You couldn't find a better crew to light the olympic torch in 2002! Definitely a winning line up! Especially touching Mike Eruzione with, THE 1980 team giving a "This one's for you Coach Herb Brooks!" at the 5:50 mark
I get choked up at every Olympic cauldron lighting, but this one never fails to make me cry. The Shea family as the first three-generation Olympic family, Mike Eruzione bringing out Team USA to light the cauldron, the pride in the announcer's voice. A great moment in American Olympic history.
I have a feeling that they will be given that honor, in fact all the torchbearers that carried the Olympic flame into the stadium are Olympic Champions in their respective events, The Shea's family, which Jim Jr. would later go on to win the Olympic Gold in the event that he competed in, I still have fond memories of the 2002 Winter Olympics in SLC which occurred less than six months after 9/11, and that security was so tight at that Olympics.
My dad was the engineer in charge of the manufacturing the aluminum part of the torch! Didn’t see him a lot the fall before. We have the metal section of a torch. Its beautiful.
@Arrow Dynamics Inc. No he did not, he worked for a company outside of Seattle WA. They only worked on the individual torches. They were contracted out by Coleman Camping who was in charge of producing the torches .
This has to be my favorite torch lighting ever. When the 1980 hockey team came I was bawling my eyes out. I'm sitting here on a Monday morning in July, 32 years later, and getting all choked up again!
As an American at this time, this Olympics for me felt like a way to show the World the USA was stronger then ever since this came less then a year after 9-11. I remember crying seeing this part of the ceremony, and heck I feel like crying now because I remember all of those emotions. Yes I also cried when Light the Fire Within was played hehe.
I don't care how advanced the last couple of opening ceremonies were, this will always be the best in my book, and because I have so many great memories of knowing it took place in the US. Canada's my second favorate.
And to think I saw the Olympic flame come through our neighborhood at about 7:30 a.m. in the morning. The snow was everywhere, the road was white, and it was coming down in little sparkles, the streets were lined with people, cheering and clapping, and the Olympic music was playing on the vehicle…it was simply magical, and very exciting!!
I chocked up when they brought in the Flag from WTC. Then cried when the scroll of names. I lost a friend on 9/11. I read a report after the Olympics that it was criticized for being patriotic. 😳 I’m an American and I was proud, hearts were hurting as this Olympics went on, thousands were still missing at the WTC.
I too lost a family friend on 9/11. Was only a couple months old when it happened, but there’s not a day that goes by where I don’t remember how horrific it really was.
I was born in June of 2002 at the U and have lived in Salt Lake ever since. I wish I could see another Winter Olympics hosted in Utah. All I have is the stories from my dad lol
20 years ago tonight, this happened in my hometown of Salt Lake City, Utah. and only a few months after the 9/11 attacks. Would/should the Olympics be held? Oh yes. Such memories. Still gives me chills. Beautifully done!
Good to see your city hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics, I still have fond memories of that games. One of the highlights that I remember is the figure skating events, with the scandal in the pairs event, with USA's Sarah Hughes winning the Olympic Gold after coming from 4th place to win it since figure skating is always the marquee event of the Winter Olympics. I have many memories to think about, and the lists goes on.
Yes, I still have fond memories of the 2002 Olympics in SLC, it is always the highlights of any Olympics is to see the lighting of the Olympic flame and to find out who will do the honor even though it is a secret that no one knows it until the lighter shows up at the cauldron. I just feel that the Miracle on Ice team will get to do the honor.
What an Olympic lineup: Dorothy. Dick. Scott. Peggy. Phil Mahre. Bill Johnson. Dan Jansen. Bonnie Blair. The Sheas- all *3* of them. Picabo Street. Cammi Granato. and finally the Miracle on Ice Team USA, 1980. This, combined with that gorgeous anthem and the singing choir played throughout (what is that, BTW?) is what turns me to blubber every time I see this. Just lovely.
Really, Jim's first memory of the Miracle on Ice Game was Al Michaels shouting "Eruzione scores?" Michaels had the most EPIC call in all of sports history in saying: "Do you believe in miracles? YES!" and instead his first memory is "Eruzione scores" LOL
In McKay’s defense, “Eruzione Scores” was said by Al Michaels when the goal happened, “Do you believe in miracles” came at the end of the game, so it would’ve been his first memory.
The piece of music is called "Ode to Zeus" - part of "Canto Olympico", composed by Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis in 1992. :) It's a favorite of mine! Love this torch lighting - the athletes involved, the cauldron itself, the music, so wonderfully perfect. :)
I remember that morning my radio station had a sports show and we were talking about this very topic and I said I had a hunch as it hadn’t been announced. I thought it was going to be Mike Eurozionie due to his being the captain of the 1980 Hockey team. I was part right though.
No doubt, one of the most exciting times of my life….those two weeks here in Salt Lake. We had visitors, one a friend from Taiwan, and the other a relative of roommates, who came to volunteer.
Heh, Utah won’t get it this year, obviously because of Pyongchang, but also because we have absolutely no valley snow this year, for the first time in 107 years has it been this warm in early February
This Olympics was as important as the Saints winning the superbowl in terms of healing the wounds of disasters/attacks. This lighting was done well(Cauldron looked cool).
English and French are the two official langauges of the International Olympic Committee (the modern Olympics we know today were founded by a Frenchman, Pierre DeCoubertin). Everything at the Games has to be announced in English, French and the host country's language (English, French and Chinese in Beijing 2008 for example). Since this was the USA only English and French.
Hard to believe I was 6 when hundreds of people were lined on the street watching them run the flame. And I didn't really understand or care to much what was happening. I really wish they'd bring it back here...
I actually have a hat and scarf from the 1980 Winter Olympics. Somebody found an entire cache of them in some farmhouse, and they sold them online. I purchased the hat and scarf set last year and they are in pristine condition.
never a more fitting lighting of da torch than 2 have da entire 1980 us hockey team there for da moment. It was very fittingly appropriate since Herb Brooks was back and coaching da us team again, not 2 mention he led 2 da silver medal and these olympics took place just five months after perhaps da worst day in America 9/11/01.
At the time I loved that Team USA lit the cauldron. It was so special given what had happened just months before and what they meant to the country when they won the gold metal. Now seeing this same team at a Trump rally has taken part of my heart and what I believed they stood for. That team that won in 1980 was what America was about.....unity. The fact that that same team would show up at a Trump rally just rips all that away. I've lost all respect for that team and the players......and I couldn't be more disappointed. Any team that represented unity would never show up at a Trump rally.........no matter what. One of my favorite movies was Miracle and now I can't even stand to watch it.........
This was all beautifully done; but I’m amazed they couldn’t get Eric Heiden to participate….he won all his races at the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid; 5 gold medals. I guess not impressive enough?!?
what are you talking about? It looks like you are saying that the US has won the hockey gold medal every Olympics from 1980 through the present and that would be very very very incorrect.
Read all about it and other behind-the-scene stories in my book, SECRETS OF THE OLYMPIC CEREMONIES. Available in both eBook and softcover (latest 2013-14 edition out in paperback) on amazon.com.
I've never faulted the majority of Americans for only knowing English.... they only need English. For example. If Ohio spoke a different language than Michigan and Indiana, then Ohioan children would be taught early the other language as it would be necessary to do business or communicate with their neighbors. That's how Europe works scores of languages all over the place. It's simply not necessary in such a huge populous country with one unofficial language
It was more or less a jab at the American Education System, In most countries two languages known is the norm where in America only English seems to be important. It was stated Ironically, and a nod too the reincarnators of the Olympics.
Denver needs a winter olympics! There is Sports Authority field, pepsi center, and a bunch of ski resorts. Most of the venues are there already but idk why the Olympics commission won't vote for US cities, instead they vote for shit like Sochi
+brent mims That would have been the 1976 games and after Denver pulled out as host at the last minute(by Olympic Standards) Innsbruck Austria was selected to host the games. Innsbruck had hosted the games 12 years before in 1964 and had the facilities to do so on short notice.
fact Jack Shay was on his way to the airport when a drunk killed him. he was going to watch Jimmy do the skeleton but he missed his chance but at least he carried the torch from Lake Plassid where it was lit to its final hand off before it left New York for the journey west
LOL because of them the Federation of Russia's gold metal winning streak was crushed and we got the gold and since 1980 we won every Olympics with a gold.
I don't know what you are counting, don't really care all that much either... just looking at your original post where you claimed, "we got the gold and since 1980 we won every Olympics with a gold."... now... thats a far cry from what you just posted wouldn't you say?