'Miracle On Ice' Captain Mike Eruzione Not Sure If America Would Rally Behind Team Today: 'We Could Use A 1980 Right Now'

Mike Eruzione knows a thing or two about American patriotism.

The 'Miracle on Ice' Team USA hockey captain was a player for the greatest American sports moment the country has ever seen.

So after seeing Eruzione quote tweet a story showing his utter disbelief about how a Wellesley, Mass., high school could get rid of its annual "USA Day" spirit week celebration due to it being too politicized, I reached out to Eruzione to get his thoughts on the direction the country is heading today compared to how the country rallied around the U.S. hockey team during the 1980 Olympics.

"We could use a 1980 right now... and what that moment brought to a country. Even 43 years later, if you saw the letters and messages I get from people, we brought a country together that was looking for something to be happy about - and it happened to be us," Eruzione said.

Forty-three years is a long time, but Eruzione says that the country's situations were quite similar.

"I remember when Jim Lampley said it was the first time that Americans were once again happy to wave the flag . As a country we were kind of stuck, and what we found out without knowing and realizing is that we kind of rallied our country. And I think we take great pride in our country and I take great proud in knowing that," the left wing continued.

MIKE ERUZIONE: 'WE COULD USE A 1980 RIGHT NOW'

However, Eruzione says the one thing that is different today is the escalation of America being attacked and criticized from within, only making it more necessary for the country get back on track.

"We could use one of those rallying cries," Eruzione said. "If people would just take a step back and realize how fortunate we are to live in the country that we live in, the opportunities that we have living here, the history of our country and the reason we're in the position we are because of our great nation and just enjoy and embrace it... We can disagree on a lot of things but we can't disagree on how great our country is and that's what bothers me."

But could that American resilience the fans showed all those decades ago still happen today?

"That's a great question, I just don't know the mindset of the American people" Eruzione began before almost talking himself out of thinking what at one time would have been unfathomable. "I'd like to think it could... We're not going down the tank here but we are fragmented and separated and somebody's got to bring this thing together."

THE DIVIDED STATES OF AMERICA?

On the topic of the Massachusetts high school cancelling a USA theme day, Eruzione had this to say:

"Who thinks of things like this? Who decides not to celebrate our country? Why can't we celebrate the United States of America and the great people that have lived here? Go tell our military who are overseas protecting us and our soldiers here that we can't celebrate the United States, the flag, the patriotism and history of the country."

Eruzione continued: "We live in the greatest country in the world and we can't celebrate that? ... You know I have six grandchildren and I wonder what kind of world they're going to live in... I wonder what my grandkids are going to be taught in schools."

It's personal for Eruzione, not just from being a part of Team USA and that historic moment, but his own family as well.

"I have a son-in-law whose a police officer, my son's a firefighter, my dad was a Marine," he said. "I have a nephew that's a U.S. Marshall, I have another nephew that just retired as a full-bird colonel in the Marine Corps, so I understand what this country means and what it means to be so fortunate to be here."

Well said, Mike.

Hopefully it doesn't take a Miracle for us to get back there.