Emily Shah

"The Miracle vs. The Miraculous Media"

Al Michael’s words “Do you believe in miracles” are ingrained into the brains of sports fanatics and bring chills to those who remember the significance of the victory. The Miracle on Ice, which took place at the 1980 Winter Olympics, was arguably one of the most iconic moments in sports history in the eyes of Americans. Disney’s movie Miracle, produced in 2004, recounts this historical matchup between the Americans and the Soviets. Miracle accurately portrays the competition of the Cold War through sports by focusing on the American players' passion for hockey rather than the media’s dramatization of the hockey rivalry as a political statement. The film focuses on the story of the United States men’s hockey journey to win the gold medal and defy all expectations at the Olympics. The Soviets were a hockey dynasty as they had won five out of six of the last gold medals and were favored to win the gold again. Therefore it shocked the world when the United States upset the Soviets 4-3, it was also significant because of the Cold War.

There was a state of heightened tension amongst the two nations following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, which allowed for the media to dramatize the matchup. They created a political buzz surrounding the event which drew attention from across the nation. Hockey was not a very well known or watched sport in the United States, but the media portrayed the match as political and characterized the US team as the underdogs. Americans were attracted to the idea of an unlikely victory especially since it was against the Soviets. At the time of the game, there was a lack of US nationalism because of the result of the Vietnam War. The victory brought about a new sense of pride for Americans. The players stated how they did not want to get involved in politics, their goal was to win a hockey game. This attitude is portrayed accurately in the film because the team does not mention the political significance of the game, they focus on becoming the best hockey team.

The film also does not focus on the political state of the world, but instead contextualizes the period indirectly, by using background cues such as news broadcasts, radio shows, and banners. When the film was released in 2004, the US was hurting after the attacks of 9/11. The film reminded Americans of a time that they defeated the enemy, which was necessary in the early twentieth first century. The claim on the movie poster that the Miracle on Ice is the greatest sports moment of all time is inherently biased. To argue that an American victory is the greatest sports moment in history reflects the American superiority complex. While The Miracle on Ice was a historic victory because of the context of the Olympics, the media dramaticized the political significance of the game which captivated the attention of many and resulted in American fascination with this story.