|
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|  |
'Miracle on Ice' repeat? Brooks to head 2002 men's Olympic hockey team
Updated: Thursday November 02, 2000 1:51 PM
ST. PAUL (AP) -- Herb Brooks, who led the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team to its "Miracle on Ice," is returning to Team USA as head coach for the 2002 winter games in Salt Lake City, USA Hockey confirmed Wednesday morning. Joining Brooks as assistants are minor league coach John Cunniff and former Olympic hockey coach Lou Vairo. Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Craig Patrick will be the team's GM, while St. Louis Blues general manager Larry Pleau is associate GM, USA Hockey official Art Berglund is director of player personnel and Jim Johannson, another USA Hockey official, is team leader. In 1980, Brooks and Patrick, the assistant general manager and assistant coach, led a group of college players to an upset of the Soviet Union en route to a gold medal. It was the last time the United States won a medal in men's hockey. Asked Wednesday if there could be another "Miracle on Ice," Brooks replied, "That was then, this is now. It's apples and oranges. This team, if it wins, it won't be a miracle. I don't think it will even be an upset. This team can stand with the top six or seven teams in the world." Brooks said he preferred the old format, in which professionals were not allowed to play with amateurs, but he accepts the change. "Without change, there's no progress," he said.
At the 1998 Nagano Games in Japan, the United States tied for fifth place, despite using NHL players, and the team came under criticism for its behavior. A room at the Olympic Village was trashed by U.S. players following their elimination. The events were investigated, but no culprits were identified. Brooks, who coached the French Olympic team that year, said he didn't want to "look in the rearview mirror" regarding the incident. "What happened there will be among the things we have to learn from. But I don't think too many of us will spend much time on it," he said. The 63-year-old Brooks, who coached the University of Minnesota from 1972-79, played on the 1964 and '68 teams. He has not been a part of the U.S. Olympic team since 1980. Brooks also has coached the Penguins, New York Rangers, Minnesota North Stars and New Jersey Devils. Patrick, 54, has been the general manager of the Rangers and Penguins. Patrick has been in Pittsburgh since 1989. Pleau, 53, a member of the 1968 U.S. Olympic team, has been the Blues' general manager since 1997. Assistant coach Cunniff, in his fifth season as head coach of the American Hockey League's Albany River Rats, is making his third appearance on the staff of a men's Olympic hockey team. He served as assistant coach in 1998 and was an associate coach in 1994. He also was a member of the 1968 U.S. Olympic team. Vairo has been director of special projects for USA Hockey since 1992. He served as head coach of the 1984 Olympic hockey team.
| |||||||||||||||||||||
