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1980 US Gold Medal Team

J

JDUBBS1280

MN Hockey Enthusiast
Was thinking about this today. How many of you think that the US Gold Medal in 1980 was more meaningful than all of the Gold medals won by the Soviet team in the 60's and 70's?

I mean, the Soviet Union didn't break any rules by using professionals on their teams, but I personally think it was more impressive that the USA won it's Gold medals in 1960 and 1980 with only amateur players.

Isn't that why that victory over the Soviets in 1980 is so celebrated? I just don't understand the people that claim it was just like any other Gold medal. To me, our Gold medals were more impressive than theirs.

Am I wrong?
 
Re: 1980 US Gold Medal Team

I've never, ever heard anyone say that the 1980 gold medal was "just like any other."

You should take this to hfboards where you could probably get a rise out of Canadians (:p) or maybe some of the international posters.

I assume that's your goal like every other thread you start. Came in here expecting this to be about how the Gophers basically won the 1980 gold.
 
Re: 1980 US Gold Medal Team

It isn't more meaningful to any one but an American hockey fan. The Russians or the Canadians don' think it is anything special.
 
Re: 1980 US Gold Medal Team

I'll admit to a serious dose of hockey bias, but in my opinion the Miracle On Ice was the single biggest sporting achievement in the 20th century. Any sport. Any level. Imagine if a group of college football players had played a game in 1980 against the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Steelers played it like it meant as much as any Super Bowl they played in. Those college kids would have been beaten down in epic fashion, and had they won, that highlite would probably still be leading SportsCenter every night, 33 years later.
 
Re: 1980 US Gold Medal Team

JDUBBS1280 said:
Was thinking about this today. How many of you think that the US Gold Medal in 1980 was more meaningful than all of the Gold medals won by the Soviet team in the 60's and 70's?

I mean, the Soviet Union didn't break any rules by using professionals on their teams, but I personally think it was more impressive that the USA won it's Gold medals in 1960 and 1980 with only amateur players.

Isn't that why that victory over the Soviets in 1980 is so celebrated? I just don't understand the people that claim it was just like any other Gold medal. To me, our Gold medals were more impressive than theirs.

Am I wrong?
Click to expand...

A Goofer did not score the game winner in the USSR game. :p
 
Re: 1980 US Gold Medal Team

Happy said:
It isn't more meaningful to any one but an American hockey fan. The Russians or the Canadians don' think it is anything special.
Click to expand...


Nor should they other than it being a big upset.

It was meaningful in the context of American hockey and American politics.

Outside our borders, why would anyone care? Other than the families of Russian players who were sent to Siberia or worse.
 
Re: 1980 US Gold Medal Team

ExileOnDaytonStreet said:
Well, maybe if we won the Gold by having Rob McClanahan or Jack O'Callahan break Kharlamov's leg and knocking him out of the Olympics, then the Canadians would respect it more.
Click to expand...


Again, this comment would be GOLD on hfboards. :D
 
Happy said:
It isn't more meaningful to any one but an American hockey fan. The Russians or the Canadians don' think it is anything special.
Click to expand...

You don't think Canadians, who also only used amateurs, would by and large say that the 1980 Gold medal was more impressive than any the Russians won using professionals against amatuers?
 
Re: 1980 US Gold Medal Team

It was named the #1 moment by the IIHF during their 100th Anniversary, so I think it might have some meaning outside the US.
 
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Re: 1980 US Gold Medal Team

JDUBBS1280 said:
You don't think Canadians, who also only used amateurs, would by and large say that the 1980 Gold medal was more impressive than any the Russians won using professionals against amatuers?
Click to expand...

They would have been complaining about how they couldn't use their MJ kids.
 
Re: 1980 US Gold Medal Team

I wasn't alive at the time, but the game has always seemed like it was more than just David vs. Goliath, and really a representation of the world at the time. At least through the eyes of Americans. But most of that opinion was built around Miracle and watching some other Youtube videos.
 
Re: 1980 US Gold Medal Team

At least Canadian TV showed the game live, as I recall; ABC showed it tape-delayed a few hours later (of course, I watched again anyway, but still).
 
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