I have sat at Bone Daddy’s side for 5 different Olympic Summer Games and 6 different Olympic Winter Games television telecasts….for we have watched dang near every moment of every telecast from early in the morning to late at night….cuz we just love the Olympics….plus we have posted an incredible amount of Olympic content in our Olympics section of Imasportsphile….not to mention that Bone Daddy, along with friends Sky Pilot and Prince of Pleasure, actually set an Olympic fan record that can ONLY BE TIED and NEVER BROKEN….by seeing a live event in every sport competed in the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games (26 different sports including demonstration sports….and 26 different venues)…and I can honestly say that for both Bone Daddy and this lil ole chiweenie Sportsphile….there is no moment in sport that creates “such deafening silence after such a big aaaahhhh” as that moment in the Closing Ceremonies of the Olympic Games when they “douse the Olympic flame” at the end of every Olympics.
I have often heard Bone Daddy talk about how impactful that moment was for him at the L A Coliseum on August 12, 1984….as he recalls that when the flame went out….there was a simultaneous sigh that went throughout the entire sold out stadium….and then came an incredible silence which was accompanied by the deafening sadness that abound in the Los Angeles Coliseum at that moment….like all the air went out of the balloon that had made people happy for two weeks of competition….and those of you who have felt the same feeling of sadness and silence, know exactly what I am talking about….as Bone Daddy says “it is like your heart stops ticking and drops to the bottom of your stomach”.
Lake Placid will always be remember by Americans as the Olympics with The Miracle On Ice….as most folks believe that this miracle was solely regarding when the USA Hockey Team defeated the mighty Soviet Union….as the US team was composed mostly of collegiate players and not predicted to advance beyond group play….but would go on to win the gold medal….after defeating the heavily favored Soviet team and Finland in the medal round. The United States team’s 4–3 win over the Soviet team….which came into the 1980 Games having won 4 consecutive Olympic gold medals….as the win captured the hearts of Americans during a time of Cold War tensions….even though it was the win against Finland that captured the gold medal.
However, in this lil ole chiweenie Sportsphiles’ opinion….there were two Miracles On Ice at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics….the hockey game against the USSR and the feats of the greatest speed skater to ever put on a pair of skates….USA Eric Heiden….who won gold in the 500m, 1000m, 1500m, 5000m, and 10,000m speedskating events (which is every discipline that is competed by the men in Olympic competition)….while setting 4 Olympic records and 1 world record (10,000m) in the process….and delivering 83% of the American gold medals (the only other gold, as noted above, was won by the hockey team). Heiden became the first to ever win all five speed skating events and is still the only athlete to win 5 gold medals at one Winter Games….for his record is like Bone Daddy’s Olympic fan record at the 1984 L A Summer Games….it can ONLY BE TIED….NEVER BROKEN….and that folks is another Miracle On Ice.
This closing night Closing Ceremony telecast by ABC Sports for the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympic Games is hosted by the legendary voice of elegance and eloquence of the Olympics….Jim McKay….with incredible help from other broadcasting legends like Keith Jackson, Al Michaels, Jim Lampley and Chris Schenkel… which coupled with the awesome highlights of the entire Lake Placid Games….simply makes this MUST SEE TV for all sports fans anywhere.
