"Miracle on Ice" inspires athletes of all sports

This past Sunday marks the 35th anniversary of what many call the “Miracle on Ice.” The name was attributed to the defeat of the powerful Soviet Union hockey team by the United States in the 1980 Olympic games.

This miracle loomed in the larger context of a difficult time period, mired in war and heightened tensions that swooped across the country and the world.

The Olympic games set in Lake Placid in 1980 served as the arena for unbeknownst greatness and improbable feats of success. Lake Placid stood as a metaphorical battleground, one that would send reverberations across the globe.

The United States and the Soviet Union stood on opposite ends of the spectrum in almost all aspects of life, and they remained at each other’s throats during the nonviolent yet incredibly divisive and tense disputes of the Cold War Era.

The American underdogs stood as the proverbial David to the Soviet Union’s Goliath, facing seemingly insurmountable odds in a pivotal semi-final game.

The game itself was transcended by its greater importance and offered an amazing opportunity for enhancing a sense of nationalism.

With a 4-3 win, the United States gained a victory of paramount importance, defining a great turning point for the country to make its way out of doubt and fear and into a spree of happiness and nationalistic pride.

The anniversary of such triumph still resonates 35 years later in today’s sporting world and shows the capabilities of teamwork and how belief in oneself remains the most pivotal and driving force toward victory.

This time of year, both professional hockey and basketball are in full swing, and some apparent underdogs are sweeping the top of the leaderboards.

The NBA has recently broken free of its domination by the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs, making way for the Atlanta Hawks to secure a spot atop professional basketball’s power rankings. The Hawks lead the NBA Eastern Conference with a record of 42-9, snatching the first seed in the East for the first time since the 1990s.

When people discuss basketball, almost no one mentions or even thinks of Atlanta as an NBA powerhouse. The Hawks don’t rely on flashy players or big-name stars, and most definitely don’t listen to their critics’ opinions.

The Hawks garner their success through teamwork and by sharing the ball, a trait that is embodied by the best teams in history. Their all-star players — because of their ego and the willingness of other players to let them steal the show — can actually hinder other teams. If the star player gets hurt or has an off game, the team crumbles.

The Hawks’ depth and inclusion of each player in their success makes them the team to be beat. The Hawks stand as a parallel to the 1980 USA hockey team by their transcendence of criticism and doubt through team effort and unselfish play.

The anniversary of the “Miracle on Ice” helps remind people that anything is possible when enough effort is put forth, and that greatness stems from teamwork and from one’s personal desire to achieve great things.

In the National Hockey League, the New York Islanders hold the first place position in the Eastern Conference by breaking the mold set by the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers.

The Islanders have the second highest number of goals scored and prove to be one of the most efficient teams in the league. Besides the 2012-2013 season, the Islanders have not made it to the playoffs since 2006, and they were not projected to do well in the slightest. However, just like the Atlanta Hawks, the Islanders achieve their success through a strong team bond. I don’t think I could name a single player on the Islanders off the top of my head, but their ability to prove all the critics and me wrong proves their steadfast demeanor and shows how unlikely people can accomplish great things.

Although not playing in a time of great turmoil or framed in the greater context of a looming conflict, these teams still offer their own fans hope for glory.

Wins come at a dime a dozen, but glory comes only few times throughout one’s life.

These teams most likely do not give reason for continued prominence in the upcoming years or a start of a dynasty in the slightest, but their road toward a championship this year helps build excitement in the hearts and minds of those fans who have longed for glory and have not even come close enough to smell it over many years.

These teams don’t get much praise or possess big-time players who promote their faces across social media, but rather, they achieve their success through powerful and cooperative team play.

Just like the USA Olympic Hockey team of old, these teams use a dynamic team chemistry to achieve greatness and toil on a road to ultimate glory.