In a time of great divide, few people can truly be cold, unanimously, an Amer...
Imagine that 1980, the Cold War is frozen solid, the world is divided by ideology, fear, and nuclear attention, and one-fied stands the Soviet machine, seasoned, professional, unstoppable.
“On the other side, a group of American college kids. No-in-a-tell contracts, no guarantees, just police, and one captain.”
My group and only wasn't supposed to change history. He wasn't drafted into hockey royalty. He wasn't the biggest, the fastest, or the most type. But leadership doesn't announce itself with heights. 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 Soviets, he ignited a country.
Here's what makes it even more extraordinary. The Golden End in 1980, it became a standard.
If they came the blueprint for what Americano and the Kaki could be, because just last week, 46 years later, when the United States once again stood across some Canada with a window gold on the line. When you need generation carried the crest, when overtime tensions filled the world, an America won gold again,
“that moment and Milan didn't start there. They traced this lineage back to Lake Fossard.”
Back to a captain who showed the world that believed the defeat in evitability, back to my group's unity. A rare American player who wasted up for that gold medal game was skating in a reality that did not exist before 1980. Before you, before that gold, that legacy. That miracle wasn't just the win. That miracle was leadership under impossible pressure. The miracle was composure when the world affected class. The miracle was the young captain who carried not just the team, but in the nation's hopes and delivers.
In 46 years later, another generation proved that 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 who's leadership, created a ripple, powerful enough to reach across nearly half the century.
The standard bearer, the original captain, the living proof that miracles don't save their most apply. Ladies and gentlemen, the heart of the Americana might re-been. 46 years later, no gold medal since 1980 who was going to speak to the men's team before they take the ice against Canada. The most decorated gold medal winning team in US men's Olympic hockey history. And who's 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 in Milan and the women's Olympic hockey team, in the 2026 winter Olympics in Milan, both win gold medals over Canada. Both in over time, both by a score of two to one, Mr. Mike Eruzione. Mike, I'd love to just kick this thing off with saying thank you so much for being here today.
“And just ask you, what's this been like since being in Milan, first Olympic gold medal for US men's hockey?”
Yeah, please.
It's been absolutely incredible. I told my wife, I didn't plan this team, but if you saw the phone messages, emails, 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. And I didn't know, I was surprised by it all, but you know, it was a great moment. You know, hockey, why is it a great moment for men and women's hockey? And all these, you know, like I said, corporations, I think I've got to spend 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 then to Orlando.
You know, it's been incredible. Congratulations, I don't know you in the first. Okay, yeah, yeah, again. Yeah, it's my question. Yeah, I didn't expect any of this.
We were rooting for the team. I had, 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 did speak to the women's team other night before their game. So it was nice, you know, that they, they talked to me and I had a chance to talk to them. But, you know, the game's ended and we won.
I, I get on the plane and, and, uh, blew home and my phone just blew up.
I can't guy had, I think I had 100 or something text messages from people all across the country. And then all of a sudden the other three questions came into, you know, speak at that failed meaning. So I don't know. We'll see how long it last.
Yeah, well, here, here's what I'd say. So again, this is Sean Caligy.
And Mike Ruizioni was the first guest on our unwinded podcast, which is now moved to number one on Apple Business Podcasts. And we've had incredible people on their mic, Tyson, Magic Johnson, Tom Brady and others. But I'll say this, Mike, I think, I think it's exactly what should be happening. Issue 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 want this gold medal because what you did is heroic. You are an American hero. Mike Ruizioni is, and think of this Mike and, you know, for everybody who's, you know, 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 are against them.
But in America, Mike's the face of the miracle on ice, the graceports of St. History, and he's an American hero. Like, and he, and you deflect Mike a lot. You're like, ah, I'm just a lunch pal guy. True, right?
But really think about it. Who else is there?
“This 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, I've, I've been very, very nice to date at that, and I appreciate that. And look, you know, I've, I've, I've, I've, I've, I've 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 or as healing. And I think when we see our Appalach for, 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 family cup for a World Series. You're playing for an opportunity to win an Olympic goal 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, a 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, you know, I'm fortunate to be a part of the moment that, that touched the lives of so many people. I'm still with the rest of the McKinney. And 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 faith of our team.
But I never looked at 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.
I meant 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 Eruzione and the Miracle on Ice teammates, and Mike is a team mate of team mates. This brother wants unification. He always amplifies, identifies the entire Miracle on Ice team. Her Brooks, all of it. They had this incredible documentary. They're all honored. It's so beautiful. And it might be such an incredible job.
“If you haven't seen it, you have to see it. And then right after this, US wins the gold medal, brother. Like how easy it is to say.”
The Netflix special with absolutely spectacular. You know, when I watched this, you know, and Sean, you know, you've been around a lot of people. You know, the interview you will win. You never know how it's going to end up, right? They talked 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. We didn't know how it was going to end up. But when we saw it, actually, I had, I think about 50 to 60 people. And it'll little nine for golf course.
Or I'm a member at my home town. 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 was 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 if the guy telling the story about Netflix did 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 in Netflix has done a lot of great special.
Tears coming out is heart full. I look at a few minutes left. You're so into man right now, Mike. Everybody go check out that Netflix documentary.
If you don't cry during it, then I think you need to get a little bit of a ch...
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 I decided to start a charity. And it's called Winthrop Charities. I kind of named it after my mother and father. And it's great. And you do more than anybody with the charitable organization. So it was fun to do it, fun to play Santa Claus. It's fun to at Christmas time by gifts for kids who can't afford them. It's fun to Thanksgiving to buy meals and jerkeys for families who can't afford it. You know, we probably didn't have a charity. You know, I haven't read that ridiculous amount of money. My wife and I were talking to her, yes, because I just did something in a donation back to my home town.
But we probably raised around $350 to $400,000 over the years. And quite a few years ago, I sold all the stuff in my memorabilia. I have my skate 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 dollars 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 Bill and other items that I'm in the process of deciding when I'm going to sell, I can take that money and endowed some... Futures from my grandkids. I have seven grandkids and I need a little girl coming shortly. So that's all part of each charitable organization. And you know, it's fun to help. It's fun to give back.
And you know, like I said, it's fun to play Santa Claus and you know, leave the things that my parents taught me, just to give back.
And never an object, I could give back what I've been able to, but that's pretty special.
Well, like, you have given to this country so much. And 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 winth row. Oh, proud of the 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 bounce and 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, make sure you're at that revenue. Yeah. That's the more than charity was going. And I know why 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 if it's like when you can incorporate yourself or hit yourself part of the family in some ways. And you know, clearly that's the very generous donation and thank you. 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 maintenance team, the women's team before the game? Well, I told both teams.
And I believe that the, the women's team was the best women's team we have put on the ice and our men's team was the best men's team we have put on the ice. And I just told the ladies, the thing I carved to the ladies about was that they had played Canada six times already during the year. And pretty well dominated them. And I just tried to tell them that those games are over and those games don't meet the damn thing. So you're playing for them with the 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, I'm letting them realize that what happened in the past is over. This is the game that counts. And don't walk off that ice and skate off that ice wondering, you know, what could have been. And then the men, I, you know, think I told them, it's kind of 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 like in any team, at the end it 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 kind to do that and show that.
So, basically, you know, kind of things like that, you don't take a back sheet to anybody, you know, you are the best.
Just, just to be positive to the team.
And, but the big thing with the stress, what we did 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 Micah Rizioni 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 Mike, yeah, I'm so happy for him, getting to, and joining the class act. As the whole family, you know, the other two brothers you play in the national hockey league, the mom, you know, was involved with our women's team.
“She was, I think, director of play a person else, for the women's, even though people knew that.”
And, you know, at their hockey family, and it was deep Jack's score of the goal, and the way he did it, you know, no teeth, and then it's head.
It was pretty ironic for hockey player to score to go with no teeth.
I love that, Mike. Thank you. And, of course, Micah Rizioni, not only to captain the miracle on ice, but a person delivering message, carrying through the energy of these gold medals for the men's, men's Olympic team, hockey team and women's Olympic hockey team. Mike and Final Final, anyone, whoever wants to have somebody speak, who is a true demonstration of miraculous leadership in teamwork. Micah Rizioni did not go 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.”
Except he was the leader, and the person that scored the game winning goal gets a silvi at 46 years ago.
And, to this minute this day, he embodies a my humble opinion, and the opinion of some others. The greatest example of sports leadership that has ever occurred, and it just happened to be for our country. So, Mr. Micah Rizioni, we are still grateful to you and for you, and anything else you'd like to share, and Final Final today and Mike, and we thank you so much for your time today. Now, Sharon, just thank you for sending the continued,
to send the message that you do about believing, working hard, being a good person. You know, I'm a believer in that, you know, just because you wanted 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. Have those qualities, because those are far more important than sports, it's important in life.
“And I think what you do, and 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 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. I remember, Mike, we wish all the blessings. If anybody has the privilege of having Mike Rizioni 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 to speak to your people.
It's Mike Rizioni, nothing, could more incredibly embody possibilities in Mr. Rizioni. What the miracle on 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 hopefully get the kids to see each other again down the road somewhere. We will. Thanks, Mike. Thank you so much.
Alright, thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
