Here’s to hoping the Olympics can bring us together

If you’re like me, you already have Feb. 6-22 marked on your calendars.

That’s because that’s when the Winter Olympic Games in Italy will take place.

While the Winter Games may not be as exciting in some ways as its more-famous cousin, I still enjoy every minute. I don’t mean just the better-known sports like hockey, figure skating and skiing. I’m talking about luge, curling and biathlon. For the record, I think ski jumping may be my favorite of the winter sports. And while you have to be a bit nuts to partake in that event, one must be completely crazy to take part in “skeleton”, in which you go head-first down a track at speeds topping 80 mph. That sport is appropriately named.

The Olympics are coming at a perfect time. With our country so incredibly divided on an array of topics, starting with politics, I’m hopeful we can come together as a nation for at least two weeks. It’s a big ask but I remain hopeful.

For me, the most memorable sports moment during my lifeline is what’s affectionately become known as the Miracle on Ice, with a little help from Al Michaels’ “Do you believe in miracles? YES” call. That’s when the U.S. men’s hockey team stunned the world to bring home the gold.

I was just 11 at the time but even at that age I understood the significance and pride that came with that victory.

Many forget that the Miracle on Ice against the Soviet Union was not the gold-medal match. Instead, that came a couple of days later when the U.S. beat Finland in order to stand atop the podium.

Regarding the match against the Soviets, I knew they had won before most did. No, I’m not clairvoyant, own a crystal ball or had some early version of the Internet. Back then, being that my dad was a park ranger, we lived in Cottonwood Cove. For some reason, we got our news out of Phoenix. Well, being that the game against the Soviets was expected to be a blowout, and not for the home team, the game wasn’t televised live but rather tape delayed. At the 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. news, the sportscaster came on and was ecstatic saying that in one of the biggest upsets in sports history… So, the cat was out of the bag two hours prior to the puck drop. Needless to say, during the 11 p.m. newscast, he was extremely apologetic for letting people know.

Despite knowing the outcome, it was still amazing to witness the U.S. win. Unknowns like Jim Craig, Mike Eruzione and Buzz Schneider would soon become household names. But going into the Games, these were just a bunch of college kids playing against men and a team that had won five of the six previous gold medals in hockey.

Of the 20 players on that U.S. team, 13 would go onto play in the NHL. Ken Marrow was arguably the most successful, having been on four consecutive Stanley Cup winners while playing for the New York Islanders.

So, for two weeks let’s come together as a nation and forget who is a red state and who is a blue state and remember that’s we’re all part of the United States. Go USA!