Episode credited cast: | |||
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Anastasia Fetisov | ... | Self (as Anastasia Fetisova) |
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Slava Fetisov | ... | Self - 1980 Soviet Union Hockey Player |
Viacheslav Fetisov | ... | Self - 1980 Soviet hockey player | |
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Vitaly Melik-Karamov | ... | Self |
Vladimir Myshkin | ... | Self - 1980 Soviet hockey player | |
Vladislav Tretiak | ... | Self - 1980 Soviet hockey player |
The story of one of the greatest upsets in sports history has been told. Or has it? On a Friday evening in Lake Placid, a plucky band of American collegians stunned the vaunted Soviet national team, 4-3 in the medal round of the 1980 Winter Olympic hockey competition. Americans couldn't help but believe in miracles that night, and when the members of Team USA won the gold medal two days later, they became one for the ages. But there was another, unchronicled side to the "Miracle On Ice." The so-called bad guys from America's ideological adversary were in reality good men and outstanding players, forged into the Big Red Machine by the genius and passion of Anatoli Tarasov. There was a reason they seemed unbeatable, especially after routing the Americans in an exhibition the week before the Winter Games began. And there was a certain shame in them having to live the rest of their lives with the results of February 22, 1980. Written by ESPN Films
Of Miracles and Men is the best sports documentary I have seen. But it really transcends sports, and is more of human story.
Like the musical, "Wicked", that challenged the conventional view of "The Wizard of Oz", this movie completely altered my understanding of the 1980 Olympic Miracle on Ice. And in this case, it's a true story.
Not to take anything away from the remarkable feat by the American hockey players, but showing the amazing human beings on the other side of that outcome, provides a deeper and more 3 dimensional perspective. There are lessons to be learned from the commitment and bravery of the Soviet players, and maybe there was an even bigger miracle nobody knew.