don’t believe the trainers even come on the ice. But during the actual game, ABC’s cameras cut to a shot of a celebrity (who would have been at the peak of his fame at this time) that was clearly angry and concerned. Who was that celebrity?
Two good guesses, but neither is correct. He was a TV star, not a movie star. His show aired on CBS for several years and is considered one of televisions all time great shows.
I don’t think I’ve ever been more emotional watching a sporting event.... yes, even a Husker game
I understand the sentiment, but I can think of many Husker plays that had me more emotional.
This was an exciting result. I was 20 at the time. We beat the professional fuggin rooskis!
The 1995 Orange Bowl win over Miami was, for me much more emotional, unlike anything I had ever felt over a silly game.
What a great miracle, the United States was in a big slump with alot of things ar that time. What a great year one of the top 3 sporting events and the election of Ronald Reagan.
This was easily my all-time greatest non-Husker sports memory. I was only 8 years old at the time, but even at that age, I understood how big it was.
Possibly the greatest upset in sports history. The Soviet Union allowed its professional athletes, some of the best hockey players in the world, to play on their Olympic team. The U.S. team was college students, most of whom didn't even have minor league experience. Coach Herb Brooks just basically took some of his former players from Minnesota, plus a few from Boston University, to build his team. Only 13 days earlier, the very same Soviets had smoked the American team 10-3 in an exhibition.
One note about the movie ‘Miracle’ - you may have heard this before...Al Michaels and Ken Dryden re-recorded most of their broadcast commentary for the movie. If you watch the original broadcast on YouTube you can definitely tell a difference. For one thing, Al Michaels clearly sounds older in the movie.
However - the producers DID NOT have him re-record “Do you believe in miracles???? YES!!!!” because they knew he would not be able to recreate the excitement of the moment. So in the movie, you’re hearing replay of then actual audio from the original broadcast.
However - the producers DID NOT have him re-record “Do you believe in miracles???? YES!!!!” because they knew he would not be able to recreate the excitement of the moment. So in the movie, you’re hearing replay of then actual audio from the original broadcast.
I was at the '95 Orange Bowl. I was about 20 feet away from TO when the players lifted him up on their shoulders after the game. He quickly insisted they put him down. After so many disappointments en route to that moment, and seeing his humility, I'm certain that I had tears streaming down my face.
Greatest sporting event ever. I was going to the University of Minnesota at the time. I knew several of the players from working at a bar on campus. I also had the pleasure of meeting Herb Brooks on a few occasions. Minnesota was shut down while those games were played. The local players were celebrities on campus the whole next year.
That had to have been super cool. Just crazy to think that back then those games were tape delayed.
Almost as thrilling was the next game when Rob McClanahan scored the game winning goal to seal the Gold Medal for that great team.
Robbie was one of the guys I knew. I remember him and Steve Janazak, back up goalie that never played a minute in the Olympics, walking around campus that spring with their silk USA warmups on and a large group of coeds hanging close.
It was sweet revenge for the screw job the USA basketball team got in the the 1972 Olympics, replayed the final 3 seconds 3 times. Russia = Texas
....this...
I remember watching this game as a kid. The Olympics was something that we watched as a family. The Russians were like professionals and USA was a tag team of sorts. *Emperor's March*
We went nuts when we won. I suppose it was like the USA losing in basketball.
My parents moved there in 1986. I've seen the Men's team play there. I skated on the outdoor track. I've been to the ski jump and walked in the bob sled areas. I have been to the top of Mount Whiteface. My mother's place had a view of it across the street from where she lived.