By Michael Kinney
Feb. 22 was the 30th anniversary of the most overblown, overhyped event in sports history. For those who do not know that I'm referring to the "Miracle on Ice," that helps prove my point.
To listen to sportscasters and sports historians talk, you would think the United States hockey team beating the Soviet Union in the medal round of the 1980 Olympics was the most uplifting and inspiring thing to happen in athletics since Joe Louis knocked out Max Smelling. The U.S. team, made up of amateur and collegiate players, defeated the USSR squad, which was considered the best hockey team in the world. It spawned a movie starring Kurt Russell and made icons out of Jim Craig and Mike Eruzione. But the most insufferable thing is that it continually tops almost every ranking of greatest sports moment in history.
But here is the truth about the so-called Miracle On Ice -- the majority of the population could care less. It involves a sport that gets less attention than poker.
I was a young kid at the time and had no clue it even took place. The people who lament on how special this moment was are still living in some Cold War when Ronald Reagan had us scared of the Soviet Union and to beat them was the only thing that mattered.
Just like Valentine's Day and SARS, the Miracle on Ice was manufactured by the government to build patriotism. The true miracle is that we bought into it.
But the reason I bring this up, that despite all of the energy and money that went into hyping up the Miracle on Ice story, it was still not enough to make hockey popular in America. It enabled it to become one of the big four of major sports, but the gap between three and Hockey is enough to drive a diesel through.
Marketers are at it again with the Silver meal performance of this year's USA hockey team. The NHL and its small legion of fans are trying to find a way to capitalize off the interest that grew from watching Canada and America battle into overtime in the Gold medal game. Even with the USA coming up short, many think it's hockey's time to make a move in America.
I say that if winning the gold in 1980 couldn't do it then, there is no way losing to Canada is going to make it happen now.
