MIRACLEMIRACLETHE STORY OF THE THE STORY OF THE 1980 US OLYMPIC 1980 US OLYMPIC

HOCKEY TEAMHOCKEY TEAM

•Herb Brooks named the head coach of Herb Brooks named the head coach of the 1980 United States Olympic Teamthe 1980 United States Olympic Team

•Once cut Once cut from 1960 from 1960 Olympic Olympic team (1team (1stst US Gold US Gold medal), medal), played on played on 1964 and 1964 and 1968 1968 teamsteams

Herb Brooks spent the 1970s as head Herb Brooks spent the 1970s as head coach at the coach at the University of MinnesotaUniversity of Minnesota, , leading the team to leading the team to 3 NCAA titles3 NCAA titles and and earning notice for his harsh personality earning notice for his harsh personality and fanatical preparation for the gamesand fanatical preparation for the games. .

After being After being selected as selected as the US the US Olympic Olympic Team coach, Team coach, Brooks spent Brooks spent 8 months 8 months nurturing the nurturing the team.team.

He held He held numerous numerous tryout camps, tryout camps, which included which included psychological psychological testing, before testing, before selecting a selecting a roster from roster from several several hundredhundred prospects.prospects.

There was no matching the Europeans There was no matching the Europeans in skill, so Brooks emphasized in skill, so Brooks emphasized speed, speed, conditioning and discipline.conditioning and discipline.

Knowing how luck plays a large role Knowing how luck plays a large role in short tournaments, he wanted a in short tournaments, he wanted a team that could grab whatever team that could grab whatever opportunities came its way. opportunities came its way.

Rivalries ran high among the players, Rivalries ran high among the players, most of whom hailed from most of whom hailed from MinnesotaMinnesota or or MassachusettsMassachusetts. .

Brooks worked to unite themBrooks worked to unite them

Brooks challenged them physically, Brooks challenged them physically, but also verbally, questioning but also verbally, questioning whether they were good enough, whether they were good enough, tough enough, worthy of the tasktough enough, worthy of the task

a few confrontations ended in a few confrontations ended in shouting matches or even shouting matches or even physical confrontations.physical confrontations.

The team then The team then spent four spent four months playing months playing a grinding a grinding schedule of schedule of exhibition exhibition games across games across Europe and Europe and North America.North America.

Brooks said the 1980 Brooks said the 1980 Olympic team members Olympic team members embodied qualities he embodied qualities he admired most. admired most. "The players "The players had big egos, but they had big egos, but they didn't have ego problems. didn't have ego problems. That's why all-star teams That's why all-star teams traditionally seem to self-traditionally seem to self-destruct. We didn't."destruct. We didn't."

The UNITED STATES was the 7th seed The UNITED STATES was the 7th seed in the 12-team Olympic tournamentin the 12-team Olympic tournament

They had lost to the Soviet team, They had lost to the Soviet team, recognized as the best hockey team recognized as the best hockey team in the world, 10–3, in an exhibition in the world, 10–3, in an exhibition match at Madison Square Garden match at Madison Square Garden just just 13 days before. days before.

The Americans reached the medal The Americans reached the medal round with a 4–0–1 record. round with a 4–0–1 record.

USAUSS

RSWEFIN 1980

Winter Olympics

Medal Round

Playing in front of a rowdy home Playing in front of a rowdy home crowd at Lake Placid, NY, at the crowd at Lake Placid, NY, at the peak of the peak of the Cold War, the United , the United States fell behind early in the gameStates fell behind early in the game

But Mark Johnson scored a goal to But Mark Johnson scored a goal to tie the game, 2–2, just before the tie the game, 2–2, just before the end of the first period. end of the first period.

CaptainCaptain Mike Eruzione scored the scored the game-winning goal with a wrist shot game-winning goal with a wrist shot late in the 3rd period, and late in the 3rd period, and goalie goalie Jim Craig made 39 saves as the team made 39 saves as the team held on to beat the unbeatable, 4–3.held on to beat the unbeatable, 4–3.

The U.S. team, made up of college The U.S. team, made up of college players and long-shot pro hopefuls players and long-shot pro hopefuls like like EruzioneEruzione and and Buzz SchneiderBuzz Schneider, , defeated a Soviet program that had defeated a Soviet program that had dominated the Olympics since 1964. dominated the Olympics since 1964.

The U.S. team beat a Soviet team that The U.S. team beat a Soviet team that had seven players from the 1976 had seven players from the 1976 Olympic team and one player who Olympic team and one player who had played in three other Olympiads.had played in three other Olympiads.

The players' mental toughness was The players' mental toughness was demonstrated when they came demonstrated when they came back from behind to back from behind to beat Finland beat Finland 4-2 to capture the gold medal two 4-2 to capture the gold medal two days after stunning the Soviets.days after stunning the Soviets.

It's been It's been forgotten by forgotten by many that if the many that if the United States United States had fallen to had fallen to Finland, it Finland, it would not have would not have earned a medal earned a medal at all, gold or at all, gold or otherwise.otherwise.