At 7:30 a.m. ET Thursday all of the build up, all of the hype, all of the projected rosters and medal predictions and words upon words of opinion all fade into the background and it’s time for U.S. Olympic hockey.

Every four years since 1998, we have been treated to the game in its finest form. Unrivaled speed, unmatched skill and Stanley Cup-level drama all wrapped into 11 days and 30 games. There’s nothing quite like Olympic hockey and finally it is here once again.

After one of the most exciting and most watched Olympic hockey tournaments in 2010, the world’s eyes turn to Sochi, Russia, where hockey will once again be the centerpiece of the Winter Games. It’s time.

With that in mind, I figured I’d put together a little America kit for you to adequately prepare for the greatest event in American sports. Packed in this little kit is some Olympic-related content from this blog, the finest offerings via YouTube and anything else that popped into my brain and passed the “Is it America Enough?” test.

To get us started, you may want to have the right kind of music to read Team USA-related posts. Singing can distract you from the content you’re trying to read, so we had to go with a nice instrumental. Here’s the triumphant theme from Miracle which is a movie about an American hockey team that had a little bit of success at the Olympics.

Preview Coverage

If you haven’t already, I hope you’ll check out some of this content, like the Great American Preview, featuring not only actual hockey analysis, but also amateur Photoshopping of your favorite U.S. players in the most American of scenarios. Click the picture to get there.

Inspirational Words from President Bill Pullman

When faced with annihilation, you must turn to your great leaders. Luckily, when the aliens attacked on Independence Day, we had a brooding former pilot president to lead a crack team of amateur flyers to beat back the crafty invaders and (spoiler alert) we did not go quietly into the night.

History

Do you like history? Then you’ll probably like taking a look at every USA jersey ever worn at the Olympics coming into 2014. Click on the picture for a look back in time.

That Time American Children Struck Down the Evil Icelandic Hockey Team

The YouTube description calls this “The Most Epic Scene in Movie History.” Who am I to disagree?

The Icelandic hockey federation never overcame this loss and their years as a dominant force on the international stage are long forgotten. The IIHF listed Iceland as the 33rd ranked hockey nation in the world, behind such powerhouses as Serbia, Estonia, Croatia, and South Korea.

Your Daily Moment of Hulkamania

Hollywood Taking Liberties With Real-Life Events to Make Them More American? Sign Me Up.

Never have snot rockets seemed so inspiring.

You know what this post needs? A montage.

That’s how you know it’s good.

Goalie Masks are Cool, USA Goalie Masks are Better

Click the photo for a compilation of some of the best Team USA-related masks of all time as well as a brief history of USA masks at the Olympics.

Here’s a bunch of big Team USA goals in recent history

That and 16 others are found here.

Rene Freakin’ Rancourt

Via Erik Malinowski

The Last Time All of America Watched the Same Hockey Game

The euphoria eventually faded to bitter disappointment, but for a little while, 35 million or so people in this country were this excited about a hockey game.

If There is Adversity to be Faced, There is Bluto Blutarsky

The Bald Eagle In Flight

So majestic.

Ben Franklin in a Hockey Jersey? Sure.

USofH broke down the All-American Icon Team right here.

Our First Lady Can and Will Dunk on Your First Lady

GIF via SBNation.

When You’ve Got MacGyver, How Can You Lose?

The background of this wonderful piece of American hockey history is here.

You Will Run Through a Wall for Mini Herb Brooks

Never has the phase “SCREW ‘EM!” ever been so cute. This little fella, Josh Sacco, still makes appearances as Mini Herb Brooks and met with the U.S. Olympic Women’s Hockey team recently

Well, Do You?

Thank goodness Al Michaels didn’t come down with a case of pink eye before this game. Still probably one of the great calls in broadcasting history, adding to the greatest sporting event of the 20th Century. Michaels didn’t say another word for the next two or three minutes of the broadcast, letting the viewers just experience it.

It’s Time

There have been a lot of fan-created pump-up videos leading up to this Olympics that are Team USA related, which is pretty cool to see. These two in particular, that both use a lot of the same imagery, were particularly well done. Watch one, watch both, do whatever you want. This is America, man.

Don’t let double Patrick Kane fool you, these are different.

See, similar but different.

This Bald Eagle Sparkles

Cheer on your favorite country and feel free to chirp your enemies, but remember to keep it clean, keep it respectful and for the love of Mike try not to take everything so seriously. We’re just all here to have a little fun and enjoy our countries doing hockey things. Enjoy the games, everybody.

And lastly… one of the best renditions of the National Anthem at any sporting event ever.