February 22, 1980. Lake Placid, New York. Mike Eruzione's wrist shot beats Vladimir Myshkin with ten minutes left in the third period. Al Michaels screams into his microphone: "Do you believe in miracles? YES!" In that moment, a team of American college kids didn't just defeat the Soviet hockey machine—they lit a fuse that would explode into 45 years of escalating conflict between superpowers.
From Reagan's "Evil Empire" to Putin's revenge, from the fall of the Berlin Wall to the invasion of Ukraine, this episode traces how one hockey game became the catalyst for the modern USA-Russia rivalry. Marcus Reid reveals how the "Miracle on Ice" transformed from a moment of American triumph into the opening shot of a new kind of warfare—fought with hackers instead of hockey players, social media instead of slap shots, and nuclear threats that make the Cold War look civilized. Featuring exclusive insights into the personal vendettas that drive this conflict: Bush looking into Putin's soul and finding a liar. Obama's reset button mistranslated to "overcharge." Trump's inexplicable deference. Biden calling Putin a killer.
Through declassified documents and insider accounts, we explore how a game meant to showcase amateur athletics became the blueprint for professional hostility. This is the definitive account of how American kids beating Soviet professionals at hockey created a rivalry that would outlive the Soviet Union itself. From Lake Placid's innocent patriotism to election interference, from Olympic glory to Olympic doping scandals, from believing in miracles to believing in nothing—this is how a moment of pure joy became a forever war. The ice never melted. The game never ended. And 45 years later, both nations are still keeping score.
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Love drama? Obsessed with rivalries that shaped history? From Hollywood breakups to presidential vendettas, from rap battles to international Cold Wars, Feuds: Power, Pride, and Payback delivers the most explosive conflicts in culture, politics, and entertainment. Join thousands of fellow drama enthusiasts dissecting every episode, sharing theories, and debating who really won these legendary battles. We're building the ultimate community for people who understand that the best stories are always about conflict.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram—just search for "Feuds Podcast" or click the link in the show notes.
Because every great story needs people to tell it to.Join the Feuds Community!
Love drama? Obsessed with rivalries that shaped history? From Hollywood breakups to presidential vendettas, from rap battles to international Cold Wars, Feuds: Power, Pride, and Payback delivers the most explosive conflicts in culture, politics, and entertainment. Join thousands of fellow drama enthusiasts dissecting every episode, sharing theories, and debating who really won these legendary battles. We're building the ultimate community for people who understand that the best stories are always about conflict.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram—just search for "Feuds Podcast" or click the link in the show notes.
Because every great story needs people to tell it to.
