As I’ve covered on multiple occasions there are certain events, usually birthdays, anniversaries, and New Year’s Day, that help us mark the passing of time. We often get caught up in the day to day activities that have taken over our lives, but these events remind us that time is charging ahead. In 2009 I wrote about how, for me, one of these events is the act of purchasing a new computer. Well, this past weekend I discovered another event that causes me to stop and reflect; the Summer Olympics.
During a visit with some friends at home in Syracuse this weekend we got to talking about the patently absurd comments made by Ray Allen and Dwyane Wade in which they suggested that they should be paid to play for the US National Team. I don’t want to get into it because the very suggestion (whether it was just in response to a question or not) bothers me greatly. The conversation naturally led to a quick mention of the 2012 games this summer in London, which caused someone to say, “I can’t believe that the Olympics are right around the corner again.” Almost immediately everyone was in agreement about how quickly the past four years have gone. Maybe we’re all crazy, but it just doesn’t seem like four years have passed since Michael Phelps was dominating in the pool and the Redeem Team was being awarded their gold medals. I distinctly remember setting an alarm at my buddy’s apartment to wake up at the crack of dawn to watch the gold medal game between Spain and the US and it’s hard for me to believe that LeBron James played two more full seasons for the Cavaliers after that.
People always talk about how quickly their time in college went and I think there’s plenty of truth to that. However, as much as it seemed like my college years (2004-08) flew by I think I would make the case that 2008-12 elapsed even quicker. Not only did the time fly by, but things in my life have also changed drastically in that four year span. Since the summer of 2008 (probably the best summer of my life) I have had three jobs. Two of them only lasted for 3-4 months each, but still, three jobs is three jobs. I have lived in three different apartments and in June it will be four. I have also officially become a Connecticut resident.
While on the surface it might seem like things in your life are essentially the same as they were four years ago, in most cases they are actually considerably different. If you really stop and think about it I’m sure that you’ll agree.
I think college seemed to last a little bit longer than this recent four year stretch, for me anyway, because everyone in my social network (not to name a famous movie or anything) was doing similar things. We all had the structure of the school calendar. Classes, projects, papers, Christmas break, Spring break, summer vacation, etc. We were also all living the college lifestyle and obviously my college friends and I were all living within the same two mile radius. For the most part it was a shared experience.
Everything is a bit more scattered now. Not only do I have friends littered all over the country (Dallas, Chicago, New York, Boston, Baltimore, Denver, Atlanta, etc.), but they’re all making life altering decisions at a rapid rate. I have friends that have been married for over a year, friends that are engaged, friends with houses, friends with dogs, and a friend who's a year older than me that has two kids. Everyone also works in a different field. In college they may have had different majors, but we were still in the same place, so the differences were minimized. Everyone in my social network now has new stories, hobbies, friends, etc. It's still hard to believe, but all of these changed have ocurred since the Beijing Olympics.
While certain aspects of my life have changed in the past four years (where I live, what I do, who I hang out with, etc.) I still like to think that I’m the same person that I was back in 2008, but I know that that’s not the case. Not only am I now out of shape, but I also believe that I’m smarter (still waiting for that phone call Jeopardy!), more mature, more stubborn (if that was even possible), hopefully less arrogant, but there’s no guarantee of that, and a little mellowed out. I read more, I write more, and I probably watch more TV. I also rarely get hammered on both nights of the weekend. Plus, I know that I don’t have everything figured out, but until now I didn’t let anyone know that.
What’s weird is that I thought I knew it all when I was 18. Back then, though, I was just a naïve kid who thought that the key to life was “beating the system and finding the happy medium” (verbatim from my senior quotes). Now I don’t want to unequivocally say that I was wrong because obviously those words of wisdom still hold true in certain instances, but they are by no means the be all end all. At the time I was convinced that those two tidbits contained all the answers to life’s questions.
I guess my point is that that 18 year old kid who thought he was right about everything really didn’t know much. From 18-22 I learned countless life lessons that have made me who I am today. As cliche as it may sound, I grew up in my time in college. Ironically though, that 22 year old version of me also thought that he was right about everything. Once again he would go on to learn plenty in the years ahead. As much as college prepares us for the “real world” there really is no teacher like experience. Now at 26 I'm mature enough to admit that I don't have all the answers. I still have plenty of opinions, but that doesn't mean that I'm always right.
I now know that for whatever reason I stop and re-assess my life every four years. I guess it makes sense because high school lasted for four years, college lasted for four years, and now I’ve been in the “real world” for four years, but it took the mention of the 2008 Summer Olympics to trigger my quadrennial habit. Coincidentally there was a How I Met Your Mother episode a few weeks back where over the stretch of 15 years the characters watched the Star Wars trilogy in the years 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, and 2012 and looked ahead to what their lives would be like each three years in the future.
Either way, I know that there will be immeasurable life changing events, lessons to learn, difficult decisions to make, and experiences to share before the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. What’s really scary, though, is that by then I’ll be 30.
Showing posts with label America. Show all posts
Showing posts with label America. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Everything's Bigger in...
So I was in the Dallas/Fort Worth area this weekend visiting my boy, and friend of the blog, RJ, who’s lived there for a few years. He’s a Cowboys fan and I’m a Giants fan, so it seemed like the perfect weekend to visit. Our buddy Hermo, who's a Giants fan like me, was supposed to come to, but he bailed a few weeks ago.
Here are some of the highlights of the trip.
1.) Real Texas BBQ- After RJ picked me up from the airport we went directly to a place called Railhead BBQ.
I didn’t know what I was in for, so I just went with the sampler platter. The platter contained delicious, moist ribs (the meat was literally falling off the bone), pulled pork, baked beans that I didn’t touch, coleslaw, barbecue sauce, two slices of white bread that seemed out of place even when I made a half sandwich with the pulled pork, and a gigantic goblet of beer that was pre-frozen (the goblet, not the beer) so much so that chunks of ice formed in the beer almost instantly. It was as if I were drinking a chemist’s concoction and not a beer, but it was phenomenal.
2.) Lockheed Factory Tour- RJ works for Lockheed Martin, which is a defense/technology based company that makes fighter jets, weapons, etc. for the U.S. government. The Fort Worth location manufactures three different types of fighter jets, so I got my American pride on as I toured the facility.
The place is enormous, which I guess makes sense because they build planes there. I wish I had a pedometer on during my visit because I’m pretty sure that I walked for over 2 miles just checking things out. My favorite part was the stealth paint color that reflects radars because it’s apparently such a high valued technology that if a drop gets in an employee’s hair the company will cut it all off before you can leave the premises.
3.) In & Out Burger- People on the West Coast crank it to In & Out Burger, so when I saw one in Dallas I made sure that we went there. I ordered a double double with fries and chocolate milkshake. The burger was amazing, but the fries were horrible…and I was hammered. Usually everything tastes great when I’m drunk, but these fries were brutal. The hype around In & Out Burger may be through the roof, but I’d much rather have Five Guys or Whataburger.
4.) Dealey Plaza- In case you don’t know, I was a politics minor in college and I’m a bit of a history buff, so when I decided to go to Dallas the first thing I wanted to do was go to Dealey Plaza. I’m sure most of you are asking yourself, “What’s Dealey Plaza?” Dealey Plaza is where JFK was assassinated on November 22nd, 1963. Don’t worry if you didn’t know that. I went to check it out with someone (RJ’s girlfriend) who thought JFK was assassinated in Washington DC and she lived in Texas for over a year. I think it’s safe to say that it’s the most famous murder in American history (most famous murder in history is probably Caesar, right?), especially because of the conspiracy theories about who may have played a role in its execution.
View from the Grassy Knoll
We were able to tour the 6th floor of the Texas School Book depository (where Lee Harvey Oswald fired at JFK), take pictures from the Grassy Knoll (where many believe a second shooter was located), and stand on the two X’s in the street which indicate where the presidential motorcade was when JFK was first hit and where he was when his head was blown off. It was a very cool feeling to take in such a historical site.
5.) Gun range- For the first time in my life I unloaded a gun that wasn’t attached to my body. I figured that if I was in Texas I had to shoot a gun, so it was probably #2 on my to do list. I was dumping my pants on the way to the range because of all the safety concerns, but it was more of a nervous anxiety. I was nervous about doing something wrong or against protocol, but also anxious to feel what it was like to pull the trigger on an actual fire arm.
The feeling of shooting a gun is unlike any feeling I’ve ever experienced. It is absolutely exhilarating to wield so much power. The avalanche of adrenaline adds to this feeling of invincibility, but there is also something calming and liberating about it.
6.) Authentic Dr. Pepper- People drink Dr. Pepper like it’s water down in Texas. In fact, it was invented in the 1880’s by a man named Charles Alderton in Waco. The first bottling plant was established in the nearby town of Dublin and it’s still in operation. It’s also the only plant that still uses the original formula because in the 1970’s all of the other bottling plants began to use cheaper corn sweeteners (high fructose corn syrup) instead of the original sugar. The Dublin plant only ships their Dr. Pepper to stores within a 44 mile radius, so I assumed that I wouldn’t be able to taste the original product while in Texas because Dallas is about 100 miles northeast of Waco. Apparently some of the stores in the 44 mile radius sell the original sugar variety to retail chains (Walmart) in Dallas, so I had the opportunity to try to the real formula. My expectations were naturally high and the original sugar variety didn’t exactly meet them. The difference, to my admittedly weak palate, was negligible.
7.) Honky Tonk Bar- We went to a bar on Friday night and if I didn’t know any better I would have thought I was in NYC or Boston. Looking around no one looked like they were from Texas. So on Saturday RJ took me to the area of Forth Worth known as The Stockyards.
We went to a bar called Cadillac’s that was as honky tonk as honky tonk gets. They were playing country songs that avid country fans from the Northeast have most likely never heard of and everyone in the bar knew all of the words. I saw about 4 Texas Rangers baseball hats and about 50 cowboy hats. 75% of the guys were dressed like they just came from the rodeo. In fact, all of the TVs in the bar were showing the rodeo. People were doing the Texas Two Step in a small area designated for dancing like it was going out of style. The age range of the clientele was about 20-60 and there was a nice mix. I swear, I felt more out of place than the lone black guy in the bar dressed in Cowboy garb. That all said, I thought it was awesome.
8.) Cowboy Stadium- Although there were plenty of reasons for me to go to Dallas, the main reason was to see Cowboy Stadium. Back in 2009 it made my Top 10 list of sports venues that every fan needs to experience and I’m glad that I got to check it off my list. First and foremost, the video screen is as advertised…enormous.
I spent about 66% of the game looking at it. That might have something to do with the fact that we didn’t get actual tickets to the game. We got party passes and had to stand on the concourse for the entirety of the game, but I snuck up to watch the game with my own eyes a few times and even walked down a level and stood in the last row for the last 5 minutes of the 3rd quarter and first 7 minutes of the 4th quarter.
The fact that the Giants came back from a 12 point deficit in the final 3:14 made my experience in the stadium that much sweeter.
Here are some of the highlights of the trip.
1.) Real Texas BBQ- After RJ picked me up from the airport we went directly to a place called Railhead BBQ.
I didn’t know what I was in for, so I just went with the sampler platter. The platter contained delicious, moist ribs (the meat was literally falling off the bone), pulled pork, baked beans that I didn’t touch, coleslaw, barbecue sauce, two slices of white bread that seemed out of place even when I made a half sandwich with the pulled pork, and a gigantic goblet of beer that was pre-frozen (the goblet, not the beer) so much so that chunks of ice formed in the beer almost instantly. It was as if I were drinking a chemist’s concoction and not a beer, but it was phenomenal.
2.) Lockheed Factory Tour- RJ works for Lockheed Martin, which is a defense/technology based company that makes fighter jets, weapons, etc. for the U.S. government. The Fort Worth location manufactures three different types of fighter jets, so I got my American pride on as I toured the facility.
The place is enormous, which I guess makes sense because they build planes there. I wish I had a pedometer on during my visit because I’m pretty sure that I walked for over 2 miles just checking things out. My favorite part was the stealth paint color that reflects radars because it’s apparently such a high valued technology that if a drop gets in an employee’s hair the company will cut it all off before you can leave the premises.
3.) In & Out Burger- People on the West Coast crank it to In & Out Burger, so when I saw one in Dallas I made sure that we went there. I ordered a double double with fries and chocolate milkshake. The burger was amazing, but the fries were horrible…and I was hammered. Usually everything tastes great when I’m drunk, but these fries were brutal. The hype around In & Out Burger may be through the roof, but I’d much rather have Five Guys or Whataburger.
4.) Dealey Plaza- In case you don’t know, I was a politics minor in college and I’m a bit of a history buff, so when I decided to go to Dallas the first thing I wanted to do was go to Dealey Plaza. I’m sure most of you are asking yourself, “What’s Dealey Plaza?” Dealey Plaza is where JFK was assassinated on November 22nd, 1963. Don’t worry if you didn’t know that. I went to check it out with someone (RJ’s girlfriend) who thought JFK was assassinated in Washington DC and she lived in Texas for over a year. I think it’s safe to say that it’s the most famous murder in American history (most famous murder in history is probably Caesar, right?), especially because of the conspiracy theories about who may have played a role in its execution.
View from the Grassy Knoll
We were able to tour the 6th floor of the Texas School Book depository (where Lee Harvey Oswald fired at JFK), take pictures from the Grassy Knoll (where many believe a second shooter was located), and stand on the two X’s in the street which indicate where the presidential motorcade was when JFK was first hit and where he was when his head was blown off. It was a very cool feeling to take in such a historical site.
5.) Gun range- For the first time in my life I unloaded a gun that wasn’t attached to my body. I figured that if I was in Texas I had to shoot a gun, so it was probably #2 on my to do list. I was dumping my pants on the way to the range because of all the safety concerns, but it was more of a nervous anxiety. I was nervous about doing something wrong or against protocol, but also anxious to feel what it was like to pull the trigger on an actual fire arm.
The feeling of shooting a gun is unlike any feeling I’ve ever experienced. It is absolutely exhilarating to wield so much power. The avalanche of adrenaline adds to this feeling of invincibility, but there is also something calming and liberating about it.
6.) Authentic Dr. Pepper- People drink Dr. Pepper like it’s water down in Texas. In fact, it was invented in the 1880’s by a man named Charles Alderton in Waco. The first bottling plant was established in the nearby town of Dublin and it’s still in operation. It’s also the only plant that still uses the original formula because in the 1970’s all of the other bottling plants began to use cheaper corn sweeteners (high fructose corn syrup) instead of the original sugar. The Dublin plant only ships their Dr. Pepper to stores within a 44 mile radius, so I assumed that I wouldn’t be able to taste the original product while in Texas because Dallas is about 100 miles northeast of Waco. Apparently some of the stores in the 44 mile radius sell the original sugar variety to retail chains (Walmart) in Dallas, so I had the opportunity to try to the real formula. My expectations were naturally high and the original sugar variety didn’t exactly meet them. The difference, to my admittedly weak palate, was negligible.
7.) Honky Tonk Bar- We went to a bar on Friday night and if I didn’t know any better I would have thought I was in NYC or Boston. Looking around no one looked like they were from Texas. So on Saturday RJ took me to the area of Forth Worth known as The Stockyards.
We went to a bar called Cadillac’s that was as honky tonk as honky tonk gets. They were playing country songs that avid country fans from the Northeast have most likely never heard of and everyone in the bar knew all of the words. I saw about 4 Texas Rangers baseball hats and about 50 cowboy hats. 75% of the guys were dressed like they just came from the rodeo. In fact, all of the TVs in the bar were showing the rodeo. People were doing the Texas Two Step in a small area designated for dancing like it was going out of style. The age range of the clientele was about 20-60 and there was a nice mix. I swear, I felt more out of place than the lone black guy in the bar dressed in Cowboy garb. That all said, I thought it was awesome.
8.) Cowboy Stadium- Although there were plenty of reasons for me to go to Dallas, the main reason was to see Cowboy Stadium. Back in 2009 it made my Top 10 list of sports venues that every fan needs to experience and I’m glad that I got to check it off my list. First and foremost, the video screen is as advertised…enormous.
I spent about 66% of the game looking at it. That might have something to do with the fact that we didn’t get actual tickets to the game. We got party passes and had to stand on the concourse for the entirety of the game, but I snuck up to watch the game with my own eyes a few times and even walked down a level and stood in the last row for the last 5 minutes of the 3rd quarter and first 7 minutes of the 4th quarter.
The fact that the Giants came back from a 12 point deficit in the final 3:14 made my experience in the stadium that much sweeter.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Hoping For an Answer
I’ll be totally honest with you. I’ve been absolutely captivated by the Women’s World Cup matches that involve the US National Team. The last 2 of them anyway. PS- I wouldn’t be caught dead watching the other matches. Maybe it’s because I’m a naïve soccer fan, but it seems like the difference between the men’s and women’s game is negligible. Again, I could be way off on that. For example, if a hardcore soccer fan said that the NBA and WNBA were similar I’d lose it. Either way, the product has been great, again specifically in the last two matches, because there has been this great sense of urgency. It’s win or go home and if you lose you don’t have another chance to get to where you were for 4 years.
Last Friday we were told that we had to discuss the Women’s World Cup at some point during the talk show that I was working on and the immediate reaction was, “Come onnn. Really? Why? No one cares.” That said, I was tasked with doing a little bit of research so that our host didn’t look like an idiot when we talked to a guy who is over in Germany following the team. So I dug up some info (the US loss to Sweden was their first ever loss in the group stage at the Women’s World Cup, Brazil beat the US team 4-0 in the 2007 semifinals and they have a girl on their squad named Marta who is thought to be the best in the world, etc.), thought up some questions, and went on with my day. So when I turned on my TV on Sunday and saw Bob Ley, Brandi Chastain, Mia Hamm, etc. previewing the match I stuck around and watched because I had invested a little bit of my time in learning about the event. I watched the entire match and boy am I glad that I did. The drama, momentum shifts, national pride, urgency, and late game heroics were enough to give me goosebumps. I almost didn’t believe it at the time, but that match was undoubtedly the story of the weekend which is saying something because arguably the most popular baseball player of all-time reached a legendary milestone 24 hours earlier.
Let the record show that if I ever had to take a penalty kick I’d either put the ball in the 27th row or fall over trying to kick the ball. Hell, I get real nervous taking penalty kicks in FIFA against my friends.
Now that the US Women’s team has beaten France and advanced to the finals I have a serious question for what I have to believe is my constantly diminishing female audience. When girls watch sports are they constantly checking out the guys on the field/court as opposed to actually watching and enjoying the game? I mean, I realize that girls, for the most part, don’t exactly know all of the rules to sports, but they still watch. This must be the reason why, right? If my female readers could respond via comment, text, email, etc. that would be greatly appreciated as I am genuinely curious.
I almost feel a little dumb for having never thought of it before, but the reverse situation has happened to me both today and on Sunday. My thoughts while watching the US Women’s National Team play go something like this…Wow, she could get it. Damn, she’s fast. We can’t lose to France/Brazil. Nice legs. Look at those eyes. She looks like a lesbian. Good pass. She’s a babe. That’s a huge bitch. I mean, if I had to put a percentage on it I'd say that 50% of me has watched as a male checking out good looking, athletic, American women, 25% of me has watched as an American rooting for the US National Team, 15% of me has watched as someone that works in sports talk radio, and 10% of has watched as someone who legitimately enjoys watching sports.
I think it’s only fair, especially with the World Cup Finals only a few days away, to rank the 5 hottest women on the US National Soccer Team.
5.) Ali Krieger
Krieger, who my cousin Colin has dibs on, scored the game winning penalty kick against Brazil and is the definition of sporty hot.
4.) Hope Solo
One of three players on the team with a pornstar name (Shannon Boxx, Stephanie Cox). Hope draws you in with those inviting eyes and to be honest I feel like she tries really hard to be attractive. She looks good with a pony tail, but not so good with her hair down. She gets the most pub because she’s the face of the team, but I think she’s still a little overrated. I also think she’d kick my ass, which could be a good thing.
3.) Carli Lloyd
Carli, who I can’t get enough of, turns 29 on Saturday and patrols the midfield for the US. She takes most of the free kicks and appears to be one of the team leaders. She’s very cute and has great (soccer) legs.
2.) Heather Mitts
I don’t think she’s seen the field in the World Cup, but I stumbled across her in compiling this list. She’s one of the older players on the roster and definitely one of the best looking. If she played a little more she’d probably be #1.
1.) Alex Morgan
I don’t there’s any debate that 22-year-old is the hottest member of the team. She is also a dynamic forward who popped her World Cup cherry with a goal against France today.
Honorable mention: Tobin Heath, Amy Rodriguez, and Lauren Cheney (only because she dates Philadelphia 76ers PG Jrue Holiday)
Last Friday we were told that we had to discuss the Women’s World Cup at some point during the talk show that I was working on and the immediate reaction was, “Come onnn. Really? Why? No one cares.” That said, I was tasked with doing a little bit of research so that our host didn’t look like an idiot when we talked to a guy who is over in Germany following the team. So I dug up some info (the US loss to Sweden was their first ever loss in the group stage at the Women’s World Cup, Brazil beat the US team 4-0 in the 2007 semifinals and they have a girl on their squad named Marta who is thought to be the best in the world, etc.), thought up some questions, and went on with my day. So when I turned on my TV on Sunday and saw Bob Ley, Brandi Chastain, Mia Hamm, etc. previewing the match I stuck around and watched because I had invested a little bit of my time in learning about the event. I watched the entire match and boy am I glad that I did. The drama, momentum shifts, national pride, urgency, and late game heroics were enough to give me goosebumps. I almost didn’t believe it at the time, but that match was undoubtedly the story of the weekend which is saying something because arguably the most popular baseball player of all-time reached a legendary milestone 24 hours earlier.
Let the record show that if I ever had to take a penalty kick I’d either put the ball in the 27th row or fall over trying to kick the ball. Hell, I get real nervous taking penalty kicks in FIFA against my friends.
Now that the US Women’s team has beaten France and advanced to the finals I have a serious question for what I have to believe is my constantly diminishing female audience. When girls watch sports are they constantly checking out the guys on the field/court as opposed to actually watching and enjoying the game? I mean, I realize that girls, for the most part, don’t exactly know all of the rules to sports, but they still watch. This must be the reason why, right? If my female readers could respond via comment, text, email, etc. that would be greatly appreciated as I am genuinely curious.
I almost feel a little dumb for having never thought of it before, but the reverse situation has happened to me both today and on Sunday. My thoughts while watching the US Women’s National Team play go something like this…Wow, she could get it. Damn, she’s fast. We can’t lose to France/Brazil. Nice legs. Look at those eyes. She looks like a lesbian. Good pass. She’s a babe. That’s a huge bitch. I mean, if I had to put a percentage on it I'd say that 50% of me has watched as a male checking out good looking, athletic, American women, 25% of me has watched as an American rooting for the US National Team, 15% of me has watched as someone that works in sports talk radio, and 10% of has watched as someone who legitimately enjoys watching sports.
I think it’s only fair, especially with the World Cup Finals only a few days away, to rank the 5 hottest women on the US National Soccer Team.
5.) Ali Krieger
Krieger, who my cousin Colin has dibs on, scored the game winning penalty kick against Brazil and is the definition of sporty hot.
4.) Hope Solo
One of three players on the team with a pornstar name (Shannon Boxx, Stephanie Cox). Hope draws you in with those inviting eyes and to be honest I feel like she tries really hard to be attractive. She looks good with a pony tail, but not so good with her hair down. She gets the most pub because she’s the face of the team, but I think she’s still a little overrated. I also think she’d kick my ass, which could be a good thing.
3.) Carli Lloyd
Carli, who I can’t get enough of, turns 29 on Saturday and patrols the midfield for the US. She takes most of the free kicks and appears to be one of the team leaders. She’s very cute and has great (soccer) legs.
2.) Heather Mitts
I don’t think she’s seen the field in the World Cup, but I stumbled across her in compiling this list. She’s one of the older players on the roster and definitely one of the best looking. If she played a little more she’d probably be #1.
1.) Alex Morgan
I don’t there’s any debate that 22-year-old is the hottest member of the team. She is also a dynamic forward who popped her World Cup cherry with a goal against France today.
Honorable mention: Tobin Heath, Amy Rodriguez, and Lauren Cheney (only because she dates Philadelphia 76ers PG Jrue Holiday)
Monday, October 4, 2010
Batter Up
There are obviously a lot of things that I like about sports. I mean, it's hard not to like the drama, the competition, and the performance. Professional athletes are just on a whole nother level both physically (I can't dunk or hit a curveball) and mentally (no chance I'd make a free throw in a packed arena). That said, they are also human beings just like you and me (do I have to credit US Weekly?). It's not often that we get to see the human side of athletes, so when we do I relish the opportunity.
This is one of the many reasons that I love entrance songs. Entrance songs give athletes a chance to show a little bit of their personality. Baseball players (hitters and closers) either pick a song that they enjoy or one that pumps them up. This selection either tells you a little bit about each player or makes you wonder about them. Does he like rap? Oh, a country song. Is he from the South? Can't say I'm surprised that the player from the Domincan Republic went with the Salsa beat. Every so often an athlete and their entrance song sort of become one. What I mean by that is that when I hear the song I think of the athlete. For example, when I hear "Numb/Encore" I think of A-Rod. Also, when I hear "Enter Sandman" I look around to see if Mariano Rivera is going to come running out of nowhere.
This glimpse into the mind of a professional athlete is fascinating to me. In fact, back when I was the host of my own low/no budget college radio show I used to ask callers what song they would pick to walk up to the plate to.
Now naturally I've also long contemplated what song I would choose if I was walking up to the plate or coming in to close a game and on last night's episode of Eastbound and Down Kenny Powers stole the song that was the leader in the clubhouse for me....
I don't know if it's my love for America, my admiration for Hulk Hogan, or what, but that song has a weird power over me. I turn into an animal whenever I hear it. It's hard to explain, but I've done some crazy things while that song has been playing.
While that song would no doubt be my pick if I was a professional baseball player (although after last night I'd have to reconsider because some of the luster is definitely gone), I did have the opportunity to pick an entrance song back in college. No, I wasn't on the baseball team, although I did successfully convince at least a dozen people that I was. My intramural softball team (The Sal Ciaccio Memorial All-Stars) had walk up songs (as well as music to play inbetween innings). As the manager of the team, I asked each player to pick a walk up song of their choosing (some changed for each game) and then I arranged the songs according to the batting order on a CD to make it easy on the girls who sat in the stands and played them for us.
Yes, those are champagne bottles
Obviously it's key to select a song that has a cool opening. I mean, I cued up the chorus for some people's selections, but I think it's best to stick with the actual beginning of the song. That said, after dabbling with a few songs I went with this '80's classic.
(:16 to :28)
Other songs I considered:
Nirvana- Come As You Are- Not only do I like the beginning of the song, but I also love how the title and lyrics seem appropriate for the situation. In essence the batter is saying that they are coming to the plate as they are. This is also why I lovvved when Manny Ramirez came to the plate to Ready or Not by The Fugees.
Aerosmith- Sweet Emotion - Just a cool beginning.
Guns 'N Roses- Sweet Child O' Mine- I probably would have went this song if our meathead cleanup hitter (love ya Hoff) didn't already choose it.
Other songs that my Sal C's teammates went with:
Ram Jam- Black Betty
Dr. Dre- Bang Bang
Kanye West- Homecoming
Billy Squier- The Stroke
Cam'ron- Suck It or Not (1:52- 2:03)
Wisin y Yandel- Rakata (:24-:38)
So now I ask you. If you were a professional baseball player (or intramural/company softball player) what song would you walk up to the plate to?
This is one of the many reasons that I love entrance songs. Entrance songs give athletes a chance to show a little bit of their personality. Baseball players (hitters and closers) either pick a song that they enjoy or one that pumps them up. This selection either tells you a little bit about each player or makes you wonder about them. Does he like rap? Oh, a country song. Is he from the South? Can't say I'm surprised that the player from the Domincan Republic went with the Salsa beat. Every so often an athlete and their entrance song sort of become one. What I mean by that is that when I hear the song I think of the athlete. For example, when I hear "Numb/Encore" I think of A-Rod. Also, when I hear "Enter Sandman" I look around to see if Mariano Rivera is going to come running out of nowhere.
This glimpse into the mind of a professional athlete is fascinating to me. In fact, back when I was the host of my own low/no budget college radio show I used to ask callers what song they would pick to walk up to the plate to.
Now naturally I've also long contemplated what song I would choose if I was walking up to the plate or coming in to close a game and on last night's episode of Eastbound and Down Kenny Powers stole the song that was the leader in the clubhouse for me....
I don't know if it's my love for America, my admiration for Hulk Hogan, or what, but that song has a weird power over me. I turn into an animal whenever I hear it. It's hard to explain, but I've done some crazy things while that song has been playing.
While that song would no doubt be my pick if I was a professional baseball player (although after last night I'd have to reconsider because some of the luster is definitely gone), I did have the opportunity to pick an entrance song back in college. No, I wasn't on the baseball team, although I did successfully convince at least a dozen people that I was. My intramural softball team (The Sal Ciaccio Memorial All-Stars) had walk up songs (as well as music to play inbetween innings). As the manager of the team, I asked each player to pick a walk up song of their choosing (some changed for each game) and then I arranged the songs according to the batting order on a CD to make it easy on the girls who sat in the stands and played them for us.
Yes, those are champagne bottles
Obviously it's key to select a song that has a cool opening. I mean, I cued up the chorus for some people's selections, but I think it's best to stick with the actual beginning of the song. That said, after dabbling with a few songs I went with this '80's classic.
(:16 to :28)
Other songs I considered:
Nirvana- Come As You Are- Not only do I like the beginning of the song, but I also love how the title and lyrics seem appropriate for the situation. In essence the batter is saying that they are coming to the plate as they are. This is also why I lovvved when Manny Ramirez came to the plate to Ready or Not by The Fugees.
Aerosmith- Sweet Emotion - Just a cool beginning.
Guns 'N Roses- Sweet Child O' Mine- I probably would have went this song if our meathead cleanup hitter (love ya Hoff) didn't already choose it.
Other songs that my Sal C's teammates went with:
Ram Jam- Black Betty
Dr. Dre- Bang Bang
Kanye West- Homecoming
Billy Squier- The Stroke
Cam'ron- Suck It or Not (1:52- 2:03)
Wisin y Yandel- Rakata (:24-:38)
So now I ask you. If you were a professional baseball player (or intramural/company softball player) what song would you walk up to the plate to?
Monday, June 14, 2010
Weekend Rewind
It was quite the weekend for your (third or fourth?) favorite blogger. I worked all day Saturday and all night Sunday, but the weekend that was is still worthy of a quick recap. Here are the top 6 things that went down (some literally) this weekend.
1.) What team do you play for?
My cousin on the left, Tyler on the right, and yes, that was our team uniform
I played in a golf tournament on Friday with Kyle Korver, my unnamed cousin, and my buddy Tyler. The day was filled with plenty of American brews, a few icings, cigars, and a solid round of golf.
In fact, we birdied 3 of the first 5 holes that we played and had visions of winning, but then the booze set in. We gave one back on our 7th hole. Played even par for the next ten and then ended with a birdie for a very respectable 3 under par.
2.) Leaving my mark
After the tournament we mosied on over to the bar that we used to frequent in college. Within seconds of entering I scurried to the men's room and, believe it or not, dropped heat in there for the first time. Now I'd previously been a patron at this bar anywhere from 50-100 times and never once considered depositing some crude oil in the Pacific rim. The thought never crossed my mind because the place was usually packed when I was there, but no more than 15 people were there on Saturday afternoon. I went in with low expectations, because it's a bathroom in a crummy little college bar, but I was pleasantly surprised with the confines. I took my time, did some work, and then went right back to crushing bevs.
With time to reflect upon my actions, I am now proud to say that after four years of frequenting the Seagrape Cafe, I have officially left my mark.
Go figure that this marks the second time in as many months that I have delivered the goods for the first time in a place that I have been to over 50 times. In mid May I flushed my feces for the first time in the Syracuse Suds Factory.
3.) Tying the knot
Speaking of college, Lyle and Tristen officially became man and wife on Saturday. I was not invited, but plenty of my friends from college were there to celebrate the momentous occasion. Now I could use this platform (which I gave myself) to rant about the exhorbitant amount of Facebook (self) promotion that said wedding received, but all I'll say is congratulations to the happy couple.
4.) America....Fuck Yeah!
The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa kicked off on Friday and the much anticipated opening round match between England and the United States of America took place on Saturday. As you should already know, England scored quickly, but Clint Dempsey's double bouncer was too hot for English goalie Robert Green's oven mitts to handle and the match ended in a draw.
Bring on Slovenia (Friday at 10 AM). USA! USA! USA!
5.) The Lake Show may be sinking....
The Los Angeles Lakers, my adopted post season team (because the Knicks haven't even sniffed the playoffs since 2001), lost Game 5 of the NBA Finals to the Boston Celtics on Sunday night. They now trail in the series 3-2 (the first time they've trailed in a playoff series all year) and now have to win Game 6 and Game 7 at home to repeat as champions.
The Game 5 loss was especially painful for me because I talked a lot of shit to all of my friends from Boston leading up to the pivotal game. To my credit, I did predict that Kobe Bryant would have a monster game and go for about 40 (he finished with 38), but it was all for naught.
Not only did I talk a lot of shit before Game 5, but before the series began I made a bet with my buddy Mark. The bet stipulated that if the Celtics win, I have to go to Boston and pay for all of Mark's drinks for a night, and if the Lakers win, he has to come to West Hartford/Fairfield/NYC (my choice) and pay for all of my drinks for a night. My favorite part about the bet is that the winner has to pay for the loser's brunch the next day.
My pre-series prediction was Lakers in 7, so let's hope that that holds true.
6.) Eat your heart out Tony Romo
On Sunday I found out that my buddy from high school will be playing in this weekend's U.S. Open. Naturally, I was floored when I saw the good news. Playing in the U.S. Open, especially at such a famous course like Pebble Beach, is the pinnacle for almost every golfer out there.
I actually bumped into my buddy in downtown Syracuse about a month ago when I was home for my sisters' college graduation (the night after I dumped in Suds). He was home that weekend (he spends most of his time in Florida nowadays) for a local qualifying tournament, in which he finished tied for first. We talked for about half an hour and he told me how he now had to go down to New Jersey for a regional qualifying tournament. He said that if he finished in the top 2 in that tournament then he would qualify for the Open. I wished him well, but didn't expect him to pull it off because of the high degree of difficulty.
In case you didn't read the link, and I assume that most of you don't, my buddy's name is Dan McCarthy. He's a professional golfer who plays on the Hooters and Canadian tours. The Open will be his first PGA sanctioned tournament and obviously also his first major.
1.) What team do you play for?
My cousin on the left, Tyler on the right, and yes, that was our team uniform
I played in a golf tournament on Friday with Kyle Korver, my unnamed cousin, and my buddy Tyler. The day was filled with plenty of American brews, a few icings, cigars, and a solid round of golf.
In fact, we birdied 3 of the first 5 holes that we played and had visions of winning, but then the booze set in. We gave one back on our 7th hole. Played even par for the next ten and then ended with a birdie for a very respectable 3 under par.
2.) Leaving my mark
After the tournament we mosied on over to the bar that we used to frequent in college. Within seconds of entering I scurried to the men's room and, believe it or not, dropped heat in there for the first time. Now I'd previously been a patron at this bar anywhere from 50-100 times and never once considered depositing some crude oil in the Pacific rim. The thought never crossed my mind because the place was usually packed when I was there, but no more than 15 people were there on Saturday afternoon. I went in with low expectations, because it's a bathroom in a crummy little college bar, but I was pleasantly surprised with the confines. I took my time, did some work, and then went right back to crushing bevs.
With time to reflect upon my actions, I am now proud to say that after four years of frequenting the Seagrape Cafe, I have officially left my mark.
Go figure that this marks the second time in as many months that I have delivered the goods for the first time in a place that I have been to over 50 times. In mid May I flushed my feces for the first time in the Syracuse Suds Factory.
3.) Tying the knot
Speaking of college, Lyle and Tristen officially became man and wife on Saturday. I was not invited, but plenty of my friends from college were there to celebrate the momentous occasion. Now I could use this platform (which I gave myself) to rant about the exhorbitant amount of Facebook (self) promotion that said wedding received, but all I'll say is congratulations to the happy couple.
4.) America....Fuck Yeah!
The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa kicked off on Friday and the much anticipated opening round match between England and the United States of America took place on Saturday. As you should already know, England scored quickly, but Clint Dempsey's double bouncer was too hot for English goalie Robert Green's oven mitts to handle and the match ended in a draw.
Bring on Slovenia (Friday at 10 AM). USA! USA! USA!
5.) The Lake Show may be sinking....
The Los Angeles Lakers, my adopted post season team (because the Knicks haven't even sniffed the playoffs since 2001), lost Game 5 of the NBA Finals to the Boston Celtics on Sunday night. They now trail in the series 3-2 (the first time they've trailed in a playoff series all year) and now have to win Game 6 and Game 7 at home to repeat as champions.
The Game 5 loss was especially painful for me because I talked a lot of shit to all of my friends from Boston leading up to the pivotal game. To my credit, I did predict that Kobe Bryant would have a monster game and go for about 40 (he finished with 38), but it was all for naught.
Not only did I talk a lot of shit before Game 5, but before the series began I made a bet with my buddy Mark. The bet stipulated that if the Celtics win, I have to go to Boston and pay for all of Mark's drinks for a night, and if the Lakers win, he has to come to West Hartford/Fairfield/NYC (my choice) and pay for all of my drinks for a night. My favorite part about the bet is that the winner has to pay for the loser's brunch the next day.
My pre-series prediction was Lakers in 7, so let's hope that that holds true.
6.) Eat your heart out Tony Romo
On Sunday I found out that my buddy from high school will be playing in this weekend's U.S. Open. Naturally, I was floored when I saw the good news. Playing in the U.S. Open, especially at such a famous course like Pebble Beach, is the pinnacle for almost every golfer out there.
I actually bumped into my buddy in downtown Syracuse about a month ago when I was home for my sisters' college graduation (the night after I dumped in Suds). He was home that weekend (he spends most of his time in Florida nowadays) for a local qualifying tournament, in which he finished tied for first. We talked for about half an hour and he told me how he now had to go down to New Jersey for a regional qualifying tournament. He said that if he finished in the top 2 in that tournament then he would qualify for the Open. I wished him well, but didn't expect him to pull it off because of the high degree of difficulty.
In case you didn't read the link, and I assume that most of you don't, my buddy's name is Dan McCarthy. He's a professional golfer who plays on the Hooters and Canadian tours. The Open will be his first PGA sanctioned tournament and obviously also his first major.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
"It was always burning"
As I've stated countless times, one of my goals in life is to memorize the lyrics to Billy Joel's 1989 hit "We Didn't Start the Fire." Sure the song is on VH1's list of the 50 Most Awesomely Bad Songs, but I can't get enough of it.
The lyrics recount many important historical events that took place between 1949 (when Joel was born) and 1989 (when Joel wrote the song). In case you couldn't put two and two together, Billy the Kid is a big history buff. For some reason this notion of chronicling his life speaks to me. As you know, I've seen almost every movie that's been nominated for Best Picture in my lifetime.
Last week as I was driving home from work I decided that it would be a good idea to update Joel's classic hit. I knew that he covered 1949-1989, so I figured that I could write new lyrics based on the events of the past 20 years (1990-2010). I thought that this project would only take a few hours, but I completely misjudged the kind of undertaking that it was. Not only is Joel's tune packed with people, facts, and events, but it's also loaded with half rhymes, full rhymes, and different variations of syllables. So for the past week I've been scouring Wikipedia for significant historical events, counting syllables, and consulting rhyming dictionaries.
I still think that this post needs A LOT of work, but I'm sick and tired of wasting my time on a grueling, voluntary task.
Before we get to my updated version, here's a refresher of the lyrics that Joel wrote more than 20 years ago.
Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie Ray
South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggio
Joe McCarthy, Richard Nixon, Studebaker, television
North Korea, South Korea, Marilyn Monroe
Rosenbergs, H-Bomb, Sugar Ray, Panmunjom
Brando, "The King and I", and "The Catcher in the Rye"
Eisenhower, vaccine, England's got a new queen
Marciano, Liberace, Santayana goodbye
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
Josef Stalin, Malenkov, Nasser and Prokofiev
Rockefeller, Campanella, Communist Bloc
Roy Cohn, Juan Peron, Toscanini, Dacron
Dien Bien Phu Falls, Rock Around the Clock
Einstein, James Dean, Brooklyn's got a winning team
Davy Crockett, Peter Pan, Elvis Presley, Disneyland
Bardot, Budapest, Alabama, Khrushchev
Princess Grace, Peyton Place, Trouble in the Suez
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
Little Rock, Pasternak, Mickey Mantle, Kerouac
Sputnik, Zhou Enlai, Bridge On The River Kwai
Lebanon, Charles de Gaulle, California Baseball,
Starkweather homicide, Children of Thalidomide
Buddy Holly, Ben Hur, Space Monkey, Mafia
Hula Hoops, Castro, Edsel is a no-go
U2, Syngman Rhee, payola and Kennedy
Chubby Checker, Psycho, Belgians in the Congo
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
Hemingway, Eichmann, Stranger in a Strange Land,
Dylan, Berlin, Bay of Pigs invasion
Lawrence of Arabia, British Beatlemania
Ole Miss, John Glenn, Liston beats Patterson
Pope Paul, Malcolm X, British Politician sex
J.F.K. blown away, what else do I have to say
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
Birth control, Ho Chi Minh, Richard Nixon back again
Moonshot, Woodstock, Watergate, punk rock
Begin, Reagan, Palestine, Terror on the airline
Ayatollah's in Iran, Russians in Afghanistan
Wheel of Fortune, Sally Ride, heavy metal suicide
Foreign debts, homeless Vets, AIDS, Crack, Bernie Goetz
Hypodermics on the shores, China's under martial law
Rock and Roller cola wars, I can't take it anymore
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning since the world's been turning.
We didn't start the fire
But when we are gone
It will still burn on, and on, and on, and on...
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire...
And now without futher ado...
Buster Douglas, Motley Crue, John Gotti, Belarus
No apartheid, free Mandela, Windows 3.0
Boris Yelstin, Rodney King, Desert Storm, CNN
Magic Johnson, HIV, Super Nintendo
LA riots, Dan Quayle, Murphy Brown, Real World
Leno, H.W. gags, and the Dream Team reps the flag
Don't ask, don't tell, Hoo-ha, the EU and NAFTA
A Few Good Men, Seles is stabbed, piece of the Aggro-Crag
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
O.J. Simpson, bronco chase, Boyz II Men and Ace of Base
Revolution, Bills still losing, Kurt Cobain dead
ebay, Farrakhan, Oklahoma City bomb
Mid...west....heat...wave, Sandra Bullock sped
Dolly, Deep Blue, Michael Johnson's golden shoes
Derek Jeter, Sheryl Crow, Keyser Soze, Daily Show
Mmm bop, Tony Blair, English Patient, Rachel's hair
Princess Di, Madonna cries, scandal in the white house
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
Homeruns hit, Nagano, Michael Jordan, el nino
Seinfeld, He Got Game, Bird to the Hall of Fame
Britney Spears, Y2K, Star Wars I-just ok
rock music gets the blame, Millionaire is our new game
Harry Potter, hanging chads, PS2, Elian's dad
Sydney games, Kim Jong, bubble burst for dot com
Stem cells, 9/11, Google, jingoism
Halle Berry, game on, bankruptcy for Enron
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
Russel Crowe, Homeland, search for bombs in the sand
gunman, Clarkson, World Com extinction
Human Genome is complete, Syracuse can not be beat
Iraq, Dan Brown, Martha Stewart locked down
Face-book, Condi Rice, Livestrong bracelets 'cause their nice
John Kerry, flip flopper, Red Sox solve Yankees' stopper
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
Writer's strike, Dixie Chicks, prison term for Michael Vick
Mad Men, iphones, gas prices, Juno
Twitter, Spitzer, AIG, hockey moms, GOP
swimming fast and smoking pot, Obama takes top spot
Cash for clunkers, Favre is back, Kobe wins it without Shaq
Michael's late, Jon and Kate, swine, meth, Tiger's mates
Obamacare on the floor, Banking rules without a cure
Jay and Conan late night war, I can't take it anymore
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning since the world's been turning.
We didn't start the fire
But when we are gone
It will still burn on, and on, and on, and on...
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire...
My apologies if you couldn't follow some of the rhyming patterns (I tried to spell out how to say/sing some of the lyrics), but you almost need the music to have the words make complete sense. I think the best way to assess my work is to look at it two lines at a time. First read/sing Joel's lyrics (for that part of the song) and then do the same for what I wrote.
That said, here is a year by year explanation of the people, facts, and events that I chose to incorporate in my brief history of the past 20 years.
1990
-Buster Douglas upsets the previously undefeated Mike Tyson on February 11th to become the world heavyweight champion of the world.
-Motley Crue's drummer Tommy Lee is arrested for allegedly exposing his backside during a performance in Augusta, Georgia. He also suffers a mild concussion after falling off of scaffolding above his elevated drum kit during a performance in New Haven, Connecticut.
-John Gotti, a notorious mob boss, is arrested on December 11th.
-Belarus declares its soveirgnty from the USSR on July 27th.
-South African President Frederik Willem de Klerk begins negotiations to end the country's legal form of racial segregation known as apartheid.
-Nelson Mandela was released from Victor Verster Prison on February 11th after more than 27 years in prison.
-Windows 3.0 is released by Microsoft on May 22nd.
1991
-Boris Yelstin is elected President of Russia on June 12th.
-Rodney King is is an African-American who was the subject in a police brutality case involving four white LAPD officers on March 3rd. A bystander, George Holliday, videotaped much of the incident from a distance. The footage showed the LAPD officers repeatedly striking King with their batons. A portion of this footage was aired by news agencies around the world, causing public outrage that raised tensions between the black community and the LAPD.
-Desert Storm is the military response to Sadaam Hussein's invasion and annexation of Kuwait. When economic sanctions proved to be ineffective, George H.W. Bush sent American troops into Kuwait to drive the Iraqis out.
-CNN (Cable News Network), the first network to provide 24 hour television news coverage, received unprecedented popularity because of its coverage of the Persian Gulf War.
-Magic Johnson, the superstar point guard of the Los Angeles Lakers, reveals on November 7th that he has contracted the HIV virus. To that point, HIV had long thought to have been an exclusively homosexual disease. Johnson's announcement was huge in terms of awareness for the sexually transmitted disease.
-Super Nintendo is released in Japan. It is the first 16 bit video game console.
1992
-Riots breakout in Los Angeles on April 29th after the four white LAPD officers accused of beating Rodney King are acquitted. Thousands rioted in the streets for six days after the verdict was announced.
-Dan Quayle, the 44th Vice President, gave a speech to the Commonwealth Club of California on May 19th on the subject of the Los Angeles riots. In this speech, Quayle blamed the violence on a decay of moral values and family structure in American society. In an aside, he cited the single mother title character in the television program Murphy Brown as an example of how popular culture contributes to this "poverty of values", saying: "It doesn't help matters when primetime TV has Murphy Brown — a character who supposedly epitomizes today's intelligent, highly paid, professional woman — mocking the importance of fathers, by bearing a child alone, and calling it just another 'lifestyle choice.'"
-The Real World's first season takes place in New York and debuts on MTV on May 21st. The show would prove to be one of the most successful "reality shows" to date.
-Jay Leno replaces Johnny Carson as the host of The Tonight Show on NBC.
-George H.W. Bush vomits into the lap of Kiichi Miyazawa, the Prime Minister of Japan, during a state dinner in Japan.
-The Dream Team or the 1992 US National Men's Basketball team that won the gold medal at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. The Dream Team was the first US National Team comprised of professionals. The roster consisted of Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, John Stockton, Clyde Drexler, Chris Mullin, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Christian Laetner, David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, and Scottie Pippen.
1993
-Don't ask, don't tell is a military policy enacted by Bill Clinton in order to prevent the "witch-hunting" of secretly gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members or applicants, while absolutely barring "openly" gay or bisexual people from joining the military, and expelling those already serving.
-Al Pacino won the Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of the retired, blind, and drunk Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade. Slade's signature phrase is "Hoo-ha!"
-EU, or the European Union, is an economic and political union of (now) 27 countries.
-NAFTA, or the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement, is formed between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The agreement creates a trading bloc (free of tariffs) between the three nations.
-A Few Good Men is a military courtroom drama that stars Tom Cruse, Kevin Bacon, Jack Nicholson, and Demi Moore. Jack Nicholson gets absolutely hosed by the Academy when he doesn't win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Colonel Nathan Jessep.
-Monica Seles, the world's #1 female tennis player, is stabbed in the shoulder during a match in Germany by a crazed fan of rival Steffi Graf.
-Global Guts is a popular Nickelodeon game show where teens compete in physical activities. The winner of each show is awarded a piece of the Aggro Crag, the mountain that the participants had to climb as the final event.
1994
-O.J. Simpson, the NFL Hall of Fame running back and successful actor, is charged with the murder of his wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman. After refusing to turn himself in, Simpson was the subject of a low speed police chase while driving his white Ford Bronco. The chase was televised by all of the major networks.
-Boyz II Men's, a popular R&B group, "I'll Make Love to You" is the #3 song on the 1994 Billboard Hot 100 chart.
-Ace of Base, a Swedish pop band, has 3 songs in the 1994 Billboard Hot 100 chart. #1 The Sign, #9 All That She Wants, and #10 Don't Turn Around.
-The Republican Revolution is what the Republican party dubbed their success in the 1994 midterm elections in which they took control of the majority of Congress for the first time in over 40 years. Newt Gingrich, Rep. Georgia, becomes the Speaker of the House and the most popularized figure of the movement. Bob Dole, Sen. Kansas, becomes the Senate majority leader.
-The Buffalo Bills lose their fourth straight Superbowl. This time it's a 30-13 loss at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys.
-Kurt Cobain, the lead singer and guitarist of the popular grunge band Nirvana, is found dead in an apparent suicide (a shotgun blow to the head) on April 8th.
1995
-eBay, the American company that runs an auction website, forms on September 5th.
-Louis Farrakhan is the national representative of the religious organization known as the Nation of Islam. Farrakhan is the lead advocate for black nationalist interests and helped organize the million man march in Washington D.C. on October 16th.
-Oklahoma City Bombing is a bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building that claimed the lives of 168 innocent Americans and injured 680 others. The men behind the terrorist plot are Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols.
-A midwest heatwave took the lives of approximately 700 people in Chicago in a 5 day stretch.
Chicago's daily low and high in 1995:
July 11: 73-90 °F (23-32 °C)
July 12: 76-98 °F (24-37 °C)
July 13: 81-106 °F (27-41 °C)
July 14: 84-102 °F (29-39 °C)
July 15: 77-99 °F (25-37 °C)
-Speed is a film starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. Reeves plays an LAPD officer who hops onto a bus that will explode if it fails to continue moving above 50 miles per hour. Bullock, in her breakout role, plays the passenger on the bus that gets behind the wheel when the driver is shot. The film won 2 Academy Awards in 1995.
1996
-Dolly is the name given to the first mammal ever cloned. She is a sheep who was "born" on July 2nd and lived to the age of six.
-"Deep Blue" is the name of a chess playing computer developed by IBM that Russian Gary Kasparov beat in February.
-Michael Johnson is the American sprinter who won gold in the 400m and 200m at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta. During the competiton Johnson wore a custom-designed pair of golden-colored Nike racing spikes made with Zytel, causing him to be nicknamed "The Man With the Golden Shoes."
-Derek Jeter helps lead the New York Yankees to their first World Series since 1978, beating the Atlanta Braves 4 games to 2.
-Sheryl Crow's self titled album is banned from Wal-Mart stores because of the lyric "Watch out sister, watch out brother/watch our children while they kill each other/with a gun they bought at Wal-Mart Discount Stores".
-The Usual Suspects is a criminal, mystery movie in which Kevin Spacey won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Verbal Kint...and Keyser Soze.
-The Daily Show begins on Comedy Central on July 21st with Craig Kilborn as the host.
1997
-MMM bop is the debut single by pop band Hanson. It becomes one of the biggest debut singles of all time, reaching #1 in 27 countries.
-Tony Blair becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on May 2nd.
-The English Patient wins the Oscar for Best Picture.
-The Rachel is the name given to a popular haircut worn by women during the '90s. The look got it's name from the hairstyle worn by Jennifer Aniston's character Rachel Green in the TV sitcom Friends.
-Princess Diana of Wales dies in an automobile accident in Paris.
-Madonna releases hit single "Don't Cry for Me Argentina"
-President Clinton is accused of having "sexual relations" with 22-year-old white house intern Monica Lewinsky.
1998
-Mark McGwire of the St.Louis Cardinals and Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs chase and break Roger Maris' single season homerun record.
-Nagano hosts the Winter Olympics.
-Michael Jordan retires for the second time after winning his sixth NBA Championship with the Chicago Bulls.
-El Nino is an invasion of warm water into the surface of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Peru and Ecuador every four to seven years that causes changes in local and regional climate. The most severe of these occurrences took place between 1997-98.
-Seinfeld, the popular NBC sitcome, airs it's final episode on May 14th.
-He Got Game is a Spike Lee joint starring Denzel Washington and NBA superstar Ray Allen.
-Larry Bird is enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachuesetts.
1999
-Britney Spears bursts onto the pop music scene with her debut single "...Baby One More Time"
-Y2K is the name given to a computer related scare at the turn of the millenium. In computer programs, the practice of representing the year with two digits becomes problematic with logical error(s) arising upon "rollover" from x99 to x00. This caused some date-related processing to operate incorrectly for dates and times on and after January 1, 2000 and on other critical dates which were billed "event horizons". Without corrective action, it was suggested that long-working systems would break down when the "...97, 98, 99, 00..." ascending numbering assumption suddenly became invalid. Companies and organizations worldwide checked, fixed, and upgraded their computer systems.
-Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is released by writer/director George Lucas and receives mixed reviews.
-The Columbine massacre is partially blamed on the hard rock music of Marilyn Manson.
-Who Wants to be a Millionaire is a game show that debuts on ABC with Regis Philbin as the host.
2000
-Harry Potter is the title character of a popular book series written by British author J.K. Rowling.
-Hanging chads were the subject of the controversial election results in Florida.
-PlayStation2, the best selling video game console to date, is released by Sony.
-Elian Gonzalez is the subject of an immigration/custody battle between the U.S. and Cuba. Gonzalez is ultimately returned to Cuba to be with his father in June.
-Sydney hosts the Summer Olympics. The Untited States leads the medal count, although sprinter Marion Jones won 3 golds and 2 bronzes, which have since been taken back.
-Kim Jong il is the controversial leader of North Korea who has been in power since 1994.
-The dot come bubble peaks on March 10th (the NASDAQ hits 5,048.62) and eventually starts to tank for a multitude of reasons.
2001
-Stem cell research is restricted to those cells that already exist by President Bush.
-9/11 is the date of the most devasting terrorist attack on American soil. Terrorist hijack four airplanes, fly two of them into the World Trade Center's twin towers, one into the Pentagon, and one is overtaken and crashes in a Pennsylvania field. The death total reaches nearly 3,000.
-Google, the internet search engine, increases in popularity and starts acquiring other companies to improve its brand.
-Jingoism refers to the overly nationalistic feeling expressed by Americans after the 9/11 attacks.
-Halle Berry stars in the film Monster's Ball, a role that would win her an Academy Award for Best Actress (the first African American woman to win the award).
-The NFL/MLB return to action after 9/11.
-Enron's books are revealed to have been cooked. The energy company eventually files for bankruptcy and many of their top executive face jail time.
2002
-Russel Crowe appears as the lead actor in back to back Best Picture winners (Gladiator and A Beautiful Mind). He won the Oscar for Best Actor for his role in Gladiator.
-The Homeland Security Act creates the Department of Homeland Security. The Act includes many of the organizations under which the powers of the USA PATRIOT Act are exercised. Among other things, it creates the new cabinet-level position of Secretary of Homeland Security.
-WMD's become a hot topic as the UN investigates into whether or not Iraq has them.
-Washington D.C. Sniper John Allen Muhammad killed at least 10 innocent people in early October before getting arrested on the 24th.
-American Idol, a popular television show singing competition, debuts on FOX. Kelly Clarkson is the Season One winner.
-World Com, an American telecommunications company, files chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The largest filing in history.
2003
-The Human Genome Project is completed 13 years after it began in 1990. The goal was to determine the sequence of chemical base pairs which make up DNA and to identify and map the approximately 20,000–25,000 genes of the human genome from both a physical and functional standpoint.
-Syracuse University wins the 2003 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship behind the outstanding play of freshmen Carmelo Anthony and Gerry McNamara.
-The Iraq War begins on March 20th when coalition forces invade the Persian Gulf.
-Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code is published and quickly becomes a best seller.
-Martha Stewart, a famous magazine editor, TV Host, and author, is indicted for insider trading and obstruction of justice. She would go on to spend five months in a federal prison in West Virginia.
2004
-Facebook, the social network site, launches and quickly finds a massive following.
-Condeleezza Rice is nominated to become Secretary of State by President Bush on November 16th.
-Livestrong bracelets are launched as a fundraising measure for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. They quickly become very popular.
-John Kerry receives the Democratic nomination to run for president. During the campaign, he was pegged as a flip-flopper by Republicans for his stance on the War in Iraq. When speaking about a military appropriations bill Kerry said, "I actually did vote for the $87 billion, before I voted against it."
-The Boston Red Sox are on the brink of elimination, down 3-0 in the ALCS and trailing the Yankees 4-3 in the bottom of the 9th inning in Game 4 before scoring a run against Mariano Rivera to tie the game and eventually winning the game in extra innings. They would go on to win the next three games to win the series (the first team to come back from a 3-0 series defecit) and advance to the World Series where they swept the St. Louis Cardinals to win their first title in 86 years.
2007
-The Writer's Guild of America goes on strike on November 5th and demands more compensation for their work. During the strike, many televisions shows are put on hold as new episodes can't air until the writer's write them. The strike is stopped on February 10th of 2008.
-The Dixie Chicks collected 5 awards at the Grammy's including Record, Album, and Song of the year.
-Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick pleads guilty to felony charges of operating a dog fighting ring in August. He is sentenced to serve 23 months in federal prison.
-Mad Men, a television drama set in the 1960's premieres on AMC on July 19th.
-iphones, a cell phone/ipod hybrid, is unveiled by Apple CEO Steve Jobbs.
-Record high gas prices plague the nation in the summer of 2007 with prices in some areas topping $4 a gallon.
-Juno is a comedy/drama film starring Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jason Bateman, and Jennifer Garner. The film receives 4 Academy Award nominations, winning one.
2008
-Twitter is a social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read messages known as tweets. Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters displayed on the author's profile page and delivered to the author's subscribers who are known as followers.
-Eliot Spitzer, the governor of New York, resigns after he is linked to a prostitution ring. The affadavit famously refers to the governor as "Client-9".
-A global financial crisis starts to take shape as the U.S. housing, banking,insurance, and auto industries start to collapse. Hot terms describing the crisis are "bailouts", "too big too fail", and "stimulus package".
-Sarah Palin, the governor of Alaska, is chosen as John McCain's running mate in the 2008 presidential election. Palin creates a lot of buzz for the GOP with her good looks and everyday language.
-Michael Phelps swims for 8 gold medals at the Beijing Olympics (setting 7 new world records in the process) and is later photographed hitting a bong while visiting South Carolina University.
-Barack Obama is elected as the 44th president of the United States of America.
2009
-Cash for clunkers is a domestic program intended to encourage Americans to purchase new cars in an attempt to stimulate the economy.
-Brett Favre, the future NFL Hall of Fame quarterback, returns to the NFL, this time as a member of the Minnesota Vikings.
-Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Orlando Magic to win the NBA Championship. It is the first title for Bryant without Shaquille O'Neal as his teammate.
-Michael Jackson, the pop icon, dies after suffering cardiac arrest on June 25th.
-Jon and Kate Gosselin are consistently a topic on the tabloids after their highly publicized divorce.
-A swine flu outbreak in humans is declared a public health emergency of international concern.
-Crystal meth is a psychoactive stimulant drug that increases alertness and energy, and in high doses can induce euphoria, enhance self esteem, and increase sexual pleasure. It has become increasingly popular in the United States in the 2000s.
-Tiger Woods crashes his Denali into a fire hydrant on November 27th and is taken to the hospital. Shortly thereafter details of Woods' ramped infidelity start to surface.
2010
-The Health Care Reform Bill causes a heated national debate. A new faction of conservatives, known as the Tea Party Movement, ardently oppose the bill which they call "Obamacare". Eventually the bill passes both the House (without a vote?) and the Senate and is signed into law.
-Regulation of the financial industry appears to be the next challenge that President Obama plans to tackle. The call for reform has been expedited in the wake of the SEC charging Goldman Sachs with knowingly selling people investments that were designed to fail.
-Jay Leno kicks Conan O'Brien to the curb and re-assumes his position as the host of The Tonight Show after his 10 p.m. show flops as bad as Vlade Divac.
The lyrics recount many important historical events that took place between 1949 (when Joel was born) and 1989 (when Joel wrote the song). In case you couldn't put two and two together, Billy the Kid is a big history buff. For some reason this notion of chronicling his life speaks to me. As you know, I've seen almost every movie that's been nominated for Best Picture in my lifetime.
Last week as I was driving home from work I decided that it would be a good idea to update Joel's classic hit. I knew that he covered 1949-1989, so I figured that I could write new lyrics based on the events of the past 20 years (1990-2010). I thought that this project would only take a few hours, but I completely misjudged the kind of undertaking that it was. Not only is Joel's tune packed with people, facts, and events, but it's also loaded with half rhymes, full rhymes, and different variations of syllables. So for the past week I've been scouring Wikipedia for significant historical events, counting syllables, and consulting rhyming dictionaries.
I still think that this post needs A LOT of work, but I'm sick and tired of wasting my time on a grueling, voluntary task.
Before we get to my updated version, here's a refresher of the lyrics that Joel wrote more than 20 years ago.
Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie Ray
South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggio
Joe McCarthy, Richard Nixon, Studebaker, television
North Korea, South Korea, Marilyn Monroe
Rosenbergs, H-Bomb, Sugar Ray, Panmunjom
Brando, "The King and I", and "The Catcher in the Rye"
Eisenhower, vaccine, England's got a new queen
Marciano, Liberace, Santayana goodbye
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
Josef Stalin, Malenkov, Nasser and Prokofiev
Rockefeller, Campanella, Communist Bloc
Roy Cohn, Juan Peron, Toscanini, Dacron
Dien Bien Phu Falls, Rock Around the Clock
Einstein, James Dean, Brooklyn's got a winning team
Davy Crockett, Peter Pan, Elvis Presley, Disneyland
Bardot, Budapest, Alabama, Khrushchev
Princess Grace, Peyton Place, Trouble in the Suez
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
Little Rock, Pasternak, Mickey Mantle, Kerouac
Sputnik, Zhou Enlai, Bridge On The River Kwai
Lebanon, Charles de Gaulle, California Baseball,
Starkweather homicide, Children of Thalidomide
Buddy Holly, Ben Hur, Space Monkey, Mafia
Hula Hoops, Castro, Edsel is a no-go
U2, Syngman Rhee, payola and Kennedy
Chubby Checker, Psycho, Belgians in the Congo
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
Hemingway, Eichmann, Stranger in a Strange Land,
Dylan, Berlin, Bay of Pigs invasion
Lawrence of Arabia, British Beatlemania
Ole Miss, John Glenn, Liston beats Patterson
Pope Paul, Malcolm X, British Politician sex
J.F.K. blown away, what else do I have to say
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
Birth control, Ho Chi Minh, Richard Nixon back again
Moonshot, Woodstock, Watergate, punk rock
Begin, Reagan, Palestine, Terror on the airline
Ayatollah's in Iran, Russians in Afghanistan
Wheel of Fortune, Sally Ride, heavy metal suicide
Foreign debts, homeless Vets, AIDS, Crack, Bernie Goetz
Hypodermics on the shores, China's under martial law
Rock and Roller cola wars, I can't take it anymore
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning since the world's been turning.
We didn't start the fire
But when we are gone
It will still burn on, and on, and on, and on...
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire...
And now without futher ado...
Buster Douglas, Motley Crue, John Gotti, Belarus
No apartheid, free Mandela, Windows 3.0
Boris Yelstin, Rodney King, Desert Storm, CNN
Magic Johnson, HIV, Super Nintendo
LA riots, Dan Quayle, Murphy Brown, Real World
Leno, H.W. gags, and the Dream Team reps the flag
Don't ask, don't tell, Hoo-ha, the EU and NAFTA
A Few Good Men, Seles is stabbed, piece of the Aggro-Crag
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
O.J. Simpson, bronco chase, Boyz II Men and Ace of Base
Revolution, Bills still losing, Kurt Cobain dead
ebay, Farrakhan, Oklahoma City bomb
Mid...west....heat...wave, Sandra Bullock sped
Dolly, Deep Blue, Michael Johnson's golden shoes
Derek Jeter, Sheryl Crow, Keyser Soze, Daily Show
Mmm bop, Tony Blair, English Patient, Rachel's hair
Princess Di, Madonna cries, scandal in the white house
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
Homeruns hit, Nagano, Michael Jordan, el nino
Seinfeld, He Got Game, Bird to the Hall of Fame
Britney Spears, Y2K, Star Wars I-just ok
rock music gets the blame, Millionaire is our new game
Harry Potter, hanging chads, PS2, Elian's dad
Sydney games, Kim Jong, bubble burst for dot com
Stem cells, 9/11, Google, jingoism
Halle Berry, game on, bankruptcy for Enron
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
Russel Crowe, Homeland, search for bombs in the sand
gunman, Clarkson, World Com extinction
Human Genome is complete, Syracuse can not be beat
Iraq, Dan Brown, Martha Stewart locked down
Face-book, Condi Rice, Livestrong bracelets 'cause their nice
John Kerry, flip flopper, Red Sox solve Yankees' stopper
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
Writer's strike, Dixie Chicks, prison term for Michael Vick
Mad Men, iphones, gas prices, Juno
Twitter, Spitzer, AIG, hockey moms, GOP
swimming fast and smoking pot, Obama takes top spot
Cash for clunkers, Favre is back, Kobe wins it without Shaq
Michael's late, Jon and Kate, swine, meth, Tiger's mates
Obamacare on the floor, Banking rules without a cure
Jay and Conan late night war, I can't take it anymore
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning since the world's been turning.
We didn't start the fire
But when we are gone
It will still burn on, and on, and on, and on...
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire...
My apologies if you couldn't follow some of the rhyming patterns (I tried to spell out how to say/sing some of the lyrics), but you almost need the music to have the words make complete sense. I think the best way to assess my work is to look at it two lines at a time. First read/sing Joel's lyrics (for that part of the song) and then do the same for what I wrote.
That said, here is a year by year explanation of the people, facts, and events that I chose to incorporate in my brief history of the past 20 years.
1990
-Buster Douglas upsets the previously undefeated Mike Tyson on February 11th to become the world heavyweight champion of the world.
-Motley Crue's drummer Tommy Lee is arrested for allegedly exposing his backside during a performance in Augusta, Georgia. He also suffers a mild concussion after falling off of scaffolding above his elevated drum kit during a performance in New Haven, Connecticut.
-John Gotti, a notorious mob boss, is arrested on December 11th.
-Belarus declares its soveirgnty from the USSR on July 27th.
-South African President Frederik Willem de Klerk begins negotiations to end the country's legal form of racial segregation known as apartheid.
-Nelson Mandela was released from Victor Verster Prison on February 11th after more than 27 years in prison.
-Windows 3.0 is released by Microsoft on May 22nd.
1991
-Boris Yelstin is elected President of Russia on June 12th.
-Rodney King is is an African-American who was the subject in a police brutality case involving four white LAPD officers on March 3rd. A bystander, George Holliday, videotaped much of the incident from a distance. The footage showed the LAPD officers repeatedly striking King with their batons. A portion of this footage was aired by news agencies around the world, causing public outrage that raised tensions between the black community and the LAPD.
-Desert Storm is the military response to Sadaam Hussein's invasion and annexation of Kuwait. When economic sanctions proved to be ineffective, George H.W. Bush sent American troops into Kuwait to drive the Iraqis out.
-CNN (Cable News Network), the first network to provide 24 hour television news coverage, received unprecedented popularity because of its coverage of the Persian Gulf War.
-Magic Johnson, the superstar point guard of the Los Angeles Lakers, reveals on November 7th that he has contracted the HIV virus. To that point, HIV had long thought to have been an exclusively homosexual disease. Johnson's announcement was huge in terms of awareness for the sexually transmitted disease.
-Super Nintendo is released in Japan. It is the first 16 bit video game console.
1992
-Riots breakout in Los Angeles on April 29th after the four white LAPD officers accused of beating Rodney King are acquitted. Thousands rioted in the streets for six days after the verdict was announced.
-Dan Quayle, the 44th Vice President, gave a speech to the Commonwealth Club of California on May 19th on the subject of the Los Angeles riots. In this speech, Quayle blamed the violence on a decay of moral values and family structure in American society. In an aside, he cited the single mother title character in the television program Murphy Brown as an example of how popular culture contributes to this "poverty of values", saying: "It doesn't help matters when primetime TV has Murphy Brown — a character who supposedly epitomizes today's intelligent, highly paid, professional woman — mocking the importance of fathers, by bearing a child alone, and calling it just another 'lifestyle choice.'"
-The Real World's first season takes place in New York and debuts on MTV on May 21st. The show would prove to be one of the most successful "reality shows" to date.
-Jay Leno replaces Johnny Carson as the host of The Tonight Show on NBC.
-George H.W. Bush vomits into the lap of Kiichi Miyazawa, the Prime Minister of Japan, during a state dinner in Japan.
-The Dream Team or the 1992 US National Men's Basketball team that won the gold medal at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. The Dream Team was the first US National Team comprised of professionals. The roster consisted of Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, John Stockton, Clyde Drexler, Chris Mullin, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Christian Laetner, David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, and Scottie Pippen.
1993
-Don't ask, don't tell is a military policy enacted by Bill Clinton in order to prevent the "witch-hunting" of secretly gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members or applicants, while absolutely barring "openly" gay or bisexual people from joining the military, and expelling those already serving.
-Al Pacino won the Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of the retired, blind, and drunk Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade. Slade's signature phrase is "Hoo-ha!"
-EU, or the European Union, is an economic and political union of (now) 27 countries.
-NAFTA, or the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement, is formed between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The agreement creates a trading bloc (free of tariffs) between the three nations.
-A Few Good Men is a military courtroom drama that stars Tom Cruse, Kevin Bacon, Jack Nicholson, and Demi Moore. Jack Nicholson gets absolutely hosed by the Academy when he doesn't win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Colonel Nathan Jessep.
-Monica Seles, the world's #1 female tennis player, is stabbed in the shoulder during a match in Germany by a crazed fan of rival Steffi Graf.
-Global Guts is a popular Nickelodeon game show where teens compete in physical activities. The winner of each show is awarded a piece of the Aggro Crag, the mountain that the participants had to climb as the final event.
1994
-O.J. Simpson, the NFL Hall of Fame running back and successful actor, is charged with the murder of his wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman. After refusing to turn himself in, Simpson was the subject of a low speed police chase while driving his white Ford Bronco. The chase was televised by all of the major networks.
-Boyz II Men's, a popular R&B group, "I'll Make Love to You" is the #3 song on the 1994 Billboard Hot 100 chart.
-Ace of Base, a Swedish pop band, has 3 songs in the 1994 Billboard Hot 100 chart. #1 The Sign, #9 All That She Wants, and #10 Don't Turn Around.
-The Republican Revolution is what the Republican party dubbed their success in the 1994 midterm elections in which they took control of the majority of Congress for the first time in over 40 years. Newt Gingrich, Rep. Georgia, becomes the Speaker of the House and the most popularized figure of the movement. Bob Dole, Sen. Kansas, becomes the Senate majority leader.
-The Buffalo Bills lose their fourth straight Superbowl. This time it's a 30-13 loss at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys.
-Kurt Cobain, the lead singer and guitarist of the popular grunge band Nirvana, is found dead in an apparent suicide (a shotgun blow to the head) on April 8th.
1995
-eBay, the American company that runs an auction website, forms on September 5th.
-Louis Farrakhan is the national representative of the religious organization known as the Nation of Islam. Farrakhan is the lead advocate for black nationalist interests and helped organize the million man march in Washington D.C. on October 16th.
-Oklahoma City Bombing is a bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building that claimed the lives of 168 innocent Americans and injured 680 others. The men behind the terrorist plot are Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols.
-A midwest heatwave took the lives of approximately 700 people in Chicago in a 5 day stretch.
Chicago's daily low and high in 1995:
July 11: 73-90 °F (23-32 °C)
July 12: 76-98 °F (24-37 °C)
July 13: 81-106 °F (27-41 °C)
July 14: 84-102 °F (29-39 °C)
July 15: 77-99 °F (25-37 °C)
-Speed is a film starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. Reeves plays an LAPD officer who hops onto a bus that will explode if it fails to continue moving above 50 miles per hour. Bullock, in her breakout role, plays the passenger on the bus that gets behind the wheel when the driver is shot. The film won 2 Academy Awards in 1995.
1996
-Dolly is the name given to the first mammal ever cloned. She is a sheep who was "born" on July 2nd and lived to the age of six.
-"Deep Blue" is the name of a chess playing computer developed by IBM that Russian Gary Kasparov beat in February.
-Michael Johnson is the American sprinter who won gold in the 400m and 200m at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta. During the competiton Johnson wore a custom-designed pair of golden-colored Nike racing spikes made with Zytel, causing him to be nicknamed "The Man With the Golden Shoes."
-Derek Jeter helps lead the New York Yankees to their first World Series since 1978, beating the Atlanta Braves 4 games to 2.
-Sheryl Crow's self titled album is banned from Wal-Mart stores because of the lyric "Watch out sister, watch out brother/watch our children while they kill each other/with a gun they bought at Wal-Mart Discount Stores".
-The Usual Suspects is a criminal, mystery movie in which Kevin Spacey won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Verbal Kint...and Keyser Soze.
-The Daily Show begins on Comedy Central on July 21st with Craig Kilborn as the host.
1997
-MMM bop is the debut single by pop band Hanson. It becomes one of the biggest debut singles of all time, reaching #1 in 27 countries.
-Tony Blair becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on May 2nd.
-The English Patient wins the Oscar for Best Picture.
-The Rachel is the name given to a popular haircut worn by women during the '90s. The look got it's name from the hairstyle worn by Jennifer Aniston's character Rachel Green in the TV sitcom Friends.
-Princess Diana of Wales dies in an automobile accident in Paris.
-Madonna releases hit single "Don't Cry for Me Argentina"
-President Clinton is accused of having "sexual relations" with 22-year-old white house intern Monica Lewinsky.
1998
-Mark McGwire of the St.Louis Cardinals and Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs chase and break Roger Maris' single season homerun record.
-Nagano hosts the Winter Olympics.
-Michael Jordan retires for the second time after winning his sixth NBA Championship with the Chicago Bulls.
-El Nino is an invasion of warm water into the surface of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Peru and Ecuador every four to seven years that causes changes in local and regional climate. The most severe of these occurrences took place between 1997-98.
-Seinfeld, the popular NBC sitcome, airs it's final episode on May 14th.
-He Got Game is a Spike Lee joint starring Denzel Washington and NBA superstar Ray Allen.
-Larry Bird is enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachuesetts.
1999
-Britney Spears bursts onto the pop music scene with her debut single "...Baby One More Time"
-Y2K is the name given to a computer related scare at the turn of the millenium. In computer programs, the practice of representing the year with two digits becomes problematic with logical error(s) arising upon "rollover" from x99 to x00. This caused some date-related processing to operate incorrectly for dates and times on and after January 1, 2000 and on other critical dates which were billed "event horizons". Without corrective action, it was suggested that long-working systems would break down when the "...97, 98, 99, 00..." ascending numbering assumption suddenly became invalid. Companies and organizations worldwide checked, fixed, and upgraded their computer systems.
-Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is released by writer/director George Lucas and receives mixed reviews.
-The Columbine massacre is partially blamed on the hard rock music of Marilyn Manson.
-Who Wants to be a Millionaire is a game show that debuts on ABC with Regis Philbin as the host.
2000
-Harry Potter is the title character of a popular book series written by British author J.K. Rowling.
-Hanging chads were the subject of the controversial election results in Florida.
-PlayStation2, the best selling video game console to date, is released by Sony.
-Elian Gonzalez is the subject of an immigration/custody battle between the U.S. and Cuba. Gonzalez is ultimately returned to Cuba to be with his father in June.
-Sydney hosts the Summer Olympics. The Untited States leads the medal count, although sprinter Marion Jones won 3 golds and 2 bronzes, which have since been taken back.
-Kim Jong il is the controversial leader of North Korea who has been in power since 1994.
-The dot come bubble peaks on March 10th (the NASDAQ hits 5,048.62) and eventually starts to tank for a multitude of reasons.
2001
-Stem cell research is restricted to those cells that already exist by President Bush.
-9/11 is the date of the most devasting terrorist attack on American soil. Terrorist hijack four airplanes, fly two of them into the World Trade Center's twin towers, one into the Pentagon, and one is overtaken and crashes in a Pennsylvania field. The death total reaches nearly 3,000.
-Google, the internet search engine, increases in popularity and starts acquiring other companies to improve its brand.
-Jingoism refers to the overly nationalistic feeling expressed by Americans after the 9/11 attacks.
-Halle Berry stars in the film Monster's Ball, a role that would win her an Academy Award for Best Actress (the first African American woman to win the award).
-The NFL/MLB return to action after 9/11.
-Enron's books are revealed to have been cooked. The energy company eventually files for bankruptcy and many of their top executive face jail time.
2002
-Russel Crowe appears as the lead actor in back to back Best Picture winners (Gladiator and A Beautiful Mind). He won the Oscar for Best Actor for his role in Gladiator.
-The Homeland Security Act creates the Department of Homeland Security. The Act includes many of the organizations under which the powers of the USA PATRIOT Act are exercised. Among other things, it creates the new cabinet-level position of Secretary of Homeland Security.
-WMD's become a hot topic as the UN investigates into whether or not Iraq has them.
-Washington D.C. Sniper John Allen Muhammad killed at least 10 innocent people in early October before getting arrested on the 24th.
-American Idol, a popular television show singing competition, debuts on FOX. Kelly Clarkson is the Season One winner.
-World Com, an American telecommunications company, files chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The largest filing in history.
2003
-The Human Genome Project is completed 13 years after it began in 1990. The goal was to determine the sequence of chemical base pairs which make up DNA and to identify and map the approximately 20,000–25,000 genes of the human genome from both a physical and functional standpoint.
-Syracuse University wins the 2003 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship behind the outstanding play of freshmen Carmelo Anthony and Gerry McNamara.
-The Iraq War begins on March 20th when coalition forces invade the Persian Gulf.
-Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code is published and quickly becomes a best seller.
-Martha Stewart, a famous magazine editor, TV Host, and author, is indicted for insider trading and obstruction of justice. She would go on to spend five months in a federal prison in West Virginia.
2004
-Facebook, the social network site, launches and quickly finds a massive following.
-Condeleezza Rice is nominated to become Secretary of State by President Bush on November 16th.
-Livestrong bracelets are launched as a fundraising measure for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. They quickly become very popular.
-John Kerry receives the Democratic nomination to run for president. During the campaign, he was pegged as a flip-flopper by Republicans for his stance on the War in Iraq. When speaking about a military appropriations bill Kerry said, "I actually did vote for the $87 billion, before I voted against it."
-The Boston Red Sox are on the brink of elimination, down 3-0 in the ALCS and trailing the Yankees 4-3 in the bottom of the 9th inning in Game 4 before scoring a run against Mariano Rivera to tie the game and eventually winning the game in extra innings. They would go on to win the next three games to win the series (the first team to come back from a 3-0 series defecit) and advance to the World Series where they swept the St. Louis Cardinals to win their first title in 86 years.
2007
-The Writer's Guild of America goes on strike on November 5th and demands more compensation for their work. During the strike, many televisions shows are put on hold as new episodes can't air until the writer's write them. The strike is stopped on February 10th of 2008.
-The Dixie Chicks collected 5 awards at the Grammy's including Record, Album, and Song of the year.
-Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick pleads guilty to felony charges of operating a dog fighting ring in August. He is sentenced to serve 23 months in federal prison.
-Mad Men, a television drama set in the 1960's premieres on AMC on July 19th.
-iphones, a cell phone/ipod hybrid, is unveiled by Apple CEO Steve Jobbs.
-Record high gas prices plague the nation in the summer of 2007 with prices in some areas topping $4 a gallon.
-Juno is a comedy/drama film starring Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jason Bateman, and Jennifer Garner. The film receives 4 Academy Award nominations, winning one.
2008
-Twitter is a social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read messages known as tweets. Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters displayed on the author's profile page and delivered to the author's subscribers who are known as followers.
-Eliot Spitzer, the governor of New York, resigns after he is linked to a prostitution ring. The affadavit famously refers to the governor as "Client-9".
-A global financial crisis starts to take shape as the U.S. housing, banking,insurance, and auto industries start to collapse. Hot terms describing the crisis are "bailouts", "too big too fail", and "stimulus package".
-Sarah Palin, the governor of Alaska, is chosen as John McCain's running mate in the 2008 presidential election. Palin creates a lot of buzz for the GOP with her good looks and everyday language.
-Michael Phelps swims for 8 gold medals at the Beijing Olympics (setting 7 new world records in the process) and is later photographed hitting a bong while visiting South Carolina University.
-Barack Obama is elected as the 44th president of the United States of America.
2009
-Cash for clunkers is a domestic program intended to encourage Americans to purchase new cars in an attempt to stimulate the economy.
-Brett Favre, the future NFL Hall of Fame quarterback, returns to the NFL, this time as a member of the Minnesota Vikings.
-Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Orlando Magic to win the NBA Championship. It is the first title for Bryant without Shaquille O'Neal as his teammate.
-Michael Jackson, the pop icon, dies after suffering cardiac arrest on June 25th.
-Jon and Kate Gosselin are consistently a topic on the tabloids after their highly publicized divorce.
-A swine flu outbreak in humans is declared a public health emergency of international concern.
-Crystal meth is a psychoactive stimulant drug that increases alertness and energy, and in high doses can induce euphoria, enhance self esteem, and increase sexual pleasure. It has become increasingly popular in the United States in the 2000s.
-Tiger Woods crashes his Denali into a fire hydrant on November 27th and is taken to the hospital. Shortly thereafter details of Woods' ramped infidelity start to surface.
2010
-The Health Care Reform Bill causes a heated national debate. A new faction of conservatives, known as the Tea Party Movement, ardently oppose the bill which they call "Obamacare". Eventually the bill passes both the House (without a vote?) and the Senate and is signed into law.
-Regulation of the financial industry appears to be the next challenge that President Obama plans to tackle. The call for reform has been expedited in the wake of the SEC charging Goldman Sachs with knowingly selling people investments that were designed to fail.
-Jay Leno kicks Conan O'Brien to the curb and re-assumes his position as the host of The Tonight Show after his 10 p.m. show flops as bad as Vlade Divac.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Cinco de Mayo
The margaritas will be flowing at fiestas all across America today, but let me quickly state that I am no fan of this Mexican holiday. Actually it's more of an Americanized celebration of a semi-important date in Mexican history (more on this later), but let's get to why I don't fully embrace Cinco de Mayo.
The Alcohol- Simply put, Tequila is the bane of my existence. No matter the brand, never in my life has it gone down smooth. People can rave all they want about Patron, but I think it's absolutely vile. I don't mean to suggest that I'm some sort of superhero drinker, because I'm not, but tequila is my kryptonite. It's as good of a guarantee that I'm going to yack as there is. Whenever I'm asked, "What kind of shot do you want?" I always answer, "Anything but tequila." In all seriousness, I've been able to keep this wretched liquid down lately, but my gag reflex reacts everytime. It would honestly take a minor miracle for me to last 3 rounds with Jose Cuervo.
I don't know if it's the tequila or the salt, but I'm no fan of Margaritas either. As for the beer, my thoughts on Corona in one word- overrated. The only brand of alcohol that I'll fully support on Cinco de Mayo is Dos Equis and that's purely based on their outstanding marketing campaign.
The People- I honestly don't think that I've ever met a Mexican person in my entire life (unless the workers at La Salsa count). The closest I came was when my dad hired a 19 year old (that's obviously a guess) illegal immigrant named Rufino (if memory serves) to paint our house way back when. I don't exactly remember what country he was from, but I'm fairly certain that it wasn't Mexico. My brother likes to joke that there's no way that my dad can run for higher public office because he paid Rufino (under the table) in straight cash. Rufino was, as they say, right off the boat at the time and I'm pretty sure that painting our house was the first work he got in America. He even showed up at our house about 5 years later to say hello.
The story of Rufino makes me wonder how immigrants end up where they do? What I mean by that is how did Rufino end up in Syracuse, NY of all places? I understand that when people leave their country for a fresh start in America they usually know someone or a group of people that are already here, so they go to that place, but what about the people that come to America and know no one? Wouldn't logic dictate that they live close to their native country (i.e. Texas) or close to a major city like New York? How does Syracuse or Hartford (where I currently live) enter the equation?
In terms of actual Mexican people, aren't they our rivals in soccer? I think that's a good enough reason to not support their holiday.
The History- "Cinco de Mayo marks the Battle of Puebla and the Mexican army's defeat of a much larger and better-equipped French army attempting to conquer its weakened government. The victory was short-lived, as the French took over the country a year later."
This is what the Mexicans celebrate?
Well, sort of. I've come to find out that Cinco de Mayo is hardly a celebration in Mexico.
"The holiday, which has never really been much of one in Mexico, crossed over to this side of the border in the 1950s and 1960s, as civil rights activists were attempting to build harmony between the two countries and cultures. The date gained more attention in the 1980s when marketers, particularly beer companies, saw this as a perfect opportunity to capitalize on the celebratory nature of the holiday."
I wanted to say that Americans celebrating Cinco de Mayo is like Mexicans celebrating July 4th, but it's not like that at all. It's more like if the Mexicans celebrated November 22nd (no, not because of JFK) because it commemorates our victory in the Battle of Dak To in the Vietnam War.
While I'm not a fan of the holiday, I'm not exactly against it either. It just goes to show you that if you give Americans any reason to party, no matter how ridiculous, we're all for it. And that ladies and gentlemen, is about as American as apple pie.
The Alcohol- Simply put, Tequila is the bane of my existence. No matter the brand, never in my life has it gone down smooth. People can rave all they want about Patron, but I think it's absolutely vile. I don't mean to suggest that I'm some sort of superhero drinker, because I'm not, but tequila is my kryptonite. It's as good of a guarantee that I'm going to yack as there is. Whenever I'm asked, "What kind of shot do you want?" I always answer, "Anything but tequila." In all seriousness, I've been able to keep this wretched liquid down lately, but my gag reflex reacts everytime. It would honestly take a minor miracle for me to last 3 rounds with Jose Cuervo.
I don't know if it's the tequila or the salt, but I'm no fan of Margaritas either. As for the beer, my thoughts on Corona in one word- overrated. The only brand of alcohol that I'll fully support on Cinco de Mayo is Dos Equis and that's purely based on their outstanding marketing campaign.
The People- I honestly don't think that I've ever met a Mexican person in my entire life (unless the workers at La Salsa count). The closest I came was when my dad hired a 19 year old (that's obviously a guess) illegal immigrant named Rufino (if memory serves) to paint our house way back when. I don't exactly remember what country he was from, but I'm fairly certain that it wasn't Mexico. My brother likes to joke that there's no way that my dad can run for higher public office because he paid Rufino (under the table) in straight cash. Rufino was, as they say, right off the boat at the time and I'm pretty sure that painting our house was the first work he got in America. He even showed up at our house about 5 years later to say hello.
The story of Rufino makes me wonder how immigrants end up where they do? What I mean by that is how did Rufino end up in Syracuse, NY of all places? I understand that when people leave their country for a fresh start in America they usually know someone or a group of people that are already here, so they go to that place, but what about the people that come to America and know no one? Wouldn't logic dictate that they live close to their native country (i.e. Texas) or close to a major city like New York? How does Syracuse or Hartford (where I currently live) enter the equation?
In terms of actual Mexican people, aren't they our rivals in soccer? I think that's a good enough reason to not support their holiday.
The History- "Cinco de Mayo marks the Battle of Puebla and the Mexican army's defeat of a much larger and better-equipped French army attempting to conquer its weakened government. The victory was short-lived, as the French took over the country a year later."
This is what the Mexicans celebrate?
Well, sort of. I've come to find out that Cinco de Mayo is hardly a celebration in Mexico.
"The holiday, which has never really been much of one in Mexico, crossed over to this side of the border in the 1950s and 1960s, as civil rights activists were attempting to build harmony between the two countries and cultures. The date gained more attention in the 1980s when marketers, particularly beer companies, saw this as a perfect opportunity to capitalize on the celebratory nature of the holiday."
I wanted to say that Americans celebrating Cinco de Mayo is like Mexicans celebrating July 4th, but it's not like that at all. It's more like if the Mexicans celebrated November 22nd (no, not because of JFK) because it commemorates our victory in the Battle of Dak To in the Vietnam War.
While I'm not a fan of the holiday, I'm not exactly against it either. It just goes to show you that if you give Americans any reason to party, no matter how ridiculous, we're all for it. And that ladies and gentlemen, is about as American as apple pie.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Happiest New Year?
Now that the new year is upon us (happy new year to you and yours by the way), I have a few questions. First, what are we going to call 2010? Is it going to be 20-10 (twenty-ten)? or 2010 (two-thousand and ten)? Personally, I don't care all that much, but I would appreciate a little consistency as I have heard both numerous times already. I kind of like 20-10 because it's short and has almost a nickname sort of ring to it, but no one called 2009 twenty-nine, so I'm not convinced that it's a legitimate moniker. Also, moving forward the only other year where this will work seems to be 2012 (twenty-twelve), so it's not like this is something that will catch on. Alright, I talked myself into it. I'm going with 2010 (two thousand and ten).
My second and final question is perhaps more important. Which group of Americans is the most excited for it to be 2010? To better answer that question, let's take a look at the candidates.
1.) New York Knick Fans
In 2006, Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James surprised everyone when he chose to sign a 4 year extension instead of the maxmimum deal allowed (a 5 year deal). This move was unprecedented. Young franchise players always sign for the max. Soon after Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade, and Toronto Raptors center Chris Bosh followed suit. These three additions to an already loaded 2010 NBA free agent class literally changed the way that many organizations did business over the next(and now past) four years.
In an effort to attract LeBron, Wade, Bosh, etc. the Knicks, who were ruined financially because of the missteps of Isiah Thomas, have essentially mailed in the past two seasons. From a front office standpoint, their goal has not been to win. It has been to shed payroll so that they can make a run at this crop of free agents in the summer of 2010. New team president Donnie Walsh has done an admirable job (well admirable if you have no problem with mailing two seasons in just for a chance at LBJ, etc.), but still needs to move one or both of the heinous contracts given to Eddy Curry and Jared Jeffries in order to have full flexibilty this summer (by full flexibility I mean the cap space to sign 2-3 big name players). The Knicks front office did everything but release a statement in 2008 that said, "We don't care what our record is these next two seasons. We are only worried about shedding cap space, but we are still going to charge you the same ludicrous amount to watch our rag tag team because we play in the "world's most famous arena."
It's no secret that the Knicks are going to do everything in their power to convince LeBron into coming to New York in 2010. New York has been the most speculated destination for LBJ ever since his decision to not sign for the maximum in 2006. He admittedly loves New York because of it's celebrity culture, atmosphere, big stage, etc. He's even a Yankee fan. I was in MSG when LeBron came to town earlier this season and the crowd has no qualms about blatantly rooting for him even though at this juncture he plays for the opposing team.
The prevailing thought had Phoenix Suns point guard and two time NBA MVP Steve Nash signing with the Knicks and his former coach Mike D'Antoni in the summer of 2010 to help lure other big name free agents like LeBron to New York. Nash lives and plays in a soccer league in NYC in the summer and is thought to be one of the best teammates in the league; However this plan fell through when Nash signed a two year extension with the Suns in July.
Now virtually all of the Knick's eggs are in LeBron's basket. The hope is that he signs with the Knicks and brings the likes of Chris Bosh/Joe Johnson with him. But will LeBron leave Cleveland and try to revive basketball in the city that never sleeps? No one (including LeBron) knows for sure, but for the first time in almost 10 years Knick fans have something to rest their hopes on.
2.) Republicans
The GOP was dealt a major blow in 2008. Not only did Obama trounce McCain for the presidency, but the Democrats expanded their majority in the House by 21 seats and achieved a super majority in the Senate (58 Democrats and 2 Independents). Ever since that election the Republicans have been on a rampage to regain control of Congress. You've seen coverage of the tea parties, the town hall meetings, etc. 2010 is the first chance for the American public to essentially give an up or down vote on Obama. Aside from every House of Representatives seat being up for re-election (members of the House serve two year terms),36 Senate seats will be up for grabs (18 of which are currently held by Democrats and the other 18 are currently held by Repbulicans), and 37 states will hold gubernatorial elections.
If history has anything to say about the 2010 mid term elections, it's that the Republicans will surely pick up a few seats in Congress. For starters, the president's party almost always loses a few seats in the mid term elections. Also, it's next to impossible to maintin the kind of majority that the Democrats currently have, even in prosperous times.
Picking up a few seats won't suffice for the GOP, though. They want to shift the power of the American political structure back in their favor in 2010. These mid term elections already have shades of the "Republican Revolution" led by former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich in 1994. Back then Republicans were unhappy with a young, democratic president that was trying to push a health care reform bill through Congress. In the mid term elections of 1994, the Republicans took control of the House and looked to make Clinton a lame duck president in 1996; However (as the late, great Doc O explained to me) Clinton essentially became a Republican in the next two years and rolled in his re-election bid in '96.
That being said, here is the case against Obama in 2010. First and foremost, the economy continues to lag. When he was elected, Obama (to much of the American public) had this magical quality about him. They thought that he could come into office and fix any problem with the wave of his hand. Problem was, he couldn't. There's no doubt that he's trying, but the continued stagnation of the economy has at least taken Obama off of the pedestal that many had placed him on. Furthermore, this health care fiasco is splitting the country in two. Although everyone in Congress admits that our current health care system needs to be reformed, a comprehensive overhaul of the system is such an enormous task that it should come as no surprise that there are so many disagreements about the proposed bills. Lastly, even though the 2010 midterm elections are basically like a report card on Obama's first two years in office, his name won't be on the ballot. All of those people that registered and enthusiastically went to the polls to vote for Obama in '08 (yes, I'm talking about black people) aren't going to show up in '10 to vote for Chuck Schumer, Harry Reid, etc.
3.) Soccer Fans
American soccer fans probably have a hard on knowing that the World Cup kicks off in less than 160 days in South Africa. To them, and the rest of the world, the World Cup is bigger than the Superbowl. I would also like to point out that calling the event the World Cup is actually accurate whereas the World Series is a complete misnomer.
American soccer fans must be even more excited this year after learning last month that the US team received a favorable draw. In case you haven't heard, the United States has been placed in a group with England, Slovenia, and Algeria. I don't know much about Slovenia or Algeria, but I'm pretty sure that we should beat them both and if we do we will most likely advance to the knockout stage.
Before I move on, I have a point of contention with many Americans that like soccer. I don't care if the US Team doesn't have a realistic chance at winning the whole thing or not. They are the only team that you should be rooting for. I can't stand the kids that root for the team of their heritage (unless your parents were born and raised in that country in which case I'm totally OK with it) because they are better than the United States team, especially if the teams play each other. All of those Italian kids that rooted for Italy when they played the US in 2006 can go fuck themselves.
4.) People born in the year 1910
This painting is one of the most famous in American history. It was painted by Grant Wood and is titled, "American Gothic". Information that you should know.
Now hear me out before you write this off as a throwaway choice. Obviously these people must be pumped that it's 2010 so that they can reach triple digits in age. Sure, most of them probably aren't all there mentally and a large percentage of them might die before they reach their birthday (although statistics show that most people die shortly after their birthdays/Christmas), but reaching 100 has to be the light at the end of the tunnel for what they must have gone through in their time on Earth.
People born in 1910 were teenagers during the Roaring '20's. They probably witnessed all sorts of Gatsby style wild parties and rowdy saloons without being able to participate. By the time they were old enough to partake in the decadence of the decade, it was over. The Stock Market crashed and the Great Depression began.
They probably struggled to find work, raise a family, etc. Most of them probably moved west like the Joad family of Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath." By the time they turned 31-32 many of them were probably drafted and forced to serve in World War II.
After the war these men and women lived through the Civil Right Movement of the 50's and 60's. They were 40-50 years old at the time and probably held steadfast to their bigoted ways. As the laws began to change I bet they blamed the government.
In the 60's and 70's they had to endure the JFK assassination, the Vietnam War, and Watergate. I'm sure these three events only made them distrust the government even more.
I'm hoping, for their sake, that they enjoyed the 80's and 90's with the downfall of the Soviet Union and years of American prosperity because just when they, and the rest of us for that matter, thought everything was fine the 00's came along.
As I've already pointed out, Time magazine called the 00's the "Decade from Hell" because of 9/11, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the global financial crisis that we are still battling through.
The lives of those born in 1910 could not have been easy. Here's hoping that they reach 100.
My second and final question is perhaps more important. Which group of Americans is the most excited for it to be 2010? To better answer that question, let's take a look at the candidates.
1.) New York Knick Fans
In 2006, Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James surprised everyone when he chose to sign a 4 year extension instead of the maxmimum deal allowed (a 5 year deal). This move was unprecedented. Young franchise players always sign for the max. Soon after Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade, and Toronto Raptors center Chris Bosh followed suit. These three additions to an already loaded 2010 NBA free agent class literally changed the way that many organizations did business over the next(and now past) four years.
In an effort to attract LeBron, Wade, Bosh, etc. the Knicks, who were ruined financially because of the missteps of Isiah Thomas, have essentially mailed in the past two seasons. From a front office standpoint, their goal has not been to win. It has been to shed payroll so that they can make a run at this crop of free agents in the summer of 2010. New team president Donnie Walsh has done an admirable job (well admirable if you have no problem with mailing two seasons in just for a chance at LBJ, etc.), but still needs to move one or both of the heinous contracts given to Eddy Curry and Jared Jeffries in order to have full flexibilty this summer (by full flexibility I mean the cap space to sign 2-3 big name players). The Knicks front office did everything but release a statement in 2008 that said, "We don't care what our record is these next two seasons. We are only worried about shedding cap space, but we are still going to charge you the same ludicrous amount to watch our rag tag team because we play in the "world's most famous arena."
It's no secret that the Knicks are going to do everything in their power to convince LeBron into coming to New York in 2010. New York has been the most speculated destination for LBJ ever since his decision to not sign for the maximum in 2006. He admittedly loves New York because of it's celebrity culture, atmosphere, big stage, etc. He's even a Yankee fan. I was in MSG when LeBron came to town earlier this season and the crowd has no qualms about blatantly rooting for him even though at this juncture he plays for the opposing team.
The prevailing thought had Phoenix Suns point guard and two time NBA MVP Steve Nash signing with the Knicks and his former coach Mike D'Antoni in the summer of 2010 to help lure other big name free agents like LeBron to New York. Nash lives and plays in a soccer league in NYC in the summer and is thought to be one of the best teammates in the league; However this plan fell through when Nash signed a two year extension with the Suns in July.
Now virtually all of the Knick's eggs are in LeBron's basket. The hope is that he signs with the Knicks and brings the likes of Chris Bosh/Joe Johnson with him. But will LeBron leave Cleveland and try to revive basketball in the city that never sleeps? No one (including LeBron) knows for sure, but for the first time in almost 10 years Knick fans have something to rest their hopes on.
2.) Republicans
The GOP was dealt a major blow in 2008. Not only did Obama trounce McCain for the presidency, but the Democrats expanded their majority in the House by 21 seats and achieved a super majority in the Senate (58 Democrats and 2 Independents). Ever since that election the Republicans have been on a rampage to regain control of Congress. You've seen coverage of the tea parties, the town hall meetings, etc. 2010 is the first chance for the American public to essentially give an up or down vote on Obama. Aside from every House of Representatives seat being up for re-election (members of the House serve two year terms),36 Senate seats will be up for grabs (18 of which are currently held by Democrats and the other 18 are currently held by Repbulicans), and 37 states will hold gubernatorial elections.
If history has anything to say about the 2010 mid term elections, it's that the Republicans will surely pick up a few seats in Congress. For starters, the president's party almost always loses a few seats in the mid term elections. Also, it's next to impossible to maintin the kind of majority that the Democrats currently have, even in prosperous times.
Picking up a few seats won't suffice for the GOP, though. They want to shift the power of the American political structure back in their favor in 2010. These mid term elections already have shades of the "Republican Revolution" led by former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich in 1994. Back then Republicans were unhappy with a young, democratic president that was trying to push a health care reform bill through Congress. In the mid term elections of 1994, the Republicans took control of the House and looked to make Clinton a lame duck president in 1996; However (as the late, great Doc O explained to me) Clinton essentially became a Republican in the next two years and rolled in his re-election bid in '96.
That being said, here is the case against Obama in 2010. First and foremost, the economy continues to lag. When he was elected, Obama (to much of the American public) had this magical quality about him. They thought that he could come into office and fix any problem with the wave of his hand. Problem was, he couldn't. There's no doubt that he's trying, but the continued stagnation of the economy has at least taken Obama off of the pedestal that many had placed him on. Furthermore, this health care fiasco is splitting the country in two. Although everyone in Congress admits that our current health care system needs to be reformed, a comprehensive overhaul of the system is such an enormous task that it should come as no surprise that there are so many disagreements about the proposed bills. Lastly, even though the 2010 midterm elections are basically like a report card on Obama's first two years in office, his name won't be on the ballot. All of those people that registered and enthusiastically went to the polls to vote for Obama in '08 (yes, I'm talking about black people) aren't going to show up in '10 to vote for Chuck Schumer, Harry Reid, etc.
3.) Soccer Fans
American soccer fans probably have a hard on knowing that the World Cup kicks off in less than 160 days in South Africa. To them, and the rest of the world, the World Cup is bigger than the Superbowl. I would also like to point out that calling the event the World Cup is actually accurate whereas the World Series is a complete misnomer.
American soccer fans must be even more excited this year after learning last month that the US team received a favorable draw. In case you haven't heard, the United States has been placed in a group with England, Slovenia, and Algeria. I don't know much about Slovenia or Algeria, but I'm pretty sure that we should beat them both and if we do we will most likely advance to the knockout stage.
Before I move on, I have a point of contention with many Americans that like soccer. I don't care if the US Team doesn't have a realistic chance at winning the whole thing or not. They are the only team that you should be rooting for. I can't stand the kids that root for the team of their heritage (unless your parents were born and raised in that country in which case I'm totally OK with it) because they are better than the United States team, especially if the teams play each other. All of those Italian kids that rooted for Italy when they played the US in 2006 can go fuck themselves.
4.) People born in the year 1910
This painting is one of the most famous in American history. It was painted by Grant Wood and is titled, "American Gothic". Information that you should know.
Now hear me out before you write this off as a throwaway choice. Obviously these people must be pumped that it's 2010 so that they can reach triple digits in age. Sure, most of them probably aren't all there mentally and a large percentage of them might die before they reach their birthday (although statistics show that most people die shortly after their birthdays/Christmas), but reaching 100 has to be the light at the end of the tunnel for what they must have gone through in their time on Earth.
People born in 1910 were teenagers during the Roaring '20's. They probably witnessed all sorts of Gatsby style wild parties and rowdy saloons without being able to participate. By the time they were old enough to partake in the decadence of the decade, it was over. The Stock Market crashed and the Great Depression began.
They probably struggled to find work, raise a family, etc. Most of them probably moved west like the Joad family of Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath." By the time they turned 31-32 many of them were probably drafted and forced to serve in World War II.
After the war these men and women lived through the Civil Right Movement of the 50's and 60's. They were 40-50 years old at the time and probably held steadfast to their bigoted ways. As the laws began to change I bet they blamed the government.
In the 60's and 70's they had to endure the JFK assassination, the Vietnam War, and Watergate. I'm sure these three events only made them distrust the government even more.
I'm hoping, for their sake, that they enjoyed the 80's and 90's with the downfall of the Soviet Union and years of American prosperity because just when they, and the rest of us for that matter, thought everything was fine the 00's came along.
As I've already pointed out, Time magazine called the 00's the "Decade from Hell" because of 9/11, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the global financial crisis that we are still battling through.
The lives of those born in 1910 could not have been easy. Here's hoping that they reach 100.
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