Tammi's World

Flashback and Focus

The other day while I was working at the computer I turned on the TV. Playing on one of the movie channels was the documentary telling the story of the 1980 USA Olympic Hockey Team.

I had to stop and watch. And yes, it still gives me chills. Still gets my eyes all misty.

I think what I like best about this documentary is it goes into details. The details of the mess this country was in. The Iran Hostage Crisis had just begun. Gas was scarce. Stations shut down, lines everywhere. America was a bad word throughout the world. It was horrible.

I remember.

I was a senior in high school. I remember being in the locker room, the talk of the draft being reinstated. The panic. The anger.

Then Carter threatened to boycott the Summer Olympics. For a time it looked like the Russians would do the same for the Winter session.

It was a time when the Olympics meant something. It was a matter of national pride.

And there was that hockey team. Those young men, college boys, taking on the world. In a sport that, well let's face it.....America wasn't known for it's strength in the world hockey league.

And those fresh faced boys won. They beat those big bad Russians. They gave this country something to be proud of, something to cheer for.

It's a great story. Hell...it's the American Dream for cryin' outloud. Something so simple, a HOCKEY GAME, united the focus of this country. Gave us a REASON to hold our heads high.

I wonder though....do you think that could happen in this day and age? Were we too naive then? Too simple?

Or is it that we're too jaded now?

Posted by Tammi at October 25, 2007 05:30 AM | TrackBack