Miracle...Revisited

(Do you believe in Miracles?)

I am aware that the whole of my bank account is currently lining the pockets of burly, Swedish men named Bjorn and Sven who are responsible for the "some assembly required" boxes in my bedroom and as such, I do not have extra money to buy this. But so help me, I'm going to do it anyway.

Also, this is a fascinating article from today's New York Times, attacking the Miracle on Ice from the other side. (Thanks to soxfan for pointing it out).

Of note:

"Their eyes were bright, their eyes were burning," [forward Sergei] Makarov said. "It was team."

Interesting that the Soviets, at least in retrospect appreciate the American comaraderie.

"I don't have mine [silver medal]," Makarov said. "I think it is in garbage in Lake Placid jail."

In the cleanup of the Olympic Village, according to "The Boys of Winter," workers found 121 empty vodka bottles in the drop ceilings of the Soviet units.

I found this story interesting for two reasons. One is that we, as Red Sox fans particularly, are often associated with the heartbroken losers. There are many anecdotes about losses destroying us and driving us to tears. On more than one occasion, the 2004 ALCS win over the Yankees has been likened to the Americans beating the Soviets in the Miracle on Ice with USA's gold medal win over Finland paralleling the Sox win over the Cardinals in the World Series. It's just interesting to read the perspective of the loser in this instance.

Secondly, these players lived and died this game. Read the article for more. It's sad that a game that once meant so much to us as a nation, is now little more than a treacly footnote. Okay, that's it. I swear I'm done preaching about hockey. As you were.