Do You Believe in Miracles................Yes!!!!!!!

Those were the words of ABC hockey commentator Al Michaels as the last seconds of the USA's improbable victory over a heavily favored Soviet team in Olympic ice hockey. Today marks the beginning of the 21st Winter Olympics. It is hard to believe that 30 years have gone by since the USA's miracle run a Olympic gold and hockey immortality took place in Lake Placid, New York.

Back in 1980, the US hostage crisis with Iran was entering a fourth month of a 444-day ordeal that would bring down the presidency of Jimmy Carter. We had high inflation with little growth coining the phrase "stagflation". The country was still wounded from our involvement in the Vietnam War. The Soviets were fighting in Afghanistan.

The 1980 Olympic Hockey team gave this country a shot in the arm. Along with speedskater Eric Heiden and some drama of ice skating pairs Tai and Randy. The US had a pretty good home showing.

The Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc no longer exist. We are knee deep in Afghanistan. The economy is hurting.

What will the Vancouver Olympics bring? Here is a look back on what 1980 and Lake Placid gave us: