Did You Know?
 

When the the US hockey team defeated the Soviets at the 1980 Winter Olympics, it wasn't for the gold medal? I had no clue. Granted, 1980 is a bit before my time, and I am in no way a hockey fan, but being a sports fan in general I have the understanding that is one of the greatest accomplishments in sports history. I suppose I just assumed that game was for all the marbles.

Yeah, I knew that. I have nothing else to add.

It's one of those common misconceptions, like how the ball going through Buckner's legs didn't actually lose the Red Sox the 86 Series because the game was tied on a wild pitch in the same at bat, but it allowed the Mets to even the series at 3-3.

edit: Also, weren't we also down 2-1 to Finland in the 3rd of the Gold medal game? Talk about what could have been the ultimate letdown.

I knew. I was about to forget, but then Karlifornia started calling me EVERY DAY to tell me about it. Karl, you bastard, I get it. It was not the gold medal game. Stop calling me.

I don't think I knew this until about 5 years ago, but since then I've heard this misconception corrected about 6 billion times.

Yes.

I also know that Karl Malden nor Kurt Russell were the coach of the team.

Did you know that ice hockey is actually played in front of a live audience? Seems crazy.

Seeing as how I watched that game on TV as well as the Gold Medal game vs. Finland back when they happened, yeah, I knew. I guess that makes me old?

Yeah, I had thought they used laugh tracks instead until a couple of weeks ago.

Did you know that Matt Jones doesn't play in front of anyone? Seems crazy.

Yes Kurt Russell was I saw him coach with my very own eyes!!!

I only knew because I read a book about it in like the 5th grade.

But it wasn't live.. it was on TAPE!!!!

I'll go one further, did you know that Russia would have won the gold medal if the US lost to Finland? That game was not a "gold medal" game for Finland as the best they could have done is Bronze if they won.

That doesn't seem right.

Finland could have had silver, I'm not finding anything clear about how a tie is broken.

Finland came into the medal round guaranteed of 1 loss due to the carried over game with the soviets which they lost 4-2, so at best Finland could have been 1-1-1 for a total of 3 points.

if the USA does lose to Finland they are 1-1-1 for 3 points as well. So without knowing the exact tie breaking procedure for the silver/bronze it could have gone either way.

Would have been absolutely shitty had they blown the game with Finland after hanbdling the Rusians though. Egads the backlash of THAT...

The Boys of Winter is a great book about the 80 US team

The Boys of Summer is a great book about the 55 Brooklyn Dodgers

what was it?

"If you lose this game you'll regret it the rest of your fucking life. Rest of your fucking life."

something like that was the halftime speech, of course im sure it was cleaned up for the disney version.

I am guessing this was done during a timeout in the second period then. ;)

Listen, I've got 4 hungry kids here. At least 1 one of them is yours. If you're not gonna pick up the phone and talk to me about them, then I'm gonna talk to you about Olympic Hockey that happened 30 years ago. It's not just fair, it's the law. Just look up the case: Mike Eruzione v. The People. Learn your history and then poke me on Facebook, or actually just send me a private message. If you poke me, my wife will find out, and she'll be pissed, considering she doesn't exist.