Mike Eruzione: The Miracle on Ice & Team USA Winning Olympic Gold

In a time of great divide, few people can truly be cold, unanimously, an American hero.

Magima, 1980, the Cold War is frozen solid.

The world is divided by ideology, fear, and nuclear tension.

On one side stands the Soviet machine.

Beathened, professional, unstoppable.

On the other side, a group of American college kids.

No NFL contracts, no guarantees, just the least.

And one captain.

Mike Ruzioni wasn't supposed to change history.

He wasn't drafted into hockey royalty.

He wasn't the biggest, the fastest, or the most typed.

But leadership doesn't announce itself with height.

It revealed itself in moments.

And in a moment that felt larger than sport, larger than politics, larger even than the

game itself.

He did something that still echoes 46 years later, with one goal, one sling of destiny.

He didn't just score against the Soviet, he ignited a country.

Here's what makes it even more extraordinary.

The Golden End in 1980, it became a standard.

It became the blueprint for what American Olympic hockey could be.

There's just last week, 46 years later, when the United States once again stood across

some Canada with a window of gold on the line.

When you need generation carried the crest, when overtime tensions filled the world, in

America won gold again.

That moment in the London start there.

They traced this lineage back to Lake Flasad.

Back to a captain who showed the world that believed could defeat inevitability.

Back to Mike Ruzioni.

A re-American player who laced up for that gold medal game was skating in a reality that

did not exist before 1980.

Before you, before that goal, that's legacy.

That miracle wasn't just the win.

That miracle was leadership under impossible pressure.

The miracle was composure when the world expected collapse.

The miracle was a young captain who carried not just the team, but the nation's hopes and

delivers.

In 46 years later, another generation proved to what you built was not a moment.

It was a foundation.

But today we don't just welcome an Olympic gold medalist.

We welcome the man whose leadership created a ripple, powerful enough to reach across

nearly half a century.

The standard bearer, the original captain, the living proof that miracles don't fade, they

multiply.

Ladies and gentlemen, the heart of the American ice might Ruzioni.

46 years later.

No gold medal since 1980.

Who is going to speak to the men's team before they take the ice against Canada?

The most decorated gold medal winning team in U.S. men's Olympic hockey history.

And who is going to speak to the women's team before they take the ice seeking gold?

And of course, both the United States men's Olympic hockey team in the 2026 Winter Olympics

and Milan and the women's Olympic hockey team, the 2026 Winter Olympics and Milan, both

win gold medals over Canada, both in overtime, both by a score of two to one, Mr. Mike

Ruzioni.

Mike, I'd love to just kick this thing off with saying thank you so much for me in

here today.

And just ask you, what's it's been like since being in Milan, first Olympic gold medal for

U.S.

men's hockey?

Yeah, please.

It's been absolutely incredible.

I told my wife, I didn't play in this team, but if you saw the phone messages, email

with the request for me to speak at sales meetings, I mean, I think I probably in the

last four days had 15 to 20 requests for sales meetings.

It's been crazy, you know, and I didn't know, I was surprised by it all, but it was a

great moment, you know, hockey-wise, it was a great moment for men and women's hockey.

And all these, you know, like I said, corporations, I think I got to spend and

at one point in the next few weeks that of the seven days of the week, four of them

are going to be flying from various to Dallas to Scottsdale and into Orlando.

So, you know, it's been incredible.

Congratulations.

I don't hate you.

Oh, thanks.

Okay.

I got you again.

Yeah.

It's so, Mike, what I'd say.

I didn't expect any of this.

We were rooting for the team.

Like I said, I had nothing to do with what they did, although I didn't get a chance to

speak to the men's team before the game and the night before, and then I could speak

to the women's team the night before their game.

So, it was nice, you know, that they talked to me and I had a chance to talk to them.

But, you know, the game's ended and we won and I get on a plane and a blue home.

And then my phone just blew up.

I think I had, I think I had 100 or something, kex messages from people all across the

country.

And then all of a sudden, the other request came in to, you know, speak at that failed

meeting.

So, I don't know.

We'll see.

We'll see how long it lasts.

Yeah.

Well, here's what I'd say.

So, again, this is Sean Calligay and Mike Ruzioni was the first guest on our unwinded

podcast, which is now moved to number one on Apple Business Podcast.

And we've had incredible people on their Mike Tyson, Magic Johnson, Tom Brady and others.

But I'll say this, Mike.

I think, I think it's exactly what should be happening is you should be this much in

demand.

But I think regardless of what this incredible team did, I think you should be in that level

of demand, regardless of the fact that we just won this gold medal because what you did

is heroic.

You are an American hero, Mike Ruzioni is and think of this Mike and, you know, for everybody

who's watching this conversation we're having later, who else could you truly label

that's alive today in 2026 as an American hero?

All these incredible athletes we talk about, some people root for them, some people who

begins them, but in America, Mike's the face of the American ice, the greatest sports

upset in history.

And he's an American hero like and he and you deflect Mike a lot.

You're like, I'm just a lunchpale guy, true, right?

But really think about it.

Who else is there is divided country to stand in such a unifying force.

And when we last met, Mike, you said, hey, you know what, I really think that this country

could use a miracle now and maybe what happened in Milan wasn't a miracle.

But what if it could be a unifying moment?

And I think a lot of the outreach for you is because you're the face of unification

of America.

Like, what do you think of that when I say that, please?

Well, I've obviously been very, very nice in a day that and I appreciate that.

You know, I've said this and I said this throughout the Olympic Games.

Other than being a police officer, a firefighter or somebody in the military who protects and

serves our country, there's no greater feeling than putting a U.S.

age as young.

And I think when we see our athletes, they're not competing for Boston or Chicago or LA.

You're competing for your country.

You're not playing for a Super Bowl or a Stanley Cup or a World Series.

You're playing for an opportunity to win an Olympic gold medal.

And I think our team did it in 1980 and brought great joy to a country at a time when we

were looking for something to feel good about.

And I think our Olympic athletes that were in Milan, a men's team, our women's team and

the other Olympians who won medals, the pride that they showed, the pride that they displayed,

just proves why we live in the greatest country in the world.

And I'm fortunate to be a part of the moment that touched the lives of so many people,

but so are the rest of my teammates.

I guess because I've been a little more visible because of, you know,

I didn't in the captain for the last 40 years,

still traveling around the country doing different things like this.

I'm probably the face of our team, but I never look at it that way.

I just looked at it as I was given an opportunity to play in Olympic games and

look what it turned out to be.

Amen to that.

And for anybody who hasn't seen the Netflix documentary, you want to talk about

serendipity, synergy.

So right before the Olympics,

Mike Arusioni and the Miracle and Ice team mates and Mike is a team mate of team mates.

This brother wants unification.

He always amplifies edifies the entire Miracle, Miracle, Miracle and Ice team.

Her books, all of it.

They had this incredible documentary.

They're all honored so beautifully.

And it might be such an incredible job.

If you haven't seen it, you have to see it.

And then right after that,

U.S. wins the gold medal, brother.

Like how is easiest to sell the Netflix special with absolutely spectacular.

You know, when I watched it, you know, and Sean, you know,

you've been around a lot of people.

You know, they interview you when you never know how it's going to end up, right?

They talk to you for an hour or two hours or two days or whatever.

And then they're going to put it in a can and they're going to decide what they

show and what they don't show and going to put it together.

And we didn't know how it was going to end up.

But when we saw it, actually, I had, I think about 50, 50 to 60 people.

A little nine-whole golf course where I'm a member at in my hometown.

And the people were all my cousins who were up in the house.

I grew up in and we all sat and watched it.

And there were some stories in there that I didn't know about.

I mean, I can't even borrow talking about his dad and what his dad meant to him.

And just the guys telling their story about Netflix,

that a sensational job of showing not only what our team did,

but even the political aspect of what was going on in our country.

And they brought it together at people at Netflix that told me it might have

been the best one they've ever done.

And Netflix has done a lot of great special.

Tears coming out as heart full.

I had a little bit of a few minutes left.

You're so in demand right now.

My everybody goes, I got that Netflix documentary.

If you don't cry during it, then I think you need to get a little bit of a checkup

from the heart, you know, the heart found it.

But Mike, I know you have a charity, a foundation that you help kids with.

Is that true, Mike?

Yeah, I started a foundation.

It's funny.

I get who wants to be a millionaire a long time ago.

And I got $150,000 on the show.

And I started a charity.

And they call Winford Charities.

I kind of named it after my mother and father.

And it craved it.

And you do more than anybody with the charitable organization.

So it was fun to do it.

It's fun to play Santa Claus.

It's fun at Christmas time by gifts for kids who can't afford them.

It's fun that thanks given to by meals and jerkeys for families who can't afford it.

You know, we probably didn't like finally to charity, you know,

haven't read that ridiculous amount of money.

My wife and I were talking to her yesterday because I just did something in a donation back to my hometown.

But we've probably raised around $350 to $400,000 over the years.

And quite a few years ago, I sold all the, almost all my memorabilia.

I have my skates left my stick from the Finland game and actually my gold medal,

which I ended up in the process of probably selling at some point.

But I got like $1.6 million for all my stuff.

And I endowed a scholarship in my mother and father's name at Bosch University.

I put the rest of the money, some of the money into my charitable foundation.

And then my three kids bought houses with the money that was left over.

And now that I have the medal of fill and other items that I'm in the process of deciding when I'm going to fell,

I can take that money and endow some.

The future is from my grandkids.

I have seven grandkids and an eight little girl coming shortly.

So that's all part of a charitable organization.

And you know, it's fun to, it's fun to help.

It's fun to, you know, give back.

And, you know, like I said, it's fun to play Santa Claus.

And you know, believe the thing that my parents taught me is to give back.

And never an audience I could give back when I've been able to, but that's pretty special.

Mike, you have given to this country so much.

If you permit me, I'd love to do a small thing from my colleague, Christian Foundation,

relative to the impact you create and to donate $50,000 to your wind throw.

Ooh, powered by foundation.

And I'd love to have that taken care of immediately.

So I just want you to know that that's the gratitude for everything you've done for our country

to inspire me and to be the first guest ever on the Unblinded Apple business podcast that,

you know, we've been number one and number two at Bouncer back and forth.

And you kicked that thing off so powerfully and we're so grateful, Mike.

So if you permit me to do that, I'll make sure that right.

Deb, that's more than charitable.

And I know I had the pleasure, you know, we were together to meet and chat and

meet all the people that you are involved with.

And, you know, I think the things that you do and the people that you represent and the people that

support you is a pretty special bond of people as well.

And it's nice when you can incorporate yourself or consider yourself part of the family in some ways.

And, you know, clearly, that's a very generous donation and thank you.

No, thank you, Mike.

And if I can ask this, you know, as we round the bend, home, when you were speaking to the team,

if you don't mind, what did you share with the men's team, the women's team before the game?

Well, I told both teams and I believe that the women's team was the best women's team we

have a put on the ice and our men's team was the best men's team we have a put on the ice.

And I just told the ladies, the thing I talked to the ladies about was they had played

Canada six times already during the year and pretty well dominated them.

And I just try to tell them that those games are over and those games don't mean the damn thing.

Now you're playing for the Olympic gold medal.

This is the game that means something.

Doesn't mean anything prior to this, the games that you won.

So I kind of stressed that point to them of letting them realize that what happened in the past

is over, this is the game that counts.

And don't walk off that ice, skate off that ice, wondering, you know, what could have been.

And then the men, you know, the thing I told the men was, it's crying to move on with that,

you know, 1980, with 1980.

What we did is what we did.

What you do is what you do.

And, you know, I mean, you know, we need this country, young little hockey players, young men and

women, young boys to look at your team and you are the heroes.

The other one is that that will be the idols and not the 1980 team.

If ended is over, it's not going to change.

What we did in 1980 is not going to change anything.

This is your opportunity to go out there and show the world where the best hockey player

in this, in the world's come from.

And this is your time to do that and show that.

So basically, you know, kind of things like that.

You don't take a backseat to anybody, you know, you are the best.

And just, just to be positive to the team.

And, but the big thing with the stress, what we hit is what we did.

And this is, this is their time for them to enjoy the moment.

My grandkids now know, you know, who Jack Eichel is.

Who Jack Kelly, you know, Jack uses.

Who Charlie McAvoy is.

And they don't need to know who my carusione is anymore.

These are the guys that are carrying the torch.

Yeah, amazing.

And a lot of the fact being a Jersey guy myself,

that we had a New Jersey devil scoring that game winning goal.

That was special too, right?

But like, yeah, don't happy for him.

You need to ensure he's a class act.

As I thought the whole family, you know,

the other two brothers who play in the national hockey league.

The mom, you know, was involved with our women's team.

She was, I think, uh, the director of player personnel for the women's team.

I don't know if people knew that.

And, you know, that they're hockey family.

And it was the Jack score of the goal and the way he did it, you know,

with no teeth in his head.

It was pretty ironic for hockey player to score the goal with no teeth.

I love that, Mike.

Um, thank you.

And of course, my carusione, not only the captain, the miracle on ice,

but a person delivering message carrying through the energy

of these gold medals for the men's, uh, men's Olympic team,

hockey team and the women's Olympic hockey team, um,

Mike and final final, um, anyone

whoever wants to have somebody speak,

who is a true demonstration of miraculous leadership in teamwork.

Mike Arusione did not go, uh, to the NHL after his career.

He was not the most hyped.

He was not the biggest.

He was not the strongest.

He was none of those things, uh, except he was the leader

and the person that scored the game winning goal against the Soviet 46 years ago.

And to this minute, this day, he embodies a my humble opinion

and the opinion of some others, uh, the greatest example of sports leadership.

That has ever occurred, uh, and it just happened to be for our country.

So Mr. Mike Arusione, um, we are so grateful, uh, to you and for you.

And anything else you'd like to share in final, final today, Mike,

and we thank you so much for your time today.

Now, Sharon, just thank you for sending the,

the continued, continue to send the message that you do about believing,

working hard, being a good person.

Uh, you know, I'm, I'm a believer in that, uh, you know,

just because you want an Olympic gold medal doesn't mean you're a good person.

It's more important to be a good person, be a good neighbor, be a good friend.

Uh, have those qualities because those, those are far more important than sports.

It's important in life.

And I think what you do are those are the messages that you send.

And those are the messages that I tell people all the time about being a good friend,

being a good, good person, being a good American.

You know, we live in the greatest country in the world.

And let's take advantage of the opportunities we have.

Hey, man, brother, Mike, we wish all the blessings.

If anybody has the privilege of having Mike Arusione come to their

company to speak and be in a position of leadership, this is the number one person,

in my opinion, in the world that you want to come speak to your people.

It's Mike Arusione.

Nothing could more incredibly embody possibility than Mr. Arusione,

what the Miracle and Ice team did led by him,

her Brooks and so many other extraordinary American heroes.

Mike, have a blessed day and we thank you so much.

John, thank you for reaching out and hope we get the chance to see each other again

down the road somewhere.

We will. Thanks Mike.

Thank you so much.

Bye Mike. Thank you.

Thank you.