1980 Miracle
Chinua Achebe once said, “If you want to see it well, you must not stand in one place.” I thought of that quote many times during the viewing of the two films, Of Miracles and Men and Miracle because of the value that it had in the situation. The Cold War was a battle of nationalistic pride, and I too felt that pride even after 30 years; and that is perhaps why I had never even thought of any other perspective besides the American view. We were powered by capitalism, had complete control, and came out champions. That is all I have ever thought of when it comes to the 1980 Miracle on Ice. For that very reason, it was the perspective of the Russian hockey team that took me by surprise and launched me into a paradox of thought. No one wants to
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This was not just a game, and there was not just a winner and a loser. When the Russian players were chosen to play on the national team, it was not as much of an honor much like it is here in the United States, it was more of a duty. Playing hockey at the highest level was these men’s dreams, but they could not just pursue them like any American. Each player had to enlist with the Red Army in a 25 year contract. Hockey was not their passion, dream, or goal; it was their livelihood. In many ways, it seemed that hockey was their way out of Russia. It was their chance to travel and see the world, and experience things that they would have never experienced trapped in a communist environment. It was expressed many times throughout the film that hockey was not a game for them, it was a job, that they used to enjoy. The Soviets traveled around the world playing the best hockey teams, and the one detail that they remember vividly was the sense of love for the game from the other team. The Soviets only lived to play hockey, not to love it. Every game was a mission, and success was the only acceptable option. This film unearthed many of the Russian feelings that have never been expressed to Americans.The feelings that the Russian hockey team had towards the game were not necessarily sadness, but of great fortune. Although, it may be a stretch to say that the 1980 Olympics won America the Cold War, it would not be out of place to say that it was the beginning of a ball that rolled straight through the Berlin Wall in the late 80’s and through the Soviet barricade in
This was not just a game, and there was not just a winner and a loser. When the Russian players were chosen to play on the national team, it was not as much of an honor much like it is here in the United States, it was more of a duty. Playing hockey at the highest level was these men’s dreams, but they could not just pursue them like any American. Each player had to enlist with the Red Army in a 25 year contract. Hockey was not their passion, dream, or goal; it was their livelihood. In many ways, it seemed that hockey was their way out of Russia. It was their chance to travel and see the world, and experience things that they would have never experienced trapped in a communist environment. It was expressed many times throughout the film that hockey was not a game for them, it was a job, that they used to enjoy. The Soviets traveled around the world playing the best hockey teams, and the one detail that they remember vividly was the sense of love for the game from the other team. The Soviets only lived to play hockey, not to love it. Every game was a mission, and success was the only acceptable option. This film unearthed many of the Russian feelings that have never been expressed to Americans.The feelings that the Russian hockey team had towards the game were not necessarily sadness, but of great fortune. Although, it may be a stretch to say that the 1980 Olympics won America the Cold War, it would not be out of place to say that it was the beginning of a ball that rolled straight through the Berlin Wall in the late 80’s and through the Soviet barricade in