Herb Brooks - killed in car accident (1 Viewer)

[Patrick Sun]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=50272

Herb Brooks was the coach of the USA Hockey team in the 1980 Winter Olympics. Yes, one of the biggest upsets in Winter Olympics history at that time, and who could forget those words by Al Michaels: "Do you believe in miracles?"

He'll be missed.

 

[Chris_Morris]

I just read this on CNN. RIP Herb, the man who made us believe in miracles.


Chris

 

[DaveBB]

There is a movie in production about 1980 US Olympic Hockey Team starring Kurt Russell as Herb Brooks.
Miracle

Sad to see a man that took a bunch of kids an defeated the greatest hockey team in the world die like this.
For those of you too young to remember in the winter of 1980 the United States was facing it's worst times since the Great Depression:

• Double digit inflation.
• Double digit interest rates.
• High unemployement.
• Soviets in Afganistan and all we can do about it is bitch, moan and not go to the summer Olympics.

It looked like Eric Heiden in speed skating would be the only medals the US might get even though we were the host country. Yet Herb Brooks coached the US hockey team to gold and ended up bringing this country together in a way that almost compares to what happened after 9/11.

Other than my grandparent's death: when the men's hockey team won the gold it was the only time I saw my dad cry.

RIP Herb Brooks.:frowning:

 

[Tim Morton]

I was JUST watching the HBO show on the game...still gives me goosebumps....sorry to hear about this.

 

[Tim Holyoke]

Ohhhhh poor Herby...he's one of the few men in hockey that even non-hockey fans know of. I still remember my dad telling me about him when he was the UMinn Gophers coach in the 70s. One of the most innovative coaches of all time. Brooksisms abound, but my favorite has got to be "You're playing worse and worse every day and right now you're playing like it's next month." Probably the most hated coach by his players in 1980, but that's what made him so great, he brought together a bunch of midwestern farmboys and eastern yuppies and made them an unbelievably overachieving team. Herby, you will be sadly missed, RIP buddy. :frowning:

 

[Michael*K]

Man, the news of this really hit me. One of the fondest memories I have of growing up was watching those 1980 hockey games with my late father. My dad also had misty eyes when the U.S. defeated Finland for the gold. Now the man most responsible for forming those hockey memories is gone forever. Sad, very sad. :frowning:

There is a movie in production about 1980 US Olympic Hockey Team starring Kurt Russell as Herb Brooks.

There also was a made-for-television movie that starred Karl Malden as Brooks. Wish it was available on DVD.

 

[Christ Reynolds]

he will be missed, a great icon to the game of hockey.

CJ

 

[Scott Merryfield]

This is very sad news. The 1980 US Hockey team's victory over the USSR is one of the greatest sports memories I have. I still remember what I was doing at the time -- we were at a high school basketball game when they announced the final score. The entire crowd started chanting "U-S-A! U-S-A!". Thoughts of the experience still gives me chills. Much to the dismay of our girlfriends, we rushed to one of our friend's home to watch the tape delay of the game (they came along, but wanted to go out after the basketball game).

As a side note, local newsman Bill Bonds drew the ire of a lot of Detroit-area sports fans when he announced during a newsbreak that the U.S. had beaten the Soviets. He did this before the tape delay of the game was shown on the same station.

 

[LewB]

I remember watching the '80 hockey team and getting hooked on the sport. Defenseman Ken Morrow went on to play on 4 cup winning N.Y. Islander teams after that and I got to see 2 of the cup winners in person.
If you are not a hockey fan, try it ! I can think of 3 great legacies for the memory of Herb Brooks:
1) A renewed pride in being an American at a time we needed it
2) Throngs of American hockey fans turned on to the sport
3) Wearing of your seatbelt (sorry to get preachy). He was thrown from the vehicle, wearing his belt might have meant that he'd still be here.

 

[Micheal]

3) Wearing of your seatbelt (sorry to get preachy). He was thrown from the vehicle, wearing his belt might have meant that he'd still be here.

I agree. I read a story recently about a family that got in a really bad car accident. The father and 3 kids walked away from the accident (they were wearing seatbelts), the mother broke her neck and almost ended up a quadriplegic (she wasn't wearing one).

Herb Brooks was a great coach and he'll be missed. (and remembered) :frowning:

 

[Jerry Klawiter]

:frowning: I have had many fond Herb memories over my past 42 years of being a Minnesotan.
This accident took place not but a few miles from our home in the north metro, He was on his way back home from a charity golf tourney. I'm sure someone is working on a film of his life right now. The history of this man is unreal.
Minnesota & hockey fans nation wide morns the loss of another legendary down to earth man. :frowning: