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U.S. men's hockey going for gold — and some respect
By Jody Genessy
Deseret News sports writer
In 1980, Herb Brooks and his group of young overachievers made the United States and the rest of the hockey world believe in miracles. On top of beating the highly favored and feared Soviet Union, they also won the Olympic gold medal at the Lake Placid Games.
It's been quite the slump — a blur of mostly mediocre performances — for the U.S. men's team on the international hockey scene ever since.
Aside from a respectable fourth-place finish in Albertville, France, in 1992 and an eye-opening World Cup of Hockey championship in 1996, the American men have had about as much bad luck as that unfortunate hotel room had in Nagano. Like part of their team lodging four years ago, they've been torn up a time or two or 10 in Olympic action the last couple of decades.
So, what's expected of the NHL-star-laden U.S. men's hockey team this time around?
Not mayhem certainly. Not even a miracle. More like some magic.
This is a grand opportunity for Team USA to do some respectful reminiscing back to the good-ol' days of 1980 and 1960 — the two times the U.S. won gold medals on home ice — and to do some damage control from the ugliness that occurred on and off the ice in Japan.
"Everybody knows what's expected," said U.S. team captain Chris Chelios.
And it's not just hearing the Star Spangled Banner from the winners' podium, either. This Olympic tournament is bigger than just winning a medal for the U.S. players and personnel.
(Start humming patriotic music here . . . )
It's about reclaiming respect and building excitement in their sport. It's about taking hockey to the next level in this country. It's about capturing the attention and imagination of potential players, inspiring kids like they were inspired by the 1980 fairytale story. It's about representing themselves with pride in front of a flag-waving, U-S-A-chanting home crowd. It's about creating a new identity that will make every one from sea to shining sea prouder to be an American.
Those are the big-picture expectations.
"They (U.S. players) believe in what we're trying to do with the USA Hockey movement," Brooks said. "Maybe we in Salt Lake will make it better for the future generations, the next wave of younger players across the country. Hopefully they'll add to that movement."
Brooks speaks from experience, having done the same thing with the day-dreaming college guys two decades ago. That gold-medal march helped bring hockey into the spotlight in the United States. In turn, that helped bring NHL franchise after NHL franchise into the country from Canada and helped put thousands of more kids onto the ice in rinks all over the place — from California to Florida, not just in hockey hotbeds like Minnesota, Michigan or New England.
"He's one guy who really changed U.S. hockey in 1980," said U.S. forward Chris Drury. "And it's changed ever since then. He was a major building block in developing that."
Brooks just wants that movement to progress again. Starting now.
"Nineteen-eighty (is) part of history. It's been great," Brooks said. "We'd like to think we've helped this movement, and we'd like to help this movement out again."
For starters, the players have vowed not to act up like a few of them did after their short stay in Nagano. They're also determined to improve on their 1-3 record and disappointing early exit in 1998 — a 4-1 quarterfinal loss to the Czech Republic ended their medal hopes. Part of the problem in Nagano was that many U.S. players believed — and failed to back up — all the hype about them being a gold-medal-worthy Dream Team in the first Olympic Games where NHL pros were able to fully participate.
"(Japan) is done and over with. Hockey players forget those things pretty fast," said U.S. forward Tony Amonte, a two-time Olympian. "It was a big disappointment. Fortunately, we have another opportunity this winter. And being in Salt Lake City in our backyard, we need to have a good performance."
U.S. star center Mike Modano says the United States has a "redemption factor" that it hopes to use to its advantage in Salt Lake City. Fresh in the players' memories are losses to Sweden (4-2), Canada (4-1) and the Czechs. They are also aware that Team USA hasn't medalled in 22 years.
Call it positive pressure to perform well.
"We want to go back and prove we can play with those guys," said Modano, who's considered to be one of the best all-around players in the world. "Japan was a good learning lesson for us. We got too high on ourselves and thought it would be easier than it was. It was a big learning experience. Come February we'll remember what happened."
Chelios, who turned 40 years old on Jan. 25, can't wait to put on the red, white and blue sweater for one last go at the gold.
"I don't get as excited when I'm playing with the Red Wings in the NHL as I do with the atmosphere playing in the Olympic events," said the Detroit Red Wings defensive star. "There's nothing like playing in front of the home crowd, especially at the Olympics. Everyone's behind you in your country."
And especially if you win. That just might be the best thing the highly touted and talented U.S. players could do to pump up the local interest in hockey, make everyone forget about Nagano and add to the Lake Placid legacy.
Now is their chance to give a new generation some monumental memories.
"The thing about 1980 is they were such underdogs and they were all amateurs. I don't think you can recapture that kind of feeling," said Team USA forward John LeClair. "But winning never hurts. It would do a lot for the U.S. program."
E-mail: jody@desnews.com
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