Olympic Wizardry

Harvard hockey Coach Bill Cleary was keeping his head in two games simultaneously Saturday--a game on the ice in front of him, and a game a thousand miles away.

Cleary's Harvard team was playing Cornell at Bright Center. But three of his Harvard players were also playing a game in Calgary.

Cleary was keeping his eyes on the Bright ice, but his ears pricked for any PA announcements about the other game--the Olympic game.

He was waiting for goals in both places. Harvard goals.

John Murphy scored to pull Harvard even with the Big Red.

Then, an announcement came: "In Olympic hockey action, it's USA 1, Austria 0...USA goal scored by number 19 Lane MacDonald." The crowd erupted.

The scene was repeated. Andy Janfaza scored for Harvard. Allen Bourbeau scored for Team USA.

Steve Armstrong scored for the Crimson. Scott Fusco scored for the Olympians.

Harvard scores. Harvard scores.

It was Harvard 3, Cornell 0. It was Harvard 3, Austria...

"I got a little chill when announced those three names, Cleary said. "[Assistant Coach Ronn Tomassoni] and I looked at each other and smiled."

Cleary may dress in Crimson, but he's a walking, talking advertisement for the Red, White and Blue. Cleary played in two Olympics--in 1956 and 1960--and helped lead the U.S. hockey team to the gold in Squaw Valley, Calif., in '60.

Every four years, Cleary sends up to a dozen of his players to the U.S. Olympic Festival, a try-out camp for the Olympic Team. This year, MacDonald and Bourbeau, seniors taking a year off, and Fusco, who graduated in 1986, made the team.

"The Olympics is something near and dear to my heart," Cleary said. "I think playing in the Olympics should be the goal of every young person."

Cleary saw Monday night as the U.S. jumped to a 4-1 lead over Czechoslovakia, but then fell, 7-5.

"It was a tough one to lose," Cleary said. "Sometimes you can get ahead too early and it can be tough. Then you go into a defensive shell. You've got to keep up the attack."

Before last night's USA-Soviet Union showdown. Cleary conceded that the USSR would be a favorite. But the coach, winking, added, "We beat them in '60. If we can beat them, anyone can beat them."

Anyone? Maybe Harvard, moving up from the Big Red to the Big Reds.