Do You Believe in Miracles?

Miracle: The Boys of ‘80

As a kid growing up in the 70’s, I was sheltered from the geopolitical challenges that enveloped the world and certainly our country. I don’t think that was my parents’ intent, but my interests were sports, parties and girls – you know, the typical lifestyle of a teenaged boy in America.

While in high school and then college, I was totally oblivious to economic strife and the cold war. I wasn’t dialed into the hardships that families suffered and the burgeoning dominance of the Soviet Union and the accompanying threats.

We weren’t a family of means but we had each other, we had enough and we were happy. Maybe during quiet moments my parents worried. Maybe they second-guessed putting my sister and me through private school. More than likely, they placed the needs of their kids in front of their own. I miss them terribly.

All that said, I loved the 70’s. The music. The crazy clothes. The platform shoes. The hip TV shows. The sitcoms that were bold and presented to an audience that could laugh at themselves and their flaws. And then the 80’s arrived, ushered in, in part by the Winter Olympics and the U.S.A. Hockey Team.

Last night I watched Miracle: The Boys of ’80. The documentary was presented for the most part, through the eyes of the players. The training in preparation for the Olympics was a brutal grind. Coach Herb Brooks intentionally distanced himself from his players as part of an effort to coach them with intensity, free of emotional attachment, ripe with objective clarity. It worked but not without collateral damage.

The trip down memory lane, 45 years later, is worthy of your time. To see the players watch themselves, sparking memories which in turn inspire tears of joy, tears of appreciation and even those that were the offspring of regret, allows viewers to relive the experience as fans. The experience is heightened through the lenses of these players.

At times, without any of them even saying a word, you connect on a new and more meaningful level. The impact these games had on these men and their families at that time in the history of our country, will without question elevate the importance of the 1980 Olympics in our country’s heritage.

At the time of these Olympics, the prime interest rate was 16.5%. By April of 1980 it would climb to 20%. Unemployment sat at 7.5%. Gas supplies were at an all-time low while lines to fuel vehicles ran for blocks. Supplies were rationed. Confidence in our country’s leaders tanked while the United States suffered from a lack of self-esteem. The problems were exacerbated by the rise of the Soviet Union.

The Soviets, always looking to establish dominance, particularly during the Olympics, were thriving and they looked forward to the opportunity to squash the Americans in our own backyard called Lake Placid. And back in the U.S.S.R., the apple of the Soviets’ collective eye was the favored sons who skated for their nation’s hockey team.

“The Red Machine” blistered opponents. A year prior to the 1980 Olympics, the Soviet national team defeated a team of NHL All-Stars (featuring 20 future Hall of Famers) in a three-game series, including a 6-0 win in the final game. Just 13 days prior to the Olympics, the Soviets beat the US squad at Madison Square Garden in an exhibition by the score of 10-3. To qualify for the medal round the Red Machine notched dominant victories over Japan (16-0), Netherlands (17-4), Poland (8-1), Finland (4-2) and Canada (6-4). Up next in the semi-final was the USA.

The Soviets were undefeated in Olympic play since 1968, and they were prohibitive favorites over the United States team. But Coach Brooks pushed all the right buttons. And you know the rest of the story. The Miracle on Ice ended in a 4-3 win for the red, white and blue to secure their spot in the gold medal game against Finland – a game they eventually won 4-2.

Across the country 34.2 million people tuned in to watch the stunning upset of the Soviet Union, one that galvanized a country; one that brought people together during a tumultuous time when togetherness was the last thing on the minds of Americans. For a moment in time during a pivotal point in our nation’s history, a hockey team inspired us to forget about our worries and our strife.

Young amateurs took on seemingly insurmountable odds and the world’s Goliath in hockey. And David won.

USA! USA! USA!

There will never be a game like it again. Ever. Not with the reverberating implications like this one.

Do yourself a favor and tune into Miracle: The Boys of ’80 tonight on Netflix.

You’ll be reminded of all the good that can happen when people come together. Any star is reachable; any goal achievable when the human spirit is ignited and features a singularity of purpose.

Do you believe in miracles?

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Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2026/02/03/lombardis-way/miracle-on-ice/