"So you had to rev your engines, to beat the Russians and I think more than anything, if the Soviet team would win, or the Soviet athletes would win, you would see and hear and read about that. Quite frequently. So they would make a big issue of it"

Ralph Boston's quote is describing the Cold War age, when the United States and the Soviet Union were in competition with each other. He is stating that the Soviet Union was identified to win in any competitors, and if they did, it would be extensively reported in the media. This was a way for the Soviet Union to show their strength and power to the world. The United States had to strive to compete with the Soviet Union, and they had to "rev their engines" to beat them. This quote is a reminder of the intense competition in between the two countries throughout the Cold War, and how crucial it was for the United States to win.