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Sports Watch
HOCKEY got a black eye this week with the thuggish attack by Boston Bruins' defender Marty McSorley on Vancouver's Donald Brasher. Michaels gave
game immortalityUnfortunately, the attack overshadowed one of the greatest moments in the history of the sport, one so transcending that it thrilled even those whose feelings toward hockey are as cold as its surface.
It's "The Miracle on Ice."
Twenty years ago on Feb. 22, the U.S. team defeated the Soviet Union, as it was known then, 4-3, in the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y.
It was one of the greatest upsets in the history of sports -- not just hockey.
Sports Illustrated chose that nation-captivating upset victory as the No. 1 sports moment in the 20th century.
Until today, it gives people goose bumps. Even the play-by-play announcer, Al Michaels, who helped make it even more memorable with a closing comment that will forever be associated with that game:
"Do you believe in miracles?"
"Who would have thought they'd keep saying this thing forever," said Michaels, more known now as the voice of ABC's "Monday Night Football."
And would you believe that the former Hawaii Islander baseball broadcaster just celebrated his 14th MNF season? Passing, by one year, a fellow by the name of Howard Cosell?
JUST as America's stunning victory over the Soviets came out of nowhere, so did that now famous line, according to Michaels.
"People ask me, if I had thought of it ahead of time, rehearsed it? How could I? The idea of U.S. winning was nonexistent."
But Michaels and his color commentator, former NHL great Ken Dryden, knew that history was in the making.
They were hoping the U.S. team would play a respectable game against the No. 1 Soviets. The Soviets led, 3-1, midway through the second period.
The Americans hung in there. It was 3-2, then 3-3.
"The building was in a frenzy," Michaels recalled.
The place erupted when Mike Eruzione scored the winning goal to ensure the team's place in sports history.
And who can forget the close-up of goalie Jim Craig, draped in an American flag, searching for his father in the stands?
As the clock was winding down, Michaels said the word "miraculous" popped into mind. "Somehow I turned it into miracle. Do you believe in miracles?"
It was a matter of just trusting his instinct, trusting what was in his heart, according to Michaels.
INTERESTINGLY, while the nation thrilled to the American victory that night, Michaels and Dryden were busy doing a live broadcast of the Sweden-Finland game that followed.
That's right. The 20th century's greatest moment in sports was shown tape-delayed.
"You've got to remember, this was 1980. A lot of homes didn't have a VCR. Cable was just born. ESPN was alive, but nobody had it," Michaels said.
ABC wanted to switch the U.S.-Soviet game from its 5 p.m. start to 8 but couldn't get it approved.
So Michaels didn't know what impact the game and his closing line had on the rest of the country until the next day.
But Michaels got an inkling when he returned to his hotel lobby just before midnight.
"God, that was a great game," an ABC official told him. "And your closing line will live forever."
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told Michaels much later: "You made that game even more important. You gave it immortality."
Bill Kwon has been writing about
sports for the Star-Bulletin since 1959.