Thirty years ago this past Wednesday, the Miracle on Ice took place when the U. S. hockey team defeated the Soviet Union 4-3. You had to be there to understand the euphoria that swept the country when we won at a sport few Americans knew much about at the time. It was the height of the Cold War, the economy was in a shambles, we were coming off our second gas crisis in the past 6 years and in the middle of it all, we won a hockey game.
The victory resonated in a deep, psychological way and it meant a great deal whether you understood the nuances of icing or not. The victory was symbolic of what America was all about: A bunch of amateurs who were disciplined and well-led defeated the best professionals in the world. The Americans simply wouldn't quit. If that sounds like a certain army of farmers and artisans who defeated the best professional soldiers in the world say in the 1770s, then you'll understand why that victory still resonates in America. Indeed, I can't watch highlights without getting chills and even a little misty.
Fast forward to the 2010 Olympics and another miracle has taken place. Many Americans were rooting for the Russians to defeat Canada. Certainly, if you're a Washington Capitals fan you were rooting for Alex Ovechkin and Alex Semin. Perhaps, that's the greater miracle; that only thirty years later, two Russians represent the team that represents the nation's capital. Kind of gives you hope that good things can happen in the world, doesn't it?
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