Before the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, the United States Olympic hockey team was not expected to compete for a medal. After all, their pool included powerhouses such as Sweden and Czechoslovakia, while the other pool included the Soviet Union and Finland. Only the top two teams from each pool would advance to the medal round, so the United States team faced long odds. By the time the fortnight had ended, the United States team had pulled off one of the greatest upsets in hockey history by defeating the Russians in the semifinals and winning the gold medal after defeating Finland 4-2 in their final game.

The victory inspired a national celebration. After a year of disappointment and disaster, from the Iranian Embassy takeover to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (a result of which was the boycott by...