Sports Wax Episode 5: Olympic History (On Tape Delay)
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Some sports moments are instantly iconic — live, in real-time, as the world holds its breath. Others become legendary in a different way, with history writing the script after the fact.
The "Miracle on Ice" was both.
It was Feb. 22, 1980. The Cold War loomed large, and the Soviet Union's hockey team was a juggernaut — so dominant that they’d won four straight Olympic gold medals, losing only once in 16 years. The United States, by contrast, fielded a roster of college kids, led by a demanding coach named Herb Brooks. Just two weeks before the Games, the Soviets crushed the Americans 10–3 in an exhibition match.
No one expected the rematch to be different.
But it was.
This week on Sports Wax, we take you back to Lake Placid and one of the greatest upsets in sports history. The U.S. and Soviet Union met in a game that would come to define an era — not just in hockey, but in American sports lore.
And yet, here’s the crazy part: most Americans didn’t even see it happen live.
Here's where you can listen:
A Game Too Big for Primetime?
The game started at 5 p.m. Eastern, but ABC wanted it in primetime. The network asked the Olympic Committee to push it back. The Soviets refused.
That left ABC with a choice: air the game live in the late afternoon when most Americans were still at work — or delay it until the evening when the whole country could watch.
They chose the delay.
By the time the broadcast hit U.S. televisions that night, the result was already spreading by word of mouth. No apps. No push notifications. Just people calling their friends, neighbors hearing from neighbors, news anchors hinting that something incredible had just happened in Lake Placid.
And yet, even knowing the outcome, millions still tuned in. Because some moments are too special to miss.
The Game That Shook the World
This Sports Wax episode isn’t just about what happened on the ice — it’s about why it mattered. How a team of amateurs outskated a dynasty. How a fired-up coach molded a group of kids into champions. How a Cold War rivalry boiled over into a hockey rink in upstate New York.
And of course, how Al Michaels delivered one of the most famous calls in sports history:
“Do you believe in miracles? YES!”
This week, we relive the Miracle on Ice in full detail, from the Soviets’ decades of dominance to Team USA’s improbable journey to gold. If you love sports history, this is one you won’t want to miss. Listen here: