Do you believe in Miracles?

I was 7 in 1980 when Team USA beat the Russians at the Miracle on Ice...it meant the world to me as a Squirt-level hockey player and still brings in emotions as I see replays.

I really didn't understand the political implications involved in the era, all I knew is that we were the best in the world, and guys like Mike Eruzione, Rob McClananhan, Dave Silk and Jim Craig were regular guys that pulled off the unbelievable.

I wanted to play in the Olympics for Team USA...as did every kid on skates in the early 80's. My dream to skate on Olympic ice would sit dormant for over 20 years.

Hockey has been over for about a month and a half now. I haven't been on skates since about a 3 weeks ago, but later this week I will be on the ice at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs as a hockey official.

It is part of a USA Hockey Officials training camp where we are treated as Olympic athletes and stay on campus right there with all the real athletes, eat meals with them, use their gym, classrooms and facilities. I'm not even 100% sure all that will go into it, but it should be a pretty cool experience.

There are 2 other guys from S.D. that are going, and that will be nice as they are guys I have worked with for years.

I have been staying in shape for this, but really there is nothing you can do to be in "hockey shape". I have been running 3 miles a day and lifting harder than I have in years, and the pay off is showing. My dress pants are starting to hang again...that hasn't happened since 2002.

I just know that no matter how in shape cardio-wise I am, on Thursday night, right there on the Olympic Training Center ice surface I will be hacking up my lungs and fighting for breath. But that's what you get for trying to be a 35 year old Olympic level referee...realistically, I mean just the best college/high school hockey ref I can be.

"Do you believe in miracles???"