Wednesday (History!) edition: Wha’ Happened?
Posted on November 5th, 2008 – 9:09 AMBy Michael Rand
Last night, history was made. There is no denying it. Yes, anybody who has lived through the 2000s knows that we have ushered in a new era. It is one of promise, and it directly impacts Minnesota. Yes, the San Antonio Spurs are now 0-3 for the first time in 35 years. Their rein is over. It is time for the young teams to step in. Timberwolves, yes you can.
And some other very interesting things happened, too.
OK, so all joking aside, we imagine most of you watched some election coverage last night and know you witnessed history. The political talk is over now, but we are left with this question: what are the most historic moments of your lifetimes-to-date, both in terms of the real world and the sporting world? And where does last night rank (seriously, that Spurs thing is big news)?
And one last thing about politics: according to some rudimentary math, the new administration is going to be hitting wallets pretty hard. The pres-elect has proposed increasing income taxes on the richest of the rich from 35 percent to 39.6 percent. MLB players made close to $3 billion last year (or at least that’s what you get when you add up all these payroll numbers). They paid $944 million in federal income taxes; under the new rate, assuming they all qualify at that rate, they would have been taxed $1.068 billion. That’s $124 million more.
Fasola-link! An old standby.
25 Responses to "Wednesday (History!) edition: Wha’ Happened?"
9/11 should be near the top of all Serious lists.
On a not quite as serious note, Curt Cobain ending things was not a good day.
On a positive note the Bears won the Super Bowl in 1985.
Who would have guessed Obama winning will speed up MLB Free Agent signings. To that I say, Thank You.
As someone that just hit 40, the Dismantling of the Berlin Wall was amazing when it coincided with the collapse of the Soviet Union. No more Red Menace.
Sportswise Id have to go with the loss of a the 1994 baseball world series due to a strike was big.
i was thinking similar to jama minus the bears. responses are in no particular order.
historical on the positive:
a. barack winning
b. the immediate days following after 9/11 because it might have been the first time were i felt united with everyone in my country — north, south, young, old, sports and non-sports fans, etc.
c. being an upper classman during back-to-back gopher hockey titles (rioting not included)
d. red sox winning in 2004
historical on the not so positive:
9/11
responding to I-35 bridge collapse
red sox winning second championship
eight years of cowboy bush and shot-in-the-face troll serving as the public face of this country.
wellstone death so close to election
I remember one time when Jacque Jones laid off a 0-2 curveball in the dirt. That was pretty momentous.
Jon: That never happened.
To continue the real life/sporting life comparisons, I wonder if Obama’s win seems like a world-changing, lifetime defining event now but in time will turn out to be less impactful. In sports we like to confuse recent greatness with historical greatness (See: Oklahoma/Boise State, Josh Hamilton, New England/New York Giants, LeBron James, 1998 Home Run Chase, etc.).
I’m an Obama fan and I’m extremely proud of our country for electing the best man up for the job, regardless of his pedigree or the color of his skin. But while I remain hopeful for our country’s future, the jury is still out. Change doesn’t necessarily mean improvement.
As for the Lists, I’d say 9/11, Columbine and the Challenger Explosion top my reality list while the 1998 Atlanta Falcons top my sporting list.
More Historic things to add to the list
Serious
- Hurricane’s Katrina and Andrew
- Iraq Wars I and II.
Not So Serious
- The Internet. (Thank you Al Gore)
- The Big Ten Network(How else could we watch Indiana vs. Penn State Soccer?)
- Cell Phone service in South Dakota(This is still debateable.
Most memorable things in my lifetime:
1. 9/11
2. Berlin Wall
3. Saw first naked chick
4. Challenger
5. Car wash in town took a dollar bill that wasn’t perfectly straight.
6. ‘87 Twins
CS
How’d your mom look?
I nominate jama for the inevitable Secretary of Your Momma Jokes cabinet position.
Jama-
as a former south dakotan, I know there was a ballot measure to add cell phone service. It was voted down, because Cell Phones might bring all kinds of other “riff raff”
Last night was actually a lot lower on my list than it appears to be for a LOT of people. Great, we elected our first black president. Big step forward, yes.
But a much more monumental occasion for me? If he actually succeeds in accomplishing what he says he wants to–rather than having it get bogged down in typical partisan politics, bickering and whining.
And, like a true Vikings fan–I assume the latter is more likely, so I can be pleasantly surprised if it does not happen.
So we can assume then, Toonces, that you’ve never been pleasantly surprised?
OFF TOPIC
Are the Raiders currently the worse run franchise in sports? You trade a 2nd and 5th round pick for DeAngelo Hall. Give him a huge contract, and then cut him after 8 games? Is Matt Millen secretly advising Al Davis?
/OFF TOPIC
Michael Rand says: Jon: That never happened.
No, I swear, it did! Keep hope alive! Yes…we… can get to first base without even having to put the ball in play!
The Ravens Super Bowl was pretty momentous.
As was the arrival of Gilbert Arenas in D.C.
But nothing like Obama.
Rocket - Fortunately, I am somewhat satisfied with small victories from the Vikings. Making the playoffs. Beating the Packers. Actually calling a play that has receivers run 8 yard routes on 3rd and 7. Going for a season without having a player get arrested/suspended.
At least three of those have have happened in my lifetime. Unfortunately, none of them have during the Childress era.
He needs to be fired. And this isn’t the VIKINGS ACCESS COMMENTER in me coming out–as Victor Lebanon will testify (if his memory is any good, after all that Budweiser and Jalepeno/Chicken Quesadillas consumed in college), I’ve been saying that he should be fired since Year 1. It’s that apparent that he is not yet head coaching material (and likely never will be).
New Campaign commercial during the recount:
Al Franken: I got 1210900 votes
Norm Coleman: I got 1211625 votes
Dean Barkley: I got a rock…
What are people’s thoughts on Garrett Atkins as a potential third base solution for the Twins? MLB Trade Rumors has us as a potential suitor.
Everyone talks about his home/road splits. I’d like to know if that’s a really worrisome thing for teams.
“CS, How’d your mom look?”
Not so good.
Dave
Atkins is not the answer. He isn’t much better than what the Twins currently have. Why give someone up for him? His fielding makes Buscher look like Brooks frickin Robinson.
Dave-
I read somehwere that Atkin’s splits are not entirely the fault of Coors Field - the Rockies also play a majority of their road games in pitcher’s parks like Petco, so his splits are not that bad.
But I have also heard that he would not be an offensive or defensive upgrade over a Buscher/Harris platoon, plus we would have to give up one of our starting pitchers to get him.
In the article jama linked to earlier, it states that many insiders think the middle tier free agents will get squeezed this year. Joe Crede should fit the definition of a middle-tier free agent. His health is a concern, but if he would sign a reasonable 2-year deal he seems like he could bring some good defense and power, while being spelled by Buscher against righties to save his back. The Twins have the money to outbid anyone, and they wouldn’t have to give up a pitcher to get him. And in 2 years the 3B prospects should be ready to go.
Other than the things that have already been mentioned:
Oklahoma City Bombing
Twins not having the lowest payroll in the league
Gas being .85/gallon
Punto not sliding into 1st base
