Mike Eruzione told Newsmax viewers Friday that there is "no greater feeling" for an athlete than wearing a USA jersey, and he argued the Olympic Games shouldn't be used to air political grievances.
Appearing on Newsmax's "Wake Up America" on Friday morning, the captain of the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" team described representing the United States as a rare honor that comes with responsibility and restraint.
Eruzione said he's been consistent for decades about what the uniform symbolizes, placing Olympic service in the same emotional category as the nation's most revered public callings.
"Other than being a police officer, a firefighter, or someone in the military who protects and serves our country, there's no greater feeling than putting on a USA jersey," he said.
In his view, that moment changes the meaning of competition, because the athlete is no longer playing for a city or franchise but for the nation itself.
"You're not playing for Boston or Chicago or Los Angeles," Eruzione said. "You're playing for your country."
That distinction, he added, is why he considers Olympic participation uniquely special — a point he underscored with the memory of 1980, when Team USA pulled off a stunning upset victory on home ice in Lake Placid, New York, defeating the Soviet Union 4-3.
"To be able to do it is an incredible, incredible honor," Eruzione said, recalling "the honor of doing it in our own country."
He emphasized the emotional weight of the uniform itself, saying, "There's nothing better. There's no greater feeling than putting that jersey on."
Eruzione acknowledged, however, that the modern era — shaped by social media and constant commentary — may influence how some competitors view the moment.
Still, he argued that most Olympians maintain a deep sense of pride in representing the United States.
"I think the majority of our athletes that compete, I would say more than the majority, I would say almost all of them have great pride in representing the country," Eruzione said.
He said while athletes may have political opinions, the Olympic venue shouldn't become a megaphone for them, especially amid a fraught national political climate.
"It's not your platform or your soapbox to talk about what you think or don't think is going on," Eruzione said, adding, "We have enough issues going on in our country — we don't need to hear it from our athletes."
He urged athletes to keep activism off the podium and out of the arena, even while recognizing free speech.
"Talk about it on your Facebook pages or your Instagram or whatever," Eruzione said, but "the Olympic Games is not the vehicle for that, in my opinion."
"It's a special time," he said. "If you're a skier, ski. If you're a hockey player, play hockey. That's what I want to hear about."
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Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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