“Great moments are born from great opportunity, and that’s what you have here tonight, boys. That’s what you’ve earned here tonight. One game; if we played them ten times, they might win nine. But not this game, not tonight. Tonight, we skate with them. Tonight we stay with them, and we shut them down because we can. Tonight, we are the greatest hockey team in the world. You were born to be hockey players—every one of you, and you were meant to be here tonight. This is your time. Their time is done. It’s over. I’m sick and tired of hearing about what a great hockey team the Soviets have. Screw ‘em. This is your time. Now go out there and take it!”
That’s the Herb Brooks pregame speech for the U.S. Men’s Olympic Hockey Team’s game against the Soviets from the move Miracle. It’s one of my favorite movie speeches of all-time (and favorite movies, overall), although I’m admittedly biased because I’m a hockey guy and members of the Minnesota branch of my family actually knew Herb Brooks. A bit of Googling this morning reveals that the speech is “more or less” accurate to what he actually said, according to the players from the 1980 team.
The “Miracle on Ice” was 41 years ago today. It’s one of the iconic moments in U.S. sports history, made even better by Al Michaels’ famous call “do you believe in miracles? YES!” It was one of those “you remember where you were when you saw it” moments in sports. And it’s one of the play-calls that will resonate through the years.
On this day 41 years ago...
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) February 22, 2021
“Do you believe in miracles?” pic.twitter.com/qxIljqYw8L
So what other moments fall into those categories — all-time U.S. sports moments and / or iconic play-calls in history? I can think of a few off the top of my head, but I’ll let you guys have first crack in the comments.