Cold War : The Amazing Canada-Soviet Hockey Series of 1972

Rating:
Summary: Cold War - A piece of "Canadiana"
Review: "Cold War" is a beautifully written (and researched!) book about the greatest series ever played (in any sport!) Every Canadian remembers where they were when Paul Henderson Scored the game and series winning goal in Moscow, and reading this book literally sent shivers down my spine, and brought back memories long forgotten. It also opened doors to many "behind the scenes" facts that I did not know. But most of all, it reminded me of how arrogant and over-confident we all were, and as Ken Dryden put it: "NEVER, EVER, UNDERESTIMATE YOUR OPPONENT". Of course we had ....

This point was driven home to an entire nation in September of 1972 when Canada's "professional" hockey stars (our "best of the best") played this dramatic eight game series against the "amateurs" of the Soviet Union. This series was the first ever between the Soviets and NHL players, and almost all Canadians, myself included, thought Canada would win all eight games easily. That is not what happened though, the Soviets stunned everyone by going 2-1-1 on Canadian ice. Canada came back in Moscow, winning 3 of 4 dramatically, all one goal games. Against a backdrop of the "cold war", and Canada's pride and identity at stake, even non-hockey fans got caught up the unfolding drama. Canada's pride was hurt for sure, but it forced our players to dig deep within themselves to pull out the skills that produced an amazing victory, despite tremendous obstacles. (such as a hostile press, star players quitting, and officiating that was horribly biased against Canada) The Soviets on the other hand had violated this very same rule when the teams got to Moscow, and clearly had lost their psychological edge. In short, they thought they had the series won. The series forced Canadians to look at themselves in a way they hadn't before, and in the decades since we have seen improvements in the game itself. In other words, the bar had been raised.

Roy MacSkimming deserves six stars for this one, he captured beautifully this unique series that really had the full range of human emotion, from the total shock of the the Soviets 7-3 rout in game one to the the hosile reaction of Canadian fans and media towards their own countrymen, to redemption, complete joy and relief in Moscow. Every Canadian, and American for that matter, should read this book, it goes beyond a sporting event really and exposes human nature.

On a personel note, I was in English Class in Cranbrook B.C. when Henderson scored "The Goal" on September 28, 1972. Most of Canada's schools, businesses and government offices closed that day, however we were not among those lucky. We did lobby our teacher however, and we watched the last two periods of game on TV despite her objections. Had she not relented, she would have regretted it forever ... the place went nuts!

Rating:
Summary: Cold War - A piece of "Canadiana"
Review: "Cold War" is a beautifully written (and researched!) book about the greatest series ever played (in any sport!) Every Canadian remembers where they were when Paul Henderson Scored the game and series winning goal in Moscow, and reading this book literally sent shivers down my spine, and brought back memories long forgotten. It also opened doors to many "behind the scenes" facts that I did not know. But most of all, it reminded me of how arrogant and over-confident we all were, and as Ken Dryden put it: "NEVER, EVER, UNDERESTIMATE YOUR OPPONENT". Of course we had ....

This point was driven home to an entire nation in September of 1972 when Canada's "professional" hockey stars (our "best of the best") played this dramatic eight game series against the "amateurs" of the Soviet Union. This series was the first ever between the Soviets and NHL players, and almost all Canadians, myself included, thought Canada would win all eight games easily. That is not what happened though, the Soviets stunned everyone by going 2-1-1 on Canadian ice. Canada came back in Moscow, winning 3 of 4 dramatically, all one goal games. Against a backdrop of the "cold war", and Canada's pride and identity at stake, even non-hockey fans got caught up the unfolding drama. Canada's pride was hurt for sure, but it forced our players to dig deep within themselves to pull out the skills that produced an amazing victory, despite tremendous obstacles. (such as a hostile press, star players quitting, and officiating that was horribly biased against Canada) The Soviets on the other hand had violated this very same rule when the teams got to Moscow, and clearly had lost their psychological edge. In short, they thought they had the series won. The series forced Canadians to look at themselves in a way they hadn't before, and in the decades since we have seen improvements in the game itself. In other words, the bar had been raised.

Roy MacSkimming deserves six stars for this one, he captured beautifully this unique series that really had the full range of human emotion, from the total shock of the the Soviets 7-3 rout in game one to the the hosile reaction of Canadian fans and media towards their own countrymen, to redemption, complete joy and relief in Moscow. Every Canadian, and American for that matter, should read this book, it goes beyond a sporting event really and exposes human nature.

On a personel note, I was in English Class in Cranbrook B.C. when Henderson scored "The Goal" on September 28, 1972. Most of Canada's schools, businesses and government offices closed that day, however we were not among those lucky. We did lobby our teacher however, and we watched the last two periods of game on TV despite her objections. Had she not relented, she would have regretted it forever ... the place went nuts!

Rating:
Summary: Awsome!
Review: Being a hockey fanatic, this book,i.e., Cold War, was an amazing story about two different cultures meeting and playing the best hockey ever.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent reading for students of intl. hockey
Review: For those who were very young (like myself) when the series was played and grew up not with the players mentioned but instead with such Russian players as Fedorov and Bure in the NHL, this book is a must to understand how these 8 games played in 1972 forever changed the face of international hockey -- The Canadians (and people in the States as well) realized that we didn't have a monopoly on how to play the game, and the Russians, for all their tremendous preparation and effort, saw that Westerners could rise to the occasion, and ultimately "opened their doors" just enough to begin the journey that today finds several NHL stars hailing from former Warsaw Pact nations. MacSkimming does an excellent job of both drawing upon the original 1972 news accounts and quotes as well as undertaking a host of interviews and research 20+ years later to give a renewed perspective on the games, the players and what it all meant then and now. Even if you know how "it ends," (if you don't you will find out early in the book) the rising action is expertly developed, and you feel (in your mind, at least) nearly the same sense of pride and accomplshment at the end as the Canadian players must have felt. Highly recommened for anyone w/ an interest in hockey and/or the "old" Soviet Union.