By Guest Blogger, Dann the Cable Man

In 1980 I was 16 years old, driving a ’67 Camaro (weren’t we all?), Inflation was high and unemployment was even higher. Interest rates were hovering around 20%. The previous year Iranians kidnapped US Embassy staff and were holding them hostage (remember Nightline “day 287 of the Iranian Hostage Crisis”). The 2nd Oil embargo was in effect, Gas stations had to switch from selling by the gallon to the liter just so they could charge above $1.00 per gallon. The Cold war was still very hot, the soviets had just invaded Afghanistan and we all know what that gave birth too-yeah, a tall guy in a turban who lives in a cave somewhere. In Washington State we had the WHOOPS Fiasco. It was a bad time, a really really bad time. Any student of history knows that when a country is downtrodden and has lost faith with itself it is also very vulnerable, recall Germany post WWI.

Then something terrific happened, A Miracle on Ice. February 1980 at the Olympics the United States team won over the Soviet Union. The Soviets had won EVERY Gold medal in hockey since 1964. That means the Soviets had won in ’64, ’68, ’72 and 1976. The soviet team was comprised of “Soviet Soldiers” paid to be soldiers who practiced together every day; the Soviets had Vladislav Tretiak considered to be THE BEST GOALIE in the world, and yes that includes the NHL. The Soviets had played professional NHL teams that year to warm up & had gone 5-3-1 & had beaten the NHL all stars 6-0.

The best Hockey players in North America were coming from Canada not the USA; the NHL at that time got most of its players from Canada. The 2 teams met on Feb for an exhibition match in February and the soviets won 10-3.

THE GAME

USA won 4-3

USA was down 1-0 & then 2-1 but then Jim Craig had the game of his life, the game of the century (the Soviets had 39 shots on goal that day, the American only 16. With about 8 minutes left in the Game USA scored to tie & then scored the go ahead goal. Al Michaels became famous that day Eleven seconds, you’ve got ten seconds, the countdown going on right now! Morrow, up to Silk. Five seconds left in the game. Do you believe in miracles? Yes!

Sports Illustrated voted this as THE GREATEST SPORTS MOMENT of the 20th Century. I, Dann the Cableman remember it like it was yesterday. While the gold medal was not won that night the USA team had done the miraculous, I woke up at 3am in disbelief wondering if I dreamed it. After going to bed at 2am to watch the USA team defeated Finland & win the Gold Medal)

THIS win galvanized the country with pride that no Political speech could have, we were proud to wave our flags, we screamed USA USA USA, and we were both proud & thankful to be US citizens.