Posted on 07/29/2007 7:33:19 AM PDT by alligator
...Or Jesse Owens in the Berlin Olympics
Or the Yankees playing in the 2001 World Series -- even though they lost, that was a big boost for New Yorkers, and one of the first times life began to feel a little bit normal again after 9/11.
What is even more remarkable is a fact that is often forgotten. The US team still had to beat Finland, they did 4-2, in the championship game.
From the Washington Post article tomorrow:
DATELINE: FORTIFIED GREEN ZONE, BAGHDAD, IRAQ
The Iraqi National Soccer Team almost lost in the finals to to a much-depleted Saudia Arabia team, squeeking through 1-0 in the final of the Asian Cup Championship.
Senate Majority Leader, the Honorable Harry Reid has refused to meet the Iraqi team captain stating “Why should I listen to him? He’s just going to give me the same administration spin, calling it a win when in fact it’s a loss. The team would have done much better under Saddam Hussein.”
The quagmire was played in Jakarta (very close to Vietnam).
House Speaker the Right Honorable Nancy Pelosi said “We shouldn’t be in Iraq in the first place. If it hadn’t been for the failed Bush policy of war-mongering we wouldn’t even care that Iraq almost lost some soccer match in Asia. I mean who the heck watches soccer anyway?”
(excerpted)
The comparison: The Miracle on Ice - 1980, USA beat the USSR at Lake Placid.
Isn’t this wonderful? Something that can, for a brief moment, cross all sectarian lines and provide a glorious rallying point for Iraqis. Folks where you are should be in a good mood today and tomorrow!
And I’ll bump your bump...
“I think the closest would be when the US beat the Soviet Union for the gold medal in hockey in the 1980 olympics, but I think this Iraqi victory is even bigger.”
Yes, it’s bigger. Imagine the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA finals, Olympics all in one sport and then the US beating the Soviets for the World Championship.
That’s about how big a day this is for Iraqis.
I never forgot the gold medal game against Finland nor that the US had to come back yet again to win.
And I’ll never forget the late great Herb Brooks speech before the game.
You lose this and you’ll take it to your *&(^% graves.
(Not sure if Herb used an epitath there. My apologies if not to the man.)
This is a day Iraqis will savor!
I heard Mike Eruzione say that indeed those were Brooks' words.
Yes, I just hunted it down. Have to do the justice it deserves. And for Herb Brooks this is a strong statement that he even cursed.
So here it is:
Herb Brooks came into the locker room beforehand, and said, “If you lose this game, you will take it to your f&(^%Rg grave.” Then he turned and walked almost all the way out, before turning around and saying again, “To your f&(^%Rg grave.”
And today at the news conference after Iraq’s huge win:
“This is not just about football... this is more important than that,” Iraq’s Brazilian coach Jorvan Vieira
Bookmarking for tomorrow - LOL!
There is an article in last month's Vanity Fair about how Didier Drogba united the warring factions of the civil war in the Ivory Coast through soccer and brought that war to an end.
You can read it at http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/07/ivorycoast200707
We should also note the bravery of the Iraqi fans for coming out to celebrate despite being car-bombed during their previous celebration of their semi-final win last week.
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