so ek any idea how the talks are going? are they progressing? falling apart? have they agreed on anything no matter how small it is
- dmarsden2988

Just can't wait for that next installment of "here's what hasn't happened" yet can you?

Loved watching this series... Also loved watching the 80 US team beat Russia in Olympics.. Just saying
- Popcorn Kid

Now that was something...a bunch of college kids not older then 24 beating the likes of Tretiak ,Kharlamov, Petrov and Mikhailov all in their prime at that point.

Let me preface this by saying: I believe in Bigfoot.

So here's the conspiracy theory, which, much like Bigfoot, I really, really want to believe, because it makes for a great story.

Late 1979, US Congress starts rumbling that they will boycott the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics, to protest the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

This scares the poop of the the USSR, because they desperately need the Summer Olympics for two very important reasons:

1) Soviet sport is their #1 propaganda tool for "proving" that the communist system is superior to the capitalist one (the space program was originally #1, but the Soviet program was waning, and was completely overshadowed by the Space Shuttle program, which would officially start in 1981, but both sides already knew about it). Simply put, gold medals on Soviet athletes, instead of American, British and West German ones, bought social cohesion behind the Iron Curtain.

2). Money. They desperately needed the foreign dough from the visiting Olympic contingents.

So what does the Soviet Union do? They concoct a plan to get the American public so excited about the Winter Olympics, they would demand that they participate in the Summer Olympics a few months later.

They decide to throw the Olympic hockey competition.

Round Robin: USA ties the Swedes, beats everyone else. Only other significant team in their division is Czechoslovakia, who the Soviet Union control.

Final round: USA beats the USSR. Curiously, Tikhonov pulls Tretiak, the best goalie in the world, for no reason. The US scores their final goal of the first period after half of the Soviet players have left the ice.

And two days later, the USA beats Finland - a nation that lived in terror of the Soviets (or maybe Team USA just flat out beat them - not important to the conspiracy theory).

I should point out that this is not my theory - it's pretty well known in Europe, or at least used to be.

But here's the funny thing: my brother is a teacher, and had Tretiak come visit his school. He told me before hand that Tretiak was coming, so I had him ask one question (in front of the student body): "Why were you pulled in that game?"

Tretiak smiled awkwardly, and then blurted out, "USA Hockey should build a statue of me."

He then went on to give an interesting, but ultimately meaningless answer that didn't answer the question, but talked about international hockey, blah blah blah.

And for the record, nobody has ever proven that the 1967 Patterson-Gimlin Bigfoot film was faked.
- Atomic Wedgie

and we still boycotted Moscow!! stupid Soviets.

Having been born in '70, I think I was just in the midst of potty training when this took place. I have seen the docu on it though a few times and still find the miracle on ice docu much more fascinating because I vividly remember watching the 80 olympics live. Of course at 10 years old I had very little understanding of that games ramifications at the time but would come to realize and understand them throughout the next several years of my life. That being said, it's always a bit more compelling when you can relive the memory instead of watching it new after the fact. JMO
- MnGump

Tape delay, actually.

Agreed but '72 was wild becuse nobody knew who the hell these guys were and people were absolutely freaked out when Canada started losing. The whole Cold War hate was a huge factor as well
- Canada Cup

Cold war still a huge factor in 80', but you are right about 72. The NBC special about the Summit series, the two sides referred to each other as "like Aliens from another planet". That is how separated the world was. These days you can watch a russian girl get naked live in her bedroom via the internet at no cost instantly.

Cold war still a huge factor in 80', but you are right about 72. The NBC special about the Summit series, the two sides referred to each other as "like Aliens from another planet". That is how separated the world was. These days you can watch a russian girl get naked live in her bedroom via the internet at no cost instantly.
- Buffalo--Sabres

Did NBC actually do a special?

I'm guessing they just aired a Canadian documentary, no?

Tape delay, actually.
- Atomic Wedgie

A detail I carelessly overlooked!!!

Cold war still a huge factor in 80', but you are right about 72. The NBC special about the Summit series, the two sides referred to each other as "like Aliens from another planet". That is how separated the world was. These days you can watch a russian girl get naked live in her bedroom via the internet at no cost instantly.
- Buffalo--Sabres

What's the Url for that????

Did NBC actually do a special?

I'm guessing they just aired a Canadian documentary, no?
- Atomic Wedgie

No, NBC did thier own unique, American filmed documentary called “Cold War on Ice: Summit Series '72″. Look for a torrent. Its (frank)ing fantastic.

What's the Url for that????
- MnGump

pm

A detail I carelessly overlooked!!!
- MnGump

I didn't actually mean to seem snippy about that - it's just funny how most Americans will swear they saw it live. They truly remember it that way.

No, NBC did thier own unique, American filmed documentary called “Cold War on Ice: Summit Series '72″. Look for a torrent. Its (frank)ing fantastic.
- Buffalo--Sabres

NBC Sports which used to be Versus aired that. it was very good.

No, NBC did thier own unique, American filmed documentary called “Cold War on Ice: Summit Series '72″. Look for a torrent. Its (frank)ing fantastic.
- Buffalo--Sabres

You are correct, sir.

http://www.theglobeandmai...ey-moment/article1357188/

I will be sure to torrent it.

Thanks for the recommendation.

I didn't actually mean to seem snippy about that - it's just funny how most Americans will swear they saw it live. They truly remember it that way.
- Atomic Wedgie

Its like "the greatest comeback game" with Bills vs Oilers. The stadium sat 80,000 and wasn't even sold out, but 295,000 will tell you they were there.

I didn't actually mean to seem snippy about that - it's just funny how most Americans will swear they saw it live. They truly remember it that way.
- Atomic Wedgie

No offense taken... You're right though... I do recall all the hubbub about the US not airing the game live, yet back then obviously their were much fewer media outlets to spoil the eventual outcome of the game for US fans...

Good point though.

Its like "the greatest comeback game" with Bills vs Oilers. The stadium sat 80,000 and wasn't even sold out, but 295,000 will tell you they were there.
- Buffalo--Sabres

And how many left at halftime?

Answer: all but a handful.

No offense taken... You're right though... I do recall all the hubbub about the US not airing the game live, yet back then obviously their were much fewer media outlets to spoil the eventual outcome of the game for US fans...

Good point though.
- MnGump

Like the next winter Olympics in Russia will be. Thats going to suck!

No, NBC did thier own unique, American filmed documentary called “Cold War on Ice: Summit Series '72″. Look for a torrent. Its (frank)ing fantastic.
- Buffalo--Sabres

Super Super Sweet! didn't know about that one, will have to check it out too. Thanks for sharing.

Super Super Sweet! didn't know about that one, will have to check it out too. Thanks for sharing.
- Hockey_Hoser

Watching it, I couldn't beleive I was watching an American tv network. It was awesome.

When I had cable we got all the Canadian channels like CBC, CTV, CFTO and what not. We all grew up with it. I miss those days.

great stuff! a must read. It is really interesting, even in watching this documentary, how important Bobby Clarke was in the Summit series...and ironic how less than two years later, as a member of the Broad Street Bullies, Clarke would be part of the team many in Canada were saying was killing the sport
- Eklund

Important as in changing the series, sure. As far as I'm concerned, if a two handed ankle slash played THAT big a part in them winning, it cheapens it.

so ek any idea how the talks are going? are they progressing? falling apart? have they agreed on anything no matter how small it is
- dmarsden2988

I can actually answer that for you, dmarsden2988.....

He has no idea.

why does international hockey matter to Canada?


because unlike every other country except maybe Australia and New Zealand, our history as Federation has no war, no war of conquest.

our history is very passive and civil, i mean since 1759 the French and English have been getting along pretty damn well in Canada considering the history these two cultures have back in jolly ol' Europe

yeah WWI and WWII and Korea had Canadians but those were not "our" wars, not fought in Canada for Canada to protect Canadian soil...

the 7 Years War and the War of 1812, Canada as a concept, did not exist

our history, the collectiveness of unity that usually is brought about through victory in combat... never happened.

instead... we have HOCKEY

hockey made Canada. Starting in Windsor Nova Scotia, its evolution began, was embraced and improved upon when it got to Montreal, and continued on down to Kingston and eventually out West.

hockey is a bona fide cultural phenomenon that had nothing to do with the Federal Government building a nation which was usually the case in our history.

hockey is what binds us together, the Maritimes, Quebec, Ontario, the West, First Nations, immigrants.

hockey was built by the people

hockey made Canada not war of conquest that is the norm of history

that is why international hockey matters

it is our game, our sport, our nation!