Three days after Fenway Park’s 2010 Winter Classic, the extremely classy and gracious 1980 US Olympians Jim Craig and Mike Eruzione visited New England’s famed green jewel to particpate in a private Q&A session sponsored by Dunkin Donuts. Topics ranged from reflections on Lake Placid to discussions of modern day organized youth sports. In between sharing stories from their BU careers and offering candid anecdotes on teammates, both Craig and Eruzione were completely forthright on their positions regarding NHL players participation in the Winter Games.
They don’t belong there.
Eruzione feels that the quality of the “team game” is compromised when players aren’t afforded the chance to practice together for more than three days. The Winthrop, MA native qualified his position when he said: don’t get me wrong, “these can flat out play.” Yet, Captain “Rizo” would rather see Olympians practice together for at least one month before competing. Throughout 1979, the “Miracle” team practiced and toured together for several months leading up to Lake Placid. When asked about his team’s source of inspiration before the Soviet match-up, Eruzione said: “…we played for each other.”
1980 Miracle on Ice | Jim Craig
Listening to the hardline positions of both local legends, one notes an undeniably poignant channeled spirit interwoven in their words. The spirit of a man responsible for molding them. Simply put: without coach Herb Brooks, there wouldn’t have been any “miracle” to speak of. Brooks didn’t look to select only the “best” players for his roster as much as the “right” ones. Quality YOUNG MEN.
YOUNG MEN: with the integrity of a Jim Craig, who is attributed with the following quote in Wayne Coffey’s Boys of Winter:
“It’s impossible for me to separate the miracle that we achieved as a team with the memories and gratitude I have for all the people who helped me get there, from my mother and father, my sisters and brothers, coaches, friends and teammates. You don’t make a journey like that alone…”
YOUNG MEN: who’s pride in wearing the red, white, and blue is exceeded only by a nation’s pride in them.
YOUNG MEN: with the hearts of lions and the spirit of warriors.
YOUNG MEN: who grew up in blue collar families in places like Minnesota’s Iron Range, where people know the value of hard work and the true value of a dollar.
Simply: YOUNG MEN. NOT those earning millions.
