When your US Hockey team played the Soviet Union in the 1980 Olympics, the game took place at a time when political tension was at its highest pressure because of that?
We were absolutely relaxed. There was no pressure on us. Nobody thought we were going to win. And we didn’t know what was going on around the world, around the country. We were just playing. We had no clue the country was watching the way they were. That’s what was great about it. We weren’t allowed to talk to the media. We were in a cocoon. There was no Twitter, no Facebook, no ESPN! Cable TV wasn’t really around. Imagine if it happened today? Wow!
The game is often referred to as the greatest upset of all time. Do you feel that sometimes your team doesn’t get enough credit for how good you really were?
We played together for six months before the games. And we were a lot better players than people realized. We had to play other tough teams before meeting the Soviets. We tied Sweden and beat the Czechs. We learned to play as a team long before the Olympics. It wasn’t two weeks in Lake Placid. It was a process that stared way before that. It started when we were 8 or 9 years old, when we started playing hockey. It was an incredible group of guys who had incredible values. Everyday we came to practice, rolled up our sleeves and went to work. Our coach, Herb Brooks, called us a lunch pail hardhat group of guys. That’s what we were along with some talented players. It was commitment plus respect and pride that we had as a hockey team in ourselves and each other.
Do you have a sense of why coach Brooks chose you to be captain? Were there certain things that you were doing that was making you the leader of the group even before you were named?
It wasn’t a big deal. I think it was some sort of player vote and we just moved on. I think it’s a bigger deal today than it was then. To this day, I take great pride in being captain. The key was being the person I always was. I was captain of my high school team and my college team. This wasn’t a new role for me.
For a young player that is made team captain early in his career, what advise would you give them?
Just because you become captain doesn’t mean you have to change. Sometimes people make the mistake of trying to change. But the reason you were chosen is the person you are. Be yourself. Be a leader. Make decisions that are best as a team, not as an individual. You have issues, come together as a team and talk about them. Don’t become a dictator. Become a leader, a teammate and a friend.
Do you enjoy seeing the pros playing in the Olympics or would you prefer it go back to the way it was when you were an Olympian?
I have no problem seeing the pros play in the Olympics. Times have changed. Now, whoever has the USA jersey on we root for them. We’ve come a long way. We’re not going in the back door, we’re going in the front door. We don’t take a back seat to anyone. We belong. We proved that if we can do it, anybody can do it. We opened the door, and these guys knocked it down. It’s great to see team USA as a favored team.
Could you have played in the NHL after the Olympics?
There’s more to life than athletics, as my Dad said. There’s no doubt in my mind I could have played. But I would have been a three-year or four- year player. I felt that after winning at 25 it was time to move on. What better way to finish than that? the last game I played I won. I made the decision after the Games. I was debating after we won, maybe signing with Buffalo, the Rangers or Minnesota. And I just kind of thought about things. I said to myself, let's just leave, and it worked out. Almost everybody said they couldn’t believe it. I don’t think you have to be a professional hockey player to define your life. I don’t think the Olympics have to define my life. I had just experienced the greatest thing you could ever experience. How can you top that? I talked to my teammate Kenny Morrow about it. He said it was very different playing for the Olympic team and playing for the Islanders. And he won four Stanley Cups in a row after the gold medal!
Ever doubt the decision?
Never doubted it once. We talked about it the other day—17 of us in Minneapolis. Who would have thought 35 years later, we’re all still involved. It’s a shocker still. This moment was special to a lot of people for a lot of reasons, not just hockey reasons. I understand it and I get it. This was greater than a sporting event. I said it many times. If you believe in something and you’re willing to work hard, you can accomplish it. And I think our team epitomized that. We were a lot better than people thought we were. I work at Boston University now. I’ve been here for twenty something years now. When I see the kids play, it justifies my choice to give back.
