Amongst the backdrop of the grandeur of the Winter Olympics in beautiful Vancouver and what the spirit of the games truly represents there is no denying that many in sporting community are hushed in wait for a Canada - Russia showdown in Hockey.
The world has dramatically changed since the famed Summit Series yet for those lucky to watch those eight remarkable games in September of 1972 the bar has been set at a level that is unlikely to be ever touched.
Each sport has its great rivalries, all worthy of enormous respect, yet Canada versus Russia on the ice might be the only that defines the sport on the international stage and Summit Series is its apex.
The lore of that remarkable time, when these giants in the sport clashed, only separated by Paul Henderson’s goal with thirty-four seconds remaining, will last forever, frozen in time.
The impact of the Summit Series was extraordinary from not only the perspective of assisting the move of Europe's best Hockey talent to the NHL, the new-found appreciation of "dry-land" training and technical skating styles that the Soviet Union revolutionized but most importantly, it brought the two nations closer in understanding each other.
Should these two go head to head in Vancouver, it will not laden by heavy handed marketing and global branding that sadly plagues elements of the professional sport today but of two great nations loving the game as part of their heritage, just as they did as children on a pond or backyard rink.
Ultimately the lessons of accomplishment, pride and honour is what all sport is about and now in Vancouver the stage is set for the grandest of battles to be played out once more.
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