Member
Las Vegas, NV, USA
Well, the silver was still quite the prize back then, as the “Red Machine” was very, very difficult to beat.
Was looking at those helmets again, and the first picture has a Jofa that’s one generation removed from the legendary “VM” helmet. Lomakin seems to be wearing one that’s even newer than that. The “VM” helmet, which Gretzky and Kurri wore during their careers, is good for almost nothing, and I think Gretzky had some kind of special permission to wear it in his later years in the NHL.
Those photos are really great, Marko! It’s a little strange to see so many empty seats so close to the ice at an Olympic hockey final. But very nice to read about your memories from the time, as you were dating your sweetheart and enjoying the atmosphere at the games.
Also, thanks for the viewing recommendations — I have not watched either one of those, but will absolutely add them to my list. Speaking of various training methods — some years after the Soviet Union fell, a hockey player from my former hometown in Finland went to play for a team in Russia. I read in an interview once about his description of the physical training in preparation for a new season. Nowadays everything is so sterile and technical (gyms, devices, monitors), and there’s nothing wrong with that. But even in the mid-to-late nineties still, these guys in Russia would train for strength by carrying each other up steep, grassy hills. Very basic, extremely demanding…
Was looking at those helmets again, and the first picture has a Jofa that’s one generation removed from the legendary “VM” helmet. Lomakin seems to be wearing one that’s even newer than that. The “VM” helmet, which Gretzky and Kurri wore during their careers, is good for almost nothing, and I think Gretzky had some kind of special permission to wear it in his later years in the NHL.
Those photos are really great, Marko! It’s a little strange to see so many empty seats so close to the ice at an Olympic hockey final. But very nice to read about your memories from the time, as you were dating your sweetheart and enjoying the atmosphere at the games.
Also, thanks for the viewing recommendations — I have not watched either one of those, but will absolutely add them to my list. Speaking of various training methods — some years after the Soviet Union fell, a hockey player from my former hometown in Finland went to play for a team in Russia. I read in an interview once about his description of the physical training in preparation for a new season. Nowadays everything is so sterile and technical (gyms, devices, monitors), and there’s nothing wrong with that. But even in the mid-to-late nineties still, these guys in Russia would train for strength by carrying each other up steep, grassy hills. Very basic, extremely demanding…
Whenever I go to shave, I assume there’s someone else on the planet shaving, so I say “I’m gonna go shave, too.”
– Mitch Hedberg
– Mitch Hedberg