A look back on the 'Miracle on Ice,' Minnesota hockey's most famous moment
In this Feb. 22, 1980, file photo, the U.S. men's hockey team pounces on goalie Jim Craig after a 4-3 victory against the Soviet Union in a medal round game at the the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y.
AP 1980
Feb. 22 marks the 43rd anniversary of when an American television audience watched in amazement as one of the great upsets in sports occurred during the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York.
The U.S. Olympic Men’s Hockey Team, coached by Minnesota legend Herb Brooks with a dozen Minnesota players on the squad, played the best hockey team in the world at the time.
They beat the Soviet Union 4-3. It was called the Miracle on Ice.
The U.S. men’s team went on to win the gold medal. A member of that team and native of Babbitt, Minn., Bill “Buzz” Schneider, joined Cathy to look back on the historic moment.
Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
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Audio transcript
How about for the latest installment of our history series, Minnesota Now and Then. I think you're gonna love this one. It was 43 years ago today, February 22, 1980, when an American television audience watched in amazement as one of the great upsets in sports occurred during the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York.
The US Olympic men's hockey team, coached by Minnesota legend Herb Brooks, with a dozen Minnesota players on the squad, played the best hockey team in the world at the time, the Soviet Union, and they won, 4 to 3. With the final seconds ticking away, this was the iconic call from ABC'S Al Michaels.
AL MICHAELS: Bilyaletdinov gets checked by Ramsey. McClanahan is there. The puck is still loose. 11 seconds. You've got 10 seconds. The countdown going on right now. Morrow up to Silk. Five seconds left in the game.
INTERVIEWER 2: It's over!
AL MICHAELS: Do you believe in miracles? Yes! Unbelievable!
INTERVIEWER 1: Oh, it was unbelievable. It was called the "Miracle on Ice." The USA men's team went on to win the gold medal. Joining us is a member of that storied team, Bill Scneider, known to all as "Buzz Schneider," a Native of Babbitt, Minnesota. Mr. Schneider, welcome. It's great to have you here.
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: Thanks, Cathy. It's an honor to be here. Thank you.
INTERVIEWER 1: I still get chills when I hear that Al Michaels call, which I know you guys never heard, because you were celebrating on the ice as the game ended. Can you still feel that moment?
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: Oh, certainly. And it's hard to believe, Cathy, that it's been 43 years that it's happened. But every year, it comes up, and we got to know Al Michaels, and he's part of one of us now. He said that really helped out his career, and he certainly helped us too as well.
INTERVIEWER 1: It was a long road to get to that Olympic game, but you had a ton of talent on the team, guys like Neil Broten, Mike Ramsey, Dave Christian. They went on to the NHL. You had a heck of a career at the U of M. Why were you guys considered an underdog in that Olympic tournament?
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: Well, Cathy, we were seeded seventh, because it's basically done on the prior year world championships, and we didn't do very well in the spring of '79, so we got seeded seventh, and our main goal going in was hopefully for a bronze medal.
And Herb Brooks was a great coach, and you mentioned some of the guys that played, like Neil Broten, Mike Ramsey. These guys are in the Hockey Hall of Fame. So we had a good team, a lot better team than I think people realized it, but I don't think anybody really knew about us at that time.
INTERVIEWER 1: I know you played for Coach Brooks at the U of M, and he recruited you for the Olympic team, and he was an intense guy. Did he crank it up a notch for the Olympics, though? How was training?
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: Oh, yeah. Training was-- I'll tell you what, the boys from out East, they got their eyes opened up. It was tough training. We were probably the best-conditioned team in the world at that time, but he really pushed us.
And we also took part of the European system, where you interchange positions, so we kind of copied the Europeans, yet we played the North American style. And, you know, we figured, if we had the puck, they couldn't score, and he had us well-programmed and well-trained, and we bought into a system.
And it was a lot of fun to play for him. And we all got along. I'll tell you what, of all the guys I played with, it was a team effort, not one individual guy. So it was pretty special.
INTERVIEWER 1: Was it clear that you all were going to make the team at first, or was there any issue with did you all have to work hard to get on the team?
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: Yeah, well, we all had to work hard to get on the team, but Herbie was so thorough. He kind of knew who he kind of wanted on his team before the trials happened out in Colorado Springs. He had films on all the guys. He talked to all the coaches.
So, basically, he kind of knew, and, I mean, we picked a group of 26-- the roster was set at 20-- in case somebody got hurt or wasn't playing well. So he had a pretty good idea of who he kind of wanted, and his history at the University of Minnesota proves that he was-- he's always been a winner, and I think they respected him, Herbie, playing at two Olympics, so he was the right guy for the job.
AL MICHAELS: So you were on the line with Mark Pavelich and John Harrington. All three of you guys are from the Iron Range, and, reportedly, your line was referred to as the "Conehead Line," because your style of play was alien? What's that about?
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: A little bit, yeah. Well, we got to be named that. We had four lines, and they were all great lines. We all had four great centers. And Herbie used to work on the power play, but he had our line going down and shooting on the goalies on the other end of the rink all the time, and he had these orange cones set up, so we'd have to go in on the angles and stuff.
And Mark Pavelich says, God, we could be doing anything down here, but we just like these cones. So that's how the boys of Minnesota thought it, but the old boys from out East thought us guys were a little bit different, like Saturday Night Live, so that's how we got the name "Coneheads."
But we played well together. It was an honor to play with those two Iron Range guys. In fact, it was an honor to play with all the special 12 guys from Minnesota.
INTERVIEWER 1: Say, for folks who are younger than you and I, why was the game with the Soviets such a big deal at the time? Can you explain that?
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: Well, with, you know, the oil prices back then, and a recession, and things weren't going well for the United States, you know, we were down, and I think, after winning, I think it gave our country hope and a positive attitude.
And I think it was a lot more than a hockey game, but to us players at the time, it was just a hockey game, and a chance to play the Russians, who were favored, the best team in the world, and to come out with a win was pretty doggone special.
AL MICHAELS: When did you think, maybe we can win this? When was that moment in the game?
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: OK, we were seeded seventh, and with the way we looked at it, we figured the Swedes are probably, maybe, third, the Czechs were the second-best team in the world, and then the Russians.
And our first opening game was against the Swedes, which we ended up tying, 2 to 2, but we knew that, two days later, we ended up playing the Czechs, which was probably our best game of the tournament. We beat them handily, 7 to 2, and then we knew we were on a ride.
But we didn't know which one. Was it gonna be silver? Was it gonna be gold? But we had to play every game like it was our last game, and even after we beat the Soviets, like, today, our next day was a day off. We had a practice, and Herb Books came in, and said, you guys haven't won anything yet, because there were sticks lined up on the tables for us guys to sign, there was telegrams, and he put the hammer down on us pretty good.
And when you look at it, if we would have not beat the Finns for the gold medal two days later, there was a chance we wouldn't even get a medal at all. So it was two weeks of pretty intense, but it was fun.
INTERVIEWER 1: So it sounds like he didn't let you guys get big heads about this.
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: You got that right. You put that very well. He kept us grounded. But also positive in a way. Like, when we were gonna play the Russians, he said, look, guys, they've won everything there is to win. They're not changing their shifts. They're kind of a little bit lethargic. They're not on top of their game.
So he was setting that carrot up for us right away when the Olympics started. So Herbie always did that. He knew how to put that carrot. We all used to chase it.
INTERVIEWER 1: By the way, do you still keep in touch with your 1980 teammates, those who are still with us?
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: Yes, we do. We have an email chain, and I'll tell you what, nothing's changed in 43 years. Everybody's still dumping on everybody. Nobody can get a big hit. But we do card signings, like, three times a year. We do have a fantasy camp out in Lake Placid. This will be our sixth one this year, at the end of April, beginning of May. And so we stay in touch, and it's gotten to a point where I almost consider it like family now.
INTERVIEWER 1: So maybe just a little gray hair, and maybe a little heavier.
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: Gray hair, heavier, or no hair. But it's funny. But it's fun. What a great bunch of guys.
INTERVIEWER 1: And what an amazing thing you did. I mean, you actually made some history, you know? And what's this day like for you?
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: What's that? Excuse me?
INTERVIEWER 1: Sure, what is this day like for you, the fact that this is--
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: Yeah, it's special, and I do a couple more phone interviews today, every year it comes up. Yeah, it's good to remember. And it's good to remember with the guys that I did it with, and it's pretty special. And I think what happened is, when they made the movie in 2004, that gave the next generation, it gave us some more legs.
INTERVIEWER 1: Yeah, that's true. It's a good movie too, for anyone who hasn't seen it, Miracle on Ice, with Kurt Russell playing Herbie Brooks. Buzz--
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: Yes, and my son ended up playing me in the movie, and I tell everybody, what I didn't like about it is he made more money than I did.
[LAUGHTER]
INTERVIEWER 1: I didn't know that.
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: You know, they say that's the first time a son's ever played his father in a movie at that time. I don't know what it's like now, Cathy, so--
INTERVIEWER 1: Oh, I like that. I did not know that. Buzz Schneider, really, it's been my pleasure. Thank you so much.
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: You're welcome. And thank you, and thanks for having me, and I listen to your radio all the time.
INTERVIEWER 1: Oh, I appreciate that. Thank you so much. Buzzy Schneider, played on the gold medal-winning 1980 US Olympic hockey team, which, boy, for those who actually saw that game, that was amazing. That was amazing.
The US Olympic men's hockey team, coached by Minnesota legend Herb Brooks, with a dozen Minnesota players on the squad, played the best hockey team in the world at the time, the Soviet Union, and they won, 4 to 3. With the final seconds ticking away, this was the iconic call from ABC'S Al Michaels.
AL MICHAELS: Bilyaletdinov gets checked by Ramsey. McClanahan is there. The puck is still loose. 11 seconds. You've got 10 seconds. The countdown going on right now. Morrow up to Silk. Five seconds left in the game.
INTERVIEWER 2: It's over!
AL MICHAELS: Do you believe in miracles? Yes! Unbelievable!
INTERVIEWER 1: Oh, it was unbelievable. It was called the "Miracle on Ice." The USA men's team went on to win the gold medal. Joining us is a member of that storied team, Bill Scneider, known to all as "Buzz Schneider," a Native of Babbitt, Minnesota. Mr. Schneider, welcome. It's great to have you here.
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: Thanks, Cathy. It's an honor to be here. Thank you.
INTERVIEWER 1: I still get chills when I hear that Al Michaels call, which I know you guys never heard, because you were celebrating on the ice as the game ended. Can you still feel that moment?
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: Oh, certainly. And it's hard to believe, Cathy, that it's been 43 years that it's happened. But every year, it comes up, and we got to know Al Michaels, and he's part of one of us now. He said that really helped out his career, and he certainly helped us too as well.
INTERVIEWER 1: It was a long road to get to that Olympic game, but you had a ton of talent on the team, guys like Neil Broten, Mike Ramsey, Dave Christian. They went on to the NHL. You had a heck of a career at the U of M. Why were you guys considered an underdog in that Olympic tournament?
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: Well, Cathy, we were seeded seventh, because it's basically done on the prior year world championships, and we didn't do very well in the spring of '79, so we got seeded seventh, and our main goal going in was hopefully for a bronze medal.
And Herb Brooks was a great coach, and you mentioned some of the guys that played, like Neil Broten, Mike Ramsey. These guys are in the Hockey Hall of Fame. So we had a good team, a lot better team than I think people realized it, but I don't think anybody really knew about us at that time.
INTERVIEWER 1: I know you played for Coach Brooks at the U of M, and he recruited you for the Olympic team, and he was an intense guy. Did he crank it up a notch for the Olympics, though? How was training?
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: Oh, yeah. Training was-- I'll tell you what, the boys from out East, they got their eyes opened up. It was tough training. We were probably the best-conditioned team in the world at that time, but he really pushed us.
And we also took part of the European system, where you interchange positions, so we kind of copied the Europeans, yet we played the North American style. And, you know, we figured, if we had the puck, they couldn't score, and he had us well-programmed and well-trained, and we bought into a system.
And it was a lot of fun to play for him. And we all got along. I'll tell you what, of all the guys I played with, it was a team effort, not one individual guy. So it was pretty special.
INTERVIEWER 1: Was it clear that you all were going to make the team at first, or was there any issue with did you all have to work hard to get on the team?
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: Yeah, well, we all had to work hard to get on the team, but Herbie was so thorough. He kind of knew who he kind of wanted on his team before the trials happened out in Colorado Springs. He had films on all the guys. He talked to all the coaches.
So, basically, he kind of knew, and, I mean, we picked a group of 26-- the roster was set at 20-- in case somebody got hurt or wasn't playing well. So he had a pretty good idea of who he kind of wanted, and his history at the University of Minnesota proves that he was-- he's always been a winner, and I think they respected him, Herbie, playing at two Olympics, so he was the right guy for the job.
AL MICHAELS: So you were on the line with Mark Pavelich and John Harrington. All three of you guys are from the Iron Range, and, reportedly, your line was referred to as the "Conehead Line," because your style of play was alien? What's that about?
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: A little bit, yeah. Well, we got to be named that. We had four lines, and they were all great lines. We all had four great centers. And Herbie used to work on the power play, but he had our line going down and shooting on the goalies on the other end of the rink all the time, and he had these orange cones set up, so we'd have to go in on the angles and stuff.
And Mark Pavelich says, God, we could be doing anything down here, but we just like these cones. So that's how the boys of Minnesota thought it, but the old boys from out East thought us guys were a little bit different, like Saturday Night Live, so that's how we got the name "Coneheads."
But we played well together. It was an honor to play with those two Iron Range guys. In fact, it was an honor to play with all the special 12 guys from Minnesota.
INTERVIEWER 1: Say, for folks who are younger than you and I, why was the game with the Soviets such a big deal at the time? Can you explain that?
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: Well, with, you know, the oil prices back then, and a recession, and things weren't going well for the United States, you know, we were down, and I think, after winning, I think it gave our country hope and a positive attitude.
And I think it was a lot more than a hockey game, but to us players at the time, it was just a hockey game, and a chance to play the Russians, who were favored, the best team in the world, and to come out with a win was pretty doggone special.
AL MICHAELS: When did you think, maybe we can win this? When was that moment in the game?
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: OK, we were seeded seventh, and with the way we looked at it, we figured the Swedes are probably, maybe, third, the Czechs were the second-best team in the world, and then the Russians.
And our first opening game was against the Swedes, which we ended up tying, 2 to 2, but we knew that, two days later, we ended up playing the Czechs, which was probably our best game of the tournament. We beat them handily, 7 to 2, and then we knew we were on a ride.
But we didn't know which one. Was it gonna be silver? Was it gonna be gold? But we had to play every game like it was our last game, and even after we beat the Soviets, like, today, our next day was a day off. We had a practice, and Herb Books came in, and said, you guys haven't won anything yet, because there were sticks lined up on the tables for us guys to sign, there was telegrams, and he put the hammer down on us pretty good.
And when you look at it, if we would have not beat the Finns for the gold medal two days later, there was a chance we wouldn't even get a medal at all. So it was two weeks of pretty intense, but it was fun.
INTERVIEWER 1: So it sounds like he didn't let you guys get big heads about this.
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: You got that right. You put that very well. He kept us grounded. But also positive in a way. Like, when we were gonna play the Russians, he said, look, guys, they've won everything there is to win. They're not changing their shifts. They're kind of a little bit lethargic. They're not on top of their game.
So he was setting that carrot up for us right away when the Olympics started. So Herbie always did that. He knew how to put that carrot. We all used to chase it.
INTERVIEWER 1: By the way, do you still keep in touch with your 1980 teammates, those who are still with us?
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: Yes, we do. We have an email chain, and I'll tell you what, nothing's changed in 43 years. Everybody's still dumping on everybody. Nobody can get a big hit. But we do card signings, like, three times a year. We do have a fantasy camp out in Lake Placid. This will be our sixth one this year, at the end of April, beginning of May. And so we stay in touch, and it's gotten to a point where I almost consider it like family now.
INTERVIEWER 1: So maybe just a little gray hair, and maybe a little heavier.
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: Gray hair, heavier, or no hair. But it's funny. But it's fun. What a great bunch of guys.
INTERVIEWER 1: And what an amazing thing you did. I mean, you actually made some history, you know? And what's this day like for you?
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: What's that? Excuse me?
INTERVIEWER 1: Sure, what is this day like for you, the fact that this is--
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: Yeah, it's special, and I do a couple more phone interviews today, every year it comes up. Yeah, it's good to remember. And it's good to remember with the guys that I did it with, and it's pretty special. And I think what happened is, when they made the movie in 2004, that gave the next generation, it gave us some more legs.
INTERVIEWER 1: Yeah, that's true. It's a good movie too, for anyone who hasn't seen it, Miracle on Ice, with Kurt Russell playing Herbie Brooks. Buzz--
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: Yes, and my son ended up playing me in the movie, and I tell everybody, what I didn't like about it is he made more money than I did.
[LAUGHTER]
INTERVIEWER 1: I didn't know that.
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: You know, they say that's the first time a son's ever played his father in a movie at that time. I don't know what it's like now, Cathy, so--
INTERVIEWER 1: Oh, I like that. I did not know that. Buzz Schneider, really, it's been my pleasure. Thank you so much.
BUZZ SCHNEIDER: You're welcome. And thank you, and thanks for having me, and I listen to your radio all the time.
INTERVIEWER 1: Oh, I appreciate that. Thank you so much. Buzzy Schneider, played on the gold medal-winning 1980 US Olympic hockey team, which, boy, for those who actually saw that game, that was amazing. That was amazing.
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