Wednesday Night Rant: What’s So ‘Miracle’ About Team USA?
Ty Anderson | Feb 24, 2010 | Comments 2
The notion that the 2010 Team U.S.A.'s success is a miracle is simply ridiculous.
The memories of a screaming Al Michaels asking if we believe in miracles is etched into every hockey fans memory, whether they lived through it or not. Immortalized through books, documentaries, and the 2004 film aptly named for what their accomplishment was, the 1980 U.S. team made up mostly of college kids from New England or hockey hotbeds such as Minnesota that shocked the world is known as the ‘Miracle’. Almost 30 years later to the date, that ‘M’ word reappeared with the United States’ mens ice-hockey team capturing of the number one seed after going undefeated in preliminary round-robin play after their 5-3 win over heavy favorites Team Canada.
Miracle? We’re calling thisa miracle? Let’s put down our red, white, and blue kool-aid for a minute, America and take a look at who this team is really comprised of.
The 1980 team, led by Boston University stand-out Mike Eruzione, and entirely made up of college-aged kids with no NHL experience shocked the world when they defeated the juggernaut and fear-instilling Soviet Union, who were widely regarded as perhaps the best team ever assembled on ice.
30 years later, it’s the complete opposite as all 25 members of Team U.S.A’s squad are active NHL players.
Starting in net, the United States came into the tournament with who’s considered the best goaltender in the world right now with Sabres goaltender and Michigan native Ryan Miller. The 29-year old Miller currently sits with the NHL’s third best goals against average (2.16) and second-best save percentage at .930. Backing him is 2009 Vezina Trophy winner and Boston Bruins netminder Tim Thomas, and watching the game from the press box is NHL wins leader (35) and Connecticut native Jonathan Quick.
Up front, there’s no shortage of scorers on the States’ roster as both Zach Parise and Bobby Ryanare in the top ten in the NHL for goals. After the two big guns of Parise and Ryan, the U.S has team-leaders in goals with Phil Kesselwho leads the Leafs with 21 goals, and Blackhawks goal-scoring phenom and NHL10 cover-boy Patrick Kane, currently leading the ‘Hawks with 25 goals this season. Ron Wilson’s squad is also help considerably by dish-masters Paul Statsny and his team-leading 42 assists this year with the Colorado Avalanche along with the leadership qualities of players such as Dustin Brown and Jamie Langenbrunner.
For starters, the U.S.A penalty kill is led by Rangers forwards Ryan Callahan and Chris Drury, who are the main components of the Rangers’ penalty kill, which is fifth in the NHL at an 84.6 kill percentage. The States also have a mix of grit with effective energizing forwards David Backes and Ryan Kesler.
On the blue-line, the Americans have some invaluable Stanley Cup experience with Brooks Orpik of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Brian Rafalski, who’s won Stanley Cups both with the New Jersey Devils and most recently the Detroit Red Wings. Behind the men touting championship rings are offensively capable defensemen Erik Johnson, Jack Johnson, and Ryan Whitney.
The biggest knock on the red, white, and blue have undoubtedly been their age, but where’s the miracle? Has a team of mainly twenty-something year old’s never won anything? Oh, right…
Don’t get me wrong here–I love hot dogs, the Fourth of July, Hulk Hogan, and monster truck events where kids seats are still just five dollars, but the attempted comparison to Herb Brooks’ 1980 club is just an insult to those who donned the U.S.A’s sweater thirty years ago. Perhaps hockey fans can attribute it to the States’ upset over Canada in the World Juniors Championship, but man is the joyous outcry from U.S fans since late Sunday night enough to make you want to puke?
Yes, the underdog Americans beat the powerhouse that is Canada in a preliminary game, but as of right now, the United States has proved as much as Jonas Hiller and the Swiss. Now if only the Swiss could pull off the unthinkable here today, 2010 may present Olympic hockey viewers with a real miracle.
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The M word is all about marketing. Of course people in the States are going to use the M word to describe team USA, it’s how they’re going to get people interested in the sport (not that NBC is doing anything to help the sport, but that’s an entirely different subject).
USA’s win over Canada was impressive. But it was hardly a miracle, and I think when it’s all said and done, it’ll be a footnote of the tournament, despite the meaning that it carries to die-hard USA fans. In Canada, I can tell you that it was a disappointing loss, and annoying and stinging loss, but hardly anything that could be described as miraculous.
As you said, team USA might not be the best team at the games on paper, but they’re full of people who play in the best league in the world, and run by a guy who’s won at that level. While rivalries and bitterness will keep me from estimating this team as I should, they are where they belong, in the top 4 nations of the world in the sport of hockey.
Good piece Ty.
Great stuff Ty, and right on point!