The Education Olympics: We’re Losing to a Bunch of Friggin’ Finns

Read on, lest ye think I’m a xenophobe.

The greatest moment in sports history - professional, amateur, Olympic, any - was the 1980 US Olympic Hockey team’s Miracle on Ice in Lake Placid. Coach Herb Brooks assembled a team of college kids from the hockey capitals of the East and Midwest. Then he trained them to defeat the Soviet hockey machine, itself arguably the greatest dynasty in sports history [sorry, Yankees].

But The Miracle, that singular story of David, Goliath and the American spirit, wasn’t for the gold medal. After defeating the Soviets, we weren’t even guaranteed any medal. We had to beat Finland in the next game.

At this point, all of the interviews, books, articles and clips are a big blur. I don’t know who said it - my memory tells me that it was fellow Terrier Mike Eruzione, though I might be wrong - but the Americans didn’t defeat the Soviets just to “lose to a bunch of friggin’ Finns” in the final game.

Herb Brooks, God rest his soul, and Eruzione would do well to steer clear of the medal count at The Education Olympics hosted by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. 51 medals have been awarded so far, and with some countries not participating [China, India, etc.], the United States’ neck is unburdened by bling.

Finland leads the way with 14 medals; Hong Kong follows with 7, Estonia and New Zealand with 5. Even Liechtenstein and Slovenia have earned medals.

There are worse, more sinister countries to lose to - if we’ve got to lose the Education Olympics, I’m pleased that we’re losing to Finland.

But the truth is that 28 years after taking the gold in Lake Placid, we’re losing the Education Olympics to a bunch of friggin’ Finns - and I won’t pretend otherwise. American education needs a Herb Brooks, with some Mike Eruziones, Jim Craigs and Mark Johnsons, and we need them fast.

Tagged as: education olympics, herb brooks, jim craig, lake placid, mike eruzione, miracle on ice, olympics, thomas b fordham institute