It is very hard to believe that twenty-five years ago on February 22, 1980, the “Miracle On Ice” took place where the US Hockey team defeated the Soviet Hockey team 4-3. Last year, I wrote this article entitled “Do You Believe In Miracles”? that talked about my memories of twenty-five years ago and my feelings about the Disney movie “Miracle” released last year.

I had remembered someone mentioning the anniversary this past weekend ona television show. Therefore, I was preparing to watch the game once again shown on ESPN’s Classic Sports channel. However, I was shocked as 8 PM came and I was at Buffalo Wild Wings preparing to watch the WWE’s No Way Out pay-per-view when on another television set, ESPN showed the special Pardon The Interruption with Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon specifically devoted to this one game with Mike Eruzione doing the Five Good Minutes segment.

I therefore watched both the pay-per-view and PTI at the same time when I saw the banner at the bottom of PTI announcing that the famous hockey game would be shown with limited commercial interruption after PTI. At 8:30, the pay-per-view was boring and my attention became more focused towards the replay of the hockey game showing a very young Al Michaels calling the game.

During that time, while my friends were enjoying the pay-per-view, I was enjoying the Miracle on Ice as I recollected my thoughts of what went on in America twenty-five years ago and still remembering myself as an eleven year old boy watching this game in my bedroom on an old beat-up Quasar television.

Time has gone by very fast……

My buddy and I left Buffalo Wild Wings shortly before 9:15 PM when ESPN went to a commercial between the second and third period. I got home and turned the television on and watched the rest of the game seeing Eruzione’s goal the way I remembered it shown on television. To this day, I still choke up with emotion when I see the final seconds of the game tick away with those now famous words of Al Michaels in the background. I still think about how that game changed the world as we know it seeing a change in American pride, political landscape, and perserverance. I still think at how this one game showed that the Soviets were not these invincible people they portrayed themselves as and years later this was enhanced when Ronald Reagan told Gorbachev to “Tear Down That Wall” and the Cold War eventually came to an end. I wished I had my Sports Illustrated issue with the Miracle on Ice on the front cover.

Was this the greatest upset in sports history? Yes, no other game has had an everlasting impact as this one. Not Super Bowl III where Joe Willie Namath made the AFL a legitimate contender. Not US vs USSR in the 1972 Olympic basketball game where the US was robbed and the silver medals still sit in a vault in Munich.

Do I still believe in miracles?

You bet I Do!!!!!!!