The POP-EXPOSE ‘Miracle on Ice’ By (Train)

Story Courtesy of Serpentorslair Contributor ‘Train‘!

Miracle on ice

Back in 1979 Herb Brooks started to put together a team to compete in the 1980 Olympics. The team consisted of a number of great players, but some of the hockey superstars were cut from the team. Brooks had a strange way of collaborating the players he wanted to bring home a medal for the United States. I the end his way proved to be a miraculous insight to winning a gold medal for the US.

1980, the Olympic arena lay set just on the outskirts of the Adirondack high peaks. Many had visited this small Olympic town that had hosted the 1932 Olympics as well. Standing on Mt Van Hoevenberg site of the bobsled and luge tracks, you can see the other 3 Olympic venues, Whiteface mountain site of the sky slopes, the sky jumps, and the arena were speed skating, figure skating and the hockey games took place. Today the 4 venues are used still for national competitions. However do to the size of the town it is unlikely that Lake Placid will ever be able to host an Olympics ever again. Never the less though in February of 1980 the unlikely heros of the USA Olympic hockey team started to take shape. They fought through the preliminary rounds and with all the hard work and training they had endured the final outcome was a win over the Soviet Union national team in a 4-3 victory. Just ten miles south in a small mountain town I was a 4 year old boy. Although I didn’t see it live I have seen many memorabilia, I have walked on the ice, and I have visited all 4 venues and have had the good fortune to use some of them one being the bobsled ride I took back in the 1990s.

I have since moved away from Lake Placid but my family remains, so I visit as often as I can and it is still a site to visit the Olympic venues. When I visit the arena or even pass by I think of the hard work and dedication of Herb and the 1980 team. It’s a shining moment in US history that proves hard work does pay off in the end.