>>> THIS SATURDAY MARKS THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE "MIRACLE ON
ICE," WHEN THE UNITED STATES MEN'S OLYMPIC HIGHS HOCKEY TEAM
SHOCKED THE WORLD, BEATING THE SOVIET UNION IN THE SEMIFINAL
GAME BEFORE GOING ON TO WIN THE GOLD.
MIKE ERUZIONE, THE CAPTAIN OF THE TEAM AND A MASSACHUSETTS
NATIVE, WAS IN TOWN REASONLY AT A SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS GAME.
HE SMOKE WITH CAROLEE MCGRATH ABOUT THE "MIRACLE ON ICE" AND
WHAT IT MEANT TO BOTH HIM AND AMERICA.
>> ON A RECENT SATURDAY NIGHT, HOCKEY FANS GATHERED AT THE MASS
MUTUAL CENTER, TO PAY TRIBUTE TO HOME TOWN HEROS, LAW
ENFORCEMENT, FIREFIGHTERS, AND ALL E.M.S.
WORKERS.
AS THE DAUGHTER OF A POLICE OFFICER SANG THE NATIONAL ANTHEM
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] THIS WAS ALSO A NIGHT TO
RECOGNIZE A HOCKEY LEGEND.
WHO WAS PART OF A TEAM THAT MANY SAY GAVE AMERICA RENEWED HOPE 40
YEARS AGO.MIKE ERUZIONE WAS THE CAPTAIN OF THE 1980 GOLD MEDAL
WINNING U.S. OLYMPIC HOCKEY TEAM.
ERUZIONE GREW UP IN WINTHROP AND PLAYED AT BOSTON UNIVERSITIES.
HE WAS ONE OF 20 PLAYERS SELECTED FOR THE U.S. OLYMPIC
TEAM WHICH WAS NEVER EXPECTED TO WIN.
>> NICE TO MEET YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WHEN HEY MADE IT TO LAKE PLACID, THEY FACED THE SOVIET
UNION, A TEAM OF ALL PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS.
TEAM U.S.A. WAS MADE UP OF MOSTLY COLLEGE KIDS.
>> I DIDN'T HEAR A WORD.
YOU DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING BUT HER YELLING TO THE PLAYERS, YOU
KNOW, PLAY YOUR GAME.
GET IT OUT.
>> EACH FAN HE MET RECOUNTED THAT GAME THAT WITH THE WORLD
WATCHING U.S. BEAT THE SOVIETS IN THE SEMIFINALS IN ARGUABLY
ONE OF THE GREATEST UPSETS IN SPORTS HISTORY.
>> 17 OF US DRESSED THAT NIGHT, THE OTHERS WERE IN THE STANDS.
>> ERUZIONE SCORED THE WINNING GOAL.
>> 10 MINUTES LEFT, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SCORE AND IT
WORKED OUT AND WE HAD THE LEAD.
>> THE U.S. WENT ONTO BEAT FINLAND FOR THE GOLD.
THE WIN FOR AMERICA IN 1980 WASN'T JUST ABOUT HOCKEY.
AMERICA WAS IN THE MIDST OF THE COLD WAR, THERE WAS THE IRANIAN
HOSTAGE CRISIS, INFLATION, AND UNCERTAINTY.
>> IT WAS A VICTORY FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS, FOR SOME
PEOPLE IT WAS A HOCKEY GAME, FOR SOME PEOPLE IT WAS A POLITICAL
STATEMENT TO SHOW THE WORLD THAT WE STILL ARE A GREAT COUNTRY AND
CAN STILL DO GREAT THINGS.
AND AS A COUNTRY WE WERE LOOKING SOMETHING TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT.
WE NEEDED A SHOT IN THE ARM, SO TO SPEAK.
>> 40 YEARS AFTER THE MIRACLE ON THE ICE, THE STORY OF THE
UNDERDOGS OVERCOMING STILL INSPIRES PEOPLE.
>> THE FACT THAT MOST PEOPLE THINK THEY WON THE GOLD MEDAL
WHEN THEY BEAT THE RUSSIANS TELLS YOU HOW IMPORTANT
POLITICALLY THAT GAME WAS.
NOBODY REMEMBERS THEY HAD TO GO ONTO BEAT FINLAND.
THEY ONLY REMEMBER THEY BEAT THE RUSSIANS.
>> SHE AND HER DAUGHTER WATCHED THE GAME TOGETHER ALL THOSE
YEARS AGO.
>> WHERE WAS THAT TAKEN?
>> THE NATIONAL -- CONVENTION.
>> SHE BROUGHT A PICTURE FOR ERUZIONE TO SIGN AFTER POSING
WITH HIM AT THE OLYMPICS.
>> I HAVE A PHOTO OF MIKE ERUZIONE AND MYSELF TAKEN JUNE
OF 1980 AND THEY HAD WON THE OLYMPICS THAT YEAR AND IT WAS AT
THE NATIONAL JAYCEES CONVENTION.
>> HE HAS PLAYED HOCKEY AND HAS WATCHED THE MOVIE ABOUT THE 1980
OLYMPIC TEAM.
>> A LOT OF THEM WERE FROM COLLEGE AND THEY ARE ON OPPOSITE
TEAMS AND IN THE END THEY WERE ALL FRIENDS.
>> THIS STORY NEVER GETS OLD, AND IT'S SOMEBODY WHO WAS IN AND
OUT OF SPORTS AS AN ADULT BUT LOVED HOCKEY, THE FACT THAT IT'S
THE GREATEST UPSET IN U.S. SPORTS HISTORY, AND AGAIN JUST
NEVER GETS OLD.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT LESSON FOR THESE KIDS TO SEE THIS TEAM COME
TOGETHER, SEE THEIR FEARLESS LEADER, SEE THE LEADERSHIP THAT
EMERGED ON THE TEAM AND TO REMEMBER THIS CRITICAL TIME IN
OUR NATION'S HISTORY AND WHAT THIS SUCCESS MEANT.
>> ERUZIONE SAYS HE NEVER THOUGHT HOCKEY WOULD TAKE OFF
THE WAY IT HAS IN THE U.S. WITH THE TALENT AND THE BROAD REACH
OF THE SPORT, IN PLACES LIKE FLORIDA, ARIZONA AND TEXAS.
>> WE MIGHT HAVE OPENED THE DOORS FOR TODAY'S PLAYERS, BUT
TODAY'S PLAYERS HAVE KNOCKED THE DOORS DOWN.
WE'RE ONE OF THE STRONGEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD WHEN IT
COMES TO ICE HOCKEY, NOT ONLY OUR MEN, OBVIOUSLY OUR WOMEN.
>> HE HAD THIS ADVICE FOR HOCKEY PLAYERS AND FANS.
>> HAVE FUN.
HAVE FUN, WORK HARD.
IF YOU HAVE A PASSION FOR SOMETHING, WORK HARD TO ACHIEVE
THAT, NOT ONLY IN SPORTS, JUST IN LIFE IN GENERAL.
WHEN I TALK TO YOUNG KIDS I SAY I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE A GREAT
HOCKEY PLAYER, I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE A GOOD TEAM MATE, A
GOOD BROTHER, SISTER, NEIGHBOR, YOU RESPECT PEOPLE AND WORK
HARD.
IF YOU HAVE THOSE QUALITIES USUALLY GOOD THINGS WILL HAPPEN
TO YOU.