Herb Brooks, 1980 "Miracle on Ice" coach of Team USA, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame this month. Do you think he deserves to be there? Why? Why not?
2006-07-18 12:31:19 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Hockey
No way,he got lucky in one olympics,he didn't do anything else in hockey worth mentioning
2006-07-22 03:20:46 · answer #1 · answered by gr8leaf 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Hmm, where to begin. Herb Brooks handpicked a team of athletes, not necessarily the best, but the ones most likely to be coachable and work with his program. He molded their style to play to the optimal level to beat the Soviets, defeated the strong regionalism between the players, and created a team in the six short months he had with them before the Olympics. Everyone has mentioned this.
What people seemed to have forgotten is that Herb Brooks coached several other teams too. He turned around the U of M Golden Gophers losing streak. (I've forgotten the specifics, if anyone really wants to know I'll look it up from my notes.) He was head coach at the U when the Olympic Committee chose him for the 1980 team. He also coached the French Olympic Hockey team and the US Olympic hockey team to a silver medal in later years (I think... once again I'm not quite sure) He coached several NHL teams as well. Herb was a remarkable man and deserves his place in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
2006-07-19 15:05:31 · answer #2 · answered by SkiBabe 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If Herb Brooks ran his team like every other team back in 1980 and the USA won, then I don't think he should be in. But Herb designed a brand new philosophy and brought in specific players for the one goal of beating the USSR and win the gold medal (even if they only played the USSR in the semi-finals, he knew that you'd have to go through them to get the gold medal).
He revolutionized the sport and he did it on the biggest stage imaginable. It was a confluence of events like no one had ever seen - the American psyche shattered by the hostage crisis and insane oil demands. The USSR having been a juggernaut for the past twenty years prior. And a bunch of scrappy young Americans being led by the guy who was cut from the team who last won the gold medal back in 1960 -- its just too wonderful a tale. And for a guy who lived and loved hockey - a guy who passed that love onto so many people, I certainly believe he belongs in the Hall of Fame.
2006-07-19 09:44:06 · answer #3 · answered by Sean/Guy Wiley 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is the "Hockey" HOF not the "NHL" HOF but if the criteria is just the 1980 Miracle, then you have to put Paul Henderson in there, too, for his 1972 Summit Series heroics.
I think Herbie should get in as 1980 was not all he did. Very good college coach (but lousy NHL coach really) and also helped USA snag silver in '02 plus spread the hockey gospel. He influenced a generation that led to the USA's 1996 World Cup win.
2006-07-21 19:17:38 · answer #4 · answered by fugutastic 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ofcourse he turned a team who tied the czech "B" team one month before the opening ceremony into champions. He knew he didn't have the best team, but he conditioned them, made them work together, very hard workers, and taught them a new philosophy of the game combining the European and the Canadian methods. The US teams average age was 21 they faced teams with average ages of 27, 28. When the US team lost to the USSR 11-3 only 3 days before the Olympics began and turned them around to beat the Soviets in the semis. He may of not been the strongest coach, but he made great inspirational to make the US team feel like they were already, champions, he made the thrive for goals, and thirst for wins. Herb Brooks deserves to be the best coach of all-time!
2006-07-19 10:21:53 · answer #5 · answered by Reido 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, he was a credit to the game and 1980 was an amazing accomplishment. He had his ups and downs in NCAA and the NHL but he was always a class act. You don't have to be American to appreciate Brooks, just love hockey.
2006-07-19 07:45:40 · answer #6 · answered by michinoku2001 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. He won numerous NCAA championships at the University of Minnesota as well as the 1980 Miracle on Ice.
2006-07-19 16:37:24 · answer #7 · answered by CSUFGrad2006 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course he does. Look at the job he did with the 1980 Olympic team. I'm sure someone will say he doesn't because it was an Olympic team but I disagree.
2006-07-19 10:16:45 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think so. Plain and simple, he took a team of amateurs and college kids and conditioned them to beat the greatest team in the world on the biggest stage.
I know that's only one accomplishment, but boy was it a big one - absolutely amazing what they did under his direction.
2006-07-18 20:36:43 · answer #9 · answered by Snacks 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes indeed.won a gold metal for usa hockey team nothing more to say
2006-07-18 20:33:17 · answer #10 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋