25 nostalgic things you remember from a specific year or decade!

[retrorussell]

One more 1979:
THE JOKER'S WILD releases a kids' version for the syndicated stations: JOKER! JOKER!! JOKER!!!  It runs from 1979 to 1981.  Jack Barry again hosts, with children as contestants.
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1990 re-visited:
1. SUPER BLOWOUT!  A record margin in the Super Bowl is set with a 45-point drubbing.  Joe Montana ("Joe Cool") and the San Francisco 49ers hammer John Elway and the hapless Denver Broncos 55-10.  A record that still stands today.  I remember the McD's commercial where an old Broncos fan said "we played our little hearts out!" and my friend and I laughed.
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2. Finally figured out how to program my TV to wake me up in the morning.  I had to go make the dough at Pizza Hut so I had to get up at 7AM or so.  The tv would often turn on with Nick Jr. playing since I watched a lot of Nick At Nite the previous night.  I'd go make as much dough as they felt they needed and I'd sometimes have a light day (maybe a few hours or so) and sometimes I'd stay later or they'd call me back in to help wash dishes/cook/fold boxes/make more dough/etc.  The longer I worked there the more often I closed the place and came home with dishwater soaked through my apron into my pants.  It was still a good job and I should have appreciated it more-- got to make my own pizza on occasion if I was hungry or eat the ones that didn't come through the oven right.  Sometimes we'd trade food with the restaurant next door and I'd get ice cream/burgers.
3. World Series: the heavily favored Oakland A's-- with the "Smash Brothers" of McGwire/Canseco, Rickey Henderson, and a great pitching staff led by Dave Stewart seemed poised to take the Series.. but the Cincinnati Reds had other plans and swept them in 4 games.  Major upset.
4. The Edmonton Oilers win a Stanley Cup without Wayne Gretzky!
5. Jerry Tarkanian and his UNLV Runnin' Rebels are the talk of college basketball and win the school their first NCAA Championship.
6. Prolific scorer Hank Gathers of Loyola-Marymount dies in the team's postseason semifinals of a heart defect.
7. I started decorating my bedroom with my hand-drawn pictures of football helmets of each NFL team, posted all around my room.  Looked pretty good. 
8. Wow-- did I not mention this in my last 1990 capsule??  Devastating boxer Mike Tyson is knocked out by James "Buster" Douglas in Tokyo.  We watched this on HBO at our old house a few months or so before we moved.  My stepdad and I were in shock-- this was widely considered the greatest upset in the history of the sport.  Douglas even lost his mother just recently before the fight.  But he controlled the bout for the most part, though Tyson did knock him down once or twice.  Tyson staggering to his feet after taking a second to put his mouthpiece back in is an enduring image from the fight. 

9. James "Buster" Douglas tries to continue his legacy after a surprising victory, but a noticeably heavier/out of shape Douglas gets knocked out by Evander Holyfield, which effectively ends Douglas' boxing career.  I did however like his Sega Genesis boxing game, leading to...
10. The first "Genesis Does" commercials!  The fairly new Sega Genesis console has some catchy promos showing off Joe Montana Football, Columns, Moonwalker, and James Buster Douglas' Knockout Boxing (and others)!  "Genesis Does.. what Nintendon't."
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11. One of my favorite 1990 songs, though the singer's an absolute freaking nutcase:
EPIC- Faith No More
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More to come..

[retrorussell]

1990 revisited continued:

12. The first regular series non-special episode of THE SIMPSONS is "Bart The Genius".  Great first episode!  I loved the Scrabble game the family plays at the beginning where Bart spells out KWYJIBO and defines it: "A big dumb balding ape.. with no chin." After which of course Homer runs to strangle him.
13. TV debuts: TWIN PEAKS, IN LIVING COLOR, INTO THE NIGHT WITH RICK DEES, FOX KIDS and DISNEY AFTERNOON (programming blocks), FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR, CAPTAIN PLANET, KEN BURNS' THE CIVIL WAR, THE SIMPSONS' TREEHOUSE OF HORROR, NBA ON NBC, STEPHEN KING'S IT, ESPN SUNDAY NIGHT BASEBALL, WINGS, AMERICA'S FUNNIEST PEOPLE, BLOSSOM, HOWARD STERN SHOW, DREAM ON, NORTHERN EXPOSURE, PARKER LEWIS CAN'T LOSE, TALESPIN, BOBBY'S WORLD, PETER PAN AND THE PIRATES, TOM & JERRY KIDS, LAW & ORDER, TINY TOON ADVENTURES, EVENING SHADE, BEVERLY HILLS 90210, and NBA INSIDE STUFF.
14. Game shows try to make a comeback: MATCH GAME, THE JOKER'S WILD, TO TELL THE TRUTH, LET'S MAKE A DEAL, TIC TAC DOUGH, and SUPERMARKET SWEEP, with only the last one successful.
15. Major Saturday Night Live stars making their debut on the show: Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, Chris Rock, Tim Meadows, Rob Schneider, David Spade and Julia Sweeney.
16. Other big hit songs: VOGUE- Madonna, THE HUMPTY DANCE- Digital Underground, DO ME- Bell Biv DeVoe, RELEASE ME- Wilson Phillips, POISON- Bell Biv DeVoe, KING OF WISHFUL THINKING- Go West, CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT YOUR LOVE AND AFFECTION- Nelson, SUICIDE BLONDE- INXS, I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT YOU- Londonbeat, GONNA MAKE YOU SWEAT (EVERYBODY DANCE NOW)- C+C Music Factory, HARD TO HANDLE- Black Crowes, SHE AIN'T WORTH IT- Glenn Medeiros/Bobby Brown, I'LL BE YOUR SHELTER- Taylor Dayne.
17. Turbo Express and Game Gear handheld units debut.
18. The "tearjerker" BEACHES not only is big at the box office but has the hit songs WING BENEATH MY WINGS and FROM A DISTANCE by star Bette Midler.  A lot of people, including myself, called the film B*TCHES.
19. Some product debuts: PB MAX (awesome peanut butter filling candy bar), SUPER NINTENDO, BEANO, PHILLIPS CD-i, CHICKEN TONIGHT, DUNKAROOS, MARSHMALLOW ALPHA BITS, SUPER SOAKER, and WINDOWS 3.0.
20. Other arcade hits: RAMPART, ALIENS, ALIEN STORM, G-LOC AIR BATTLE, HIT THE ICE, MAD DOG MCCREE, KLAX, MERCS, SNOW BROTHERS.
21. Long-running series ending: MIAMI VICE, MAMA'S FAMILY, NEWHART, FREDDY'S NIGHTMARES, ALF, TOUR OF DUTY, MY TWO DADS, JUST THE TEN OF US, 227, FALCON CREST, FRIDAY THE 13TH THE SEREIS, YOU CAN'T DO THAT ON TELEVISION, TRACEY ULLMAN SHOW, PINWHEEL, MR. BELVEDERE, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, CHARLES IN CHARGE, PEE WEE'S PLAYHOUSE, ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS, WISEGUY, REMOTE CONTROL.
22. This weird show appeared and disappeared this year but is good for a laugh: COP ROCK!  Created by Stephen Bochco (HILL STREET BLUES)!  A cop faux-drama mixed with musical!  Too often too silly and wacky to succeed but undeniable cult appeal.  I like this segment.
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23. Commercials:
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24. The cable channel junked their SHOWTIME EXCITEMENT motif (I rather liked it..) and went with a "movie set" look instead for their movie lead-in.
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25. And the familiar 1990 Showtime After Hours intro that I'd often see when I got home from closing at work.. some softcore enjoyment while everyone else was asleep.. :)
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[retrorussell]

One more 1990:
The awesome theme "Roundball Rock" is used as the NBA begins playing on NBC.
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1991:

1. The Pittsburgh Penguins win their first Stanley Cup!  They beat the Minnesota North Stars (now Dallas Stars) in 6 games; it's the first time in 8 years an American team wins the Stanley Cup.
2. More hot songs of 1991: WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN- Michael Bolton, SET ADRIFT ON MEMORY BLISS- P.M. Dawn, SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT- Bonnie Raitt, THE MOTOWN SONG- Rod Stewart, GOOD VIBRATIONS- Marky Mark, I WANNA SEX YOU UP- Color Me Badd, YOU'RE IN LOVE- Wilson Phillips, COMING OUT OF THE DARK- Gloria Estefan, LOVE OF A LIFETIME- Firehouse (heh.. my oldest sister's wedding song-- that marriage didn't last), PROMISE OF A NEW DAY- Paula Abdul, I TOUCH MYSELF- Divinyls, THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO HMMM...- C+C Music Factory, SHOW ME THE WAY- Styx, PLACE IN THIS WORLD- Michael W. Smith (I called it "Face In This Girl"), WICKED GAME- Chris Isaak, RICO SUAVE- Gerardo, SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE- R.E.M.
3. Man, was I wanting Larry Johnson's UNLV Runnin' Rebels to repeat as NCAA Champions, and they had a perfect regular season at 32-0.  But they lost to Duke by two in the Final Four.
4. Magic Johnson announces he has tested positive for HIV.  His NBA career is generally ended, apart from the Olympics in 1992, a short coaching stint and a brief comeback as a player in '96.
5. Record NBA blowout: The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Miami Heat 148-80!
6. Sega's VIRTUA RACING takes another step in pushing the 3D polygon envelope in arcade games.
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7. Monica Seles wins the Australian, US and French Opens in the Womens' Tennis Grand Slam.
8. Steven Seagal makes a guest appearance on Saturday Night Live and is such an @$$ to the cast and crew that Lorne Michaels refuses to have him back again.
9. Gene Rodenberry, creator of STAR TREK, dies.  Other famous deaths: Frank Capra, Dean Jagger, Michael Landon, Kevin Peter Hall, Ralph Bellamy, Ronald Lacey, Gene Tierney, Fred MacMurray, Brad Davis, David Lean, Klaus Kinski, Keye Luke, Lee Remick, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Colleen Dewhurst, Dr. Seuss, Don Siegel, Danny Thomas, Burt Convy, James Franciscus and Redd Foxx (who had a massive heart attack on the set of THE ROYAL FAMILY, which some castmates thought was a "I'm Coming Elizabeth!" routine).
10. Michael Jackson and John Landis re-team 9 years after THRILLER for the video to BLACK OR WHITE.
More later..

[ER]

Blah, Monica Seles (7) ruined women's tennis.

[retrorussell]

Bonus:
1989:
The first THE MORE YOU KNOW PSA debuts.


Back to 1991:
11. The first color image scanner is released.  As is Norton Anti-Virus software, Windows NT and Linux.
12. The first internet webpage is created.  http://info.cern.ch
13. More hit albums: ACHTUNG BABY- U2, OUT OF TIME- R.E.M., TEN- Pearl Jam, USE YOUR ILLUSION I- Guns 'N Roses, METALLICA (debut), LUCK OF THE DRAW- Bonnie Raitt, USE YOUR ILLUSION II- Guns 'N Roses, JOYRIDE- Roxette, EMOTIONS- Mariah Carey, FOR UNLAWFUL CARNAL KNOWLEDGE- Van Halen, COOLEYHIGHHARMONY- Boyz II Men
14. Michigan WR Desmond Howard wins the Heisman Trophy.  He will go on to win the Super Bowl XXXI MVP honor for the Packers.
15. Bad 1991 films: ROBIN HOOD PRINCE OF THIEVES, ANOTHER YOU, SWITCH, RETURN TO THE BLUE LAGOON, COOL AS ICE, HIGHLANDER II: THE QUICKENING, JOHNNY SUEDE, MANNEQUIN II: ON THE MOVE, NOTHING BUT TROUBLE, OMEN IV: THE AWAKENING, SCENES FROM A MALL, SHOUT, DON'T TELL MOM THE BABYSITTER'S DEAD, STEPPING OUT, HUDSON HAWK, DROP DEAD FRED
16. The World League Of Football's World Bowl debuts.
17. Some other TV debuts: STUDS, PIRATES OF DARK WATER, ADVENTURES OF PETE & PETE, SISTERS, SALUTE YOUR SHORTS, ROC, TAZ-MANIA, BUCKY O'HARE, YO! YOGI, JAMES BOND JR., BROOKLYN BRIDGE, THE COMMISH, MONTEL WILLIAMS, CHARLIE ROSE, WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CARMEN SANDIEGO?, and LIQUID TELEVISION.
18. Series endings: GUMMI BEARS, FUN HOUSE, 21 JUMP STREET, HUNTER, DALLAS, DAYS AND NIGHTS OF MOLLY DODD, OUT OF THIS WORLD, THIRTYSOMETHING, TWIN PEAKS, HEAD OF THE CLASS, THE HOGAN FAMILY, CHINA BEACH, AMEN, TALESPIN, A PUP NAMED SCOOBY DOO, HEY DUDE, DINK THE LITTLE DINOSAUR, CLASSIC CONCENTRATION, THE REAL GHOSTBUSTERS, CAPTAIN N THE GAME MASTER, EUREEKA'S CASTLE, MUPPET BABIES, BEETLEJUICE, CHAIN REACTION.
19. Whitney Houston's rendering of the national anthem at SUPER BOWL XXV:
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20. US Senator John Heinz and 6 others die when their plane collides with a helicopter.
21. The Honeycrisp apple debuts.
22. Video game debuts: ANOTHER WORLD/OUT OF THIS WORLD, BATTLETOADS, F1 GRAND PRIX, DUKE NUKEM, EYE OF THE BEHOLDER, CHUCK ROCK, FINAL FANTASY IV, JOHN MADDEN FOOTBALL 92 (with the "killer ambulances"), NHL HOCKEY, METROID II: THE RETURN OF SAMUS, LEMMINGS, OPERATION C, POPFUL MAIL, PUYO PUYO, ROAD RASH, TOEJAM AND EARL, TECMO SUPER BOWL, SUPER CASTLEVANIA IV, SUPER GHOULS 'N GHOSTS, SPIDER MAN VS. THE KINGPIN, WHO SHOT JOHNNY ROCK?
23. Bad video games: BIBLE ADVENTURES, ACTION 52, and HEAVY NOVA.
24. Nine years after its theatrical release, E.T. finally debuts on network television.
25. DEEP THOUGHTS BY JACK HANDEY debut on Saturday Night Live!
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And more on that killer ambulance from JOHN MADDEN FOOTBALL 92-- it had to have been a programming bug.  When a player gets injured the ambulance pulls onto the field and PLOWS THROUGH any players standing in its way and they audibly grunt as they get violently tossed aside!
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One last 1990:
The original John Madden Football was so much fun for me-- the 3 window offense aspect was so revolutionary for its time, and I loved the "Referee Rap" song at the beginning that played right after the Electronic Arts logo appeared.  I also loved using a turbo controller to win the onside kick almost every time.
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[retrorussell]

2 bonuses from 1978 before I re-visit 1992:

1. MIRACLE IN THE MEADOWLANDS! 11/19/78
This prompted the "victory formation" commonplace at the end of games when a team has a win in hand (kneel out the clock).  The Giants were going to hand the ball off to run out the clock in the waning moments against the Eagles, but a fumble by QB Joe Pisarcik recovered by Herm Edwards for a TD leaves Giants fan stunned.
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2. A notorious episode of THE GONG SHOW in early 1978 (the show's final year) involved stagehand Eugene Sidney Patton "Gene The Dancing Machine" doing a dancing bit onstage, and the panel goes nuts-- especially Jaye P. Morgan, who flashed her boobs!  She got kicked off the show and its overall racy nature was deemed too controversial for television, and it got cancelled.
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I'll be back with 1992 re-visited sometime.  Gonna be busy with other things for a bit.

[retrorussell]

And a couple extras from 1977 while I'm thinking about them:

The stupid "Popsicle Twins" act on THE GONG SHOW generates a lot of controversy: a couple girls walk onstage and suck and lick popsicles in an obvious parallel to fellatio.  I liked Jaye P. Morgan's response: "Do you know that's the way I started?"
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We had this really weird/creepy book by Steve Martin: CRUEL SHOES

Just a bunch of odd short stories.  Well-worth checking out though, if you'd never heard of it

[retrorussell]

25 more from 1992:
1. Duke's Christian Laettner buries a jumper to beat the clock and Kentucky in the East Regional Final, one of the more exciting finishes in NCAA history.
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2. Johnny Carson's last TONIGHT SHOW episode.  It is a "clip show" of past episodes.  Jay Leno replaces him the next week.
3. The ultimate jock jam!
GET READY FOR THIS- 2Unlimited
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4. Wow; forgot about this-- my hometown of Portland, OR is home to the 1992 NBA DRAFT!
Shaquille O'Neal is picked #1 by the Orlando Magic.

5. The Emmy-winning animated program BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES debuts!  RIP, Kevin Conroy.
6. Sci-Fi Channel and Cartoon Network debut!
7. TV debuts: NICK ARCADE, ABC WORLD NEWS NOW, CAPITOL CRITTERS, YOUNG INDIANA JONES CHRONICLES, DATELINE NBC, BARNEY AND FRIENDS, THE REAL WORLD, RAVEN, RED SHOE DIARIES, DEF COMEDY JAM, MELROSE PLACE, THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW, ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK?, MARTIN, GOOF TROOP, EEK! THE CAT, KING ARTHUR AND THE KNIGHTS OF JUSTICE, HEARTS AFIRE, BEAKMAN'S WORLD, PICKET FENCES, RENEGADE, NICKELODEON GUTS...
8. ..And this awesome Emmy-winning animated show.
X-MEN
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Rogue.. oh Rogue.. ahh..

9. Some top songs: ACHY BREAKY HEART- Billy Ray Cyrus, JUMP- Kriss Kross, SOMETIMES LOVE JUST AIN'T ENOUGH- Patty Smyth, EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU- Ugly Kid Joe, FREE YOUR MIND- En Vogue, JUST ANOTHER DAY- Jon Secada, NOVEMBER RAIN- Guns 'N Roses, WALKING ON BROKEN GLASS- Annie Lennox, I'M TOO SEXY- Right Said Fred, END OF THE ROAD- Boyz II Men, BABY GOT BACK- Sir Mix-A-Lot, SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST- Vanessa Williams, MY LOVIN' (YOU'RE NEVER GONNA GET IT)- En Vogue, LIFE IS A HIGHWAY- Tom Cochrane, HOW DO YOU TALK TO AN ANGEL- The Heights, GOOD FOR ME- Amy Grant
10. Super close race at the Indy 500-- Al Unser Jr. wins by a record-thin 0.043 seconds!
11. 1992 commercials:
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12. The great game STREET FIGHTER II gets an upgrade as 4 characters you fought against after beating all the others are now playable!  Vega, Balrog, Sagat and M. Bison!  STREET FIGHTER II: CHAMPION EDITION.
13. Other great arcade games: X-MEN, LETHAL ENFORCERS, VIRTUA RACING, WORLD HEROES, ART OF FIGHTING.
14. My Blazers and the Phoenix Suns set a new playoff record for most points scored by 2 teams in one game, in a 153-151 2OT contest we won!
15. Also, the Los Angeles Clippers reach the postseason for the first time since they were the Buffalo Braves-- and almost pulled off an upset of the Jazz in 5 games!
More to come later..

[retrorussell]

16. Box office stinkers: MEMOIRS OF AN INVISIBLE MAN, STOP! OR MY MOM WILL SHOOT, IRON EAGLE III, CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS: THE DISCOVERY, TOYS, TOM & JERRY THE MOVIE, MO MONEY, LADYBUGS, THE GATE II, THE LAWNMOWER MAN, THE BODYGUARD, 3 NINJAS, COOL WORLD (one of my least favorite movies ever), MAN TROUBLE, MEDICINE MAN, ROCK-A-DOODLE, FREEJACK, PET SEMATARY TWO (though Clancy Brown is awesome in it).
17. Some product debuts: CLIF BAR, CRYSTAL PEPSI, K'NEX construction toys, POPCORN CHICKEN, TAB CLEAR and WINDOWS 3.1 (with the incredibly simplistic "ta-dahhh!" startup sound effect).
18. Popular home video games: SUPER MARIO KART, WOLFENSTEIN 3D, KIRBY'S DREAMLAND, STREETS OF RAGE 2 (awesome game), ALONE IN THE DARK, LUNAR: THE SILVER STAR (also awesome), BATMAN RETURNS, BUCKY 'O HARE, STREET FIGHTER II TURBO HYPER FIGHTING, DUNE, DESERT STRIKE, SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI, and the incredible MARIO PAINT.
19. Famous deaths: JOHN IRELAND, ANTHONY PERKINS, STERLING HOLLOWAY, CHUCK CONNORS, ROBERT REED, MARLENE DEITRICH, DENHOLM ELLIOTT, DICK YORK, NEVILLE BRAND, CLEAVON LITTLE, SANDY DENNIS, LENNY MONTANA, JOSE FERRER, BENNY HILL, NANCY WALKER, LYLE ALZADO, ROBERT MORLEY, RICHARD BROOKS, JOHN STURGES, VINCENT GARDENIA, SHIRLEY BOOTH, ROGER MILLER, ISAAC ASIMOV, and SAM KINISON (plane crash).
20. Steve Emtman is the #1 pick in the NFL Draft (Indianapolis Colts).  Injuries prevent him from ever parlaying his draft status into a successful NFL career and he is out of the league in 5 years.
21. Pro Bowler Jerome Brown of the Eagles dies in a car crash.
22. Winter Olympics are held in Albertville France, and the Summer Olympics in Barcelona Spain.
23. I remember Blazers fans being mad that Clyde Drexler didn't win the All-Star game MVP, and that they gave it to Magic Johnson instead.  Who cares; the All Star game isn't really a game, anyway-- just an exhibition.  What a blowout it was though-- the West beat the East by 40!
24. Riddick Bowe wins the undisputed heavyweight boxing title over Evander Holyfield by decision.
25. During the NBA Finals the big buzz around Portland early in the series was how the fans thought Jordan and Bulls coach Phil Jackson basically said the Blazers weren't playing smart.  After Portland's surprise game 2 win in Chicago the Oregonian's cartoonist for the sports section drew a picture of Jordan and a multiple choice question: WHICH IS THE DUMB PLAY?  Each answer was a great Blazer play except for D: Jordan's technical that led to the Blazer victory.  Even though it was rather far-fetched I thought it was pretty funny.  Marv Albert and Mike Brown even showed it during game 3!
Bonus:
This Christmas Blazers coach Rick Adelman came to the department store where I worked at and he signed a book for my dad.  Kind of quiet but nice guy.  Hell of a coach and the players loved him.  I think my dad still has that book.  I'll have to ask him when he comes over for the Super Bowl.

[retrorussell]

More 1993:
1. David Letterman moves from NBC to CBS.
2. The first ESPN's ESPY awards event airs.  College basketball coach Jim Valvano delivers a speech while accepting an award and announces his cancer research organization V Foundation.  He dies of metastatic cancer less than 2 months later.
3. Rapper Tupac Shakur is fired from the film Menace II Society and physically assaults the directors The Hughes Brothers.
4. Don Drysdale dies of a heart attack less than a day after a play-by-play of a Dodgers-Expos game in Montreal.
5. THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW makes its tv debut, nearly 20 years after its theatrical release.
6. The first "Got Milk?" ads debut.
7. Series writer/actor Michael J. Nelson takes over for Joel Hodgson on The Satellite Of Love on the series MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000.
Mike's first opening:
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8. Bill Bixby dies.  I remember reading an INCREDIBLE HULK comics issue that eulogized him: "We will always  miss this great actor."  Very classy.
9. TV debuts: DR. QUINN, MEDICINE WOMAN, STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE, WWF MONDAY NIGHT RAW, KUNG FU: THE LEGEND CONTINUES, HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET, BONKERS, SOUTH BEACH, CAESAR'S CHALLENGE, POLITICALLY INCORRECT WITH BILL MAHR, THE ADVENTURES OF BRISCO COUNTY JR., JOHN LARROQUETTE SHOW, 2 STUPID DOGS, ADVENTURES OF SONIC THE HEDGEHOG, BILL NYE THE SCIENCE GUY, LEGENDS OF THE HIDDEN TEMPLE, LOIS AND CLARK, ANIMANIACS, SEAQUEST DSV, RICKI LAKE, BAKERSFIELD PD, BIKER MICE FROM MARS, EXOSQUAD, SONIC THE HEDGEHOG, TALES FROM THE CRYPTKEEPER, ROCKO'S MODERN LIFE, CADILLACS AND DINOSAURS, DAVE'S WORLD, NYPD BLUE, WALKER: TEXAS RANGER, DIAGNOSIS MURDER, THE NANNY, and THE ADVENTURES OF PETE & PETE.
10. And this one:  Huh-huh, huh-huh..
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My favorite was the one where Beavis gets high off a Jolt-like cola and spouts his Cornholio jibberish at work.  An immigration services employee comes by and deports him.  Hilarious!
11. And this one.  Somehow I never really got into this but I liked the creepy music in the intro.
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12. German Bernhard Langer wins his 2nd Masters Championship in golf.
13. Julie Krone is the first female jockey to win a Triple Crown race (Belmont Stakes).
14. The "blink and you'll miss it" home game console 3DO is released.
15. Other products: ATARI JAGUAR, BEANIE BABIES, PEPSI MAX, WARHEADS, ZIMA, WINDOWS NT 3.1.
More later..

[ER]

#3 gee, whyever did Pac meet a bad end?

[retrorussell]

#3 gee, whyever did Pac meet a bad end?

Yeah, right?  Such a good boy..

16. Another interesting moment from the Super Bowl was Frank Reich (subbing for the injured Jim Kelly) clearly stepping over the line of scrimmage--but not getting a penalty, to Jimmy Johnson's bewilderment-- to throw a touchdown pass at the end of the 3rd quarter to close within 14 (the Cowboys would outscore Buffalo 21-0 in the final frame).
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17. Computer product/program debuts of 1993: ADOBE ACROBAT, AOL MAIL, COMPAQ PRESARIO, MP3, MPEG-1, PDF, Pentium, RAR, the first search engines (Jumpstation and RSBE spider/robot).
18. Bad 1993 movies: SUPER MARIO BROS., MR. NANNY, COP AND A HALF (so very bad..), LOOK WHO'S TALKING NOW, MADE IN AMERICA, ROBOCOP 3, EVEN COWGIRLS GET THE BLUES, WEEKEND AT BERNIE'S II, DEADFALL, SON OF THE PINK PANTHER, BODY OF EVIDENCE, SPLITTING HEIRS, FATHER HOOD, MY BOYFRIEND'S BACK, METEOR MAN, ANOTHER STAKEOUT, STRIKING DISTANCE, BOILING POINT, SON IN LAW, THE TEMP, MAN'S BEST FRIEND, and my pick for the worst F13th movie: JASON GOES TO HELL.
19. Other great arcade games: IN THE HUNT, RAIDEN II, SATURDAY NIGHT SLAM MASTERS, LUCKY & WILD, 3 COUNT BOUT, NUMAN ATHLETICS, FIGHTER'S HISTORY, POWER INSTINCT and NIGHT SLASHERS.
20. The Amstrad Mega PC is released.

21. Man, I crapped myself (not literally) when STREET FIGHTER II: CHAMPION EDITION was ported to the Sega Genesis!  Excellent port, as long as you could get past the garbled voice samples.  Graphics, controls and gameplay were SPOT ON.  Had so much fun with this one, and the Genesis 6-button controller was just right for this game.

22. Oh man!  This takes me way back.. we watched some (usually road) Trailblazers games on channel 6, and for the 1992-93 season this opening with an Old West stagecoach theme was shown before the start.  Clyde, Duck, Buck, Cliff and Jerome are seen on horseback as well as coach Rick Adelman yelling "Wagons Ho!".  So cool!  After the game's wrapup a part of the opening was played and after a bad loss I imagined the wagon wheels falling off and possibly a deflated basketball plopping out the back of the coach.
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23. Some great home games in 1993: DISNEY'S ALADDIN, GUNSTAR HEROES, ROCKET KNIGHT ADVENTURES, SHINOBI III, PHANTASY STAR IV, BILL WALSH COLLEGE FOOTBALL, and NHL '94!  The Sega CD port of NHL '94 featured a cool (but grainy) video:
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24. Other console/pc games of 1993: KIRBY'S ADVENTURE, STAR FOX, THE 7TH GUEST, LEGEND OF ZELDA: LINK'S AWAKENING, SUPER MARIO ALL STARS, SONIC CD, MYST, MEGA MAN X.
25. More notable songs: NO RAIN- Blind Melon and MMM MMM MMM MMM- Crash Test Dummies.
Bonus:
Aw hell-- the opening song (and animation) for SONIC CD just got me psyched like crazy!
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Sonic Booom, Sonic Booom, Sonic Booooooom...

[retrorussell]

Don't think I mentioned this one from 1993 but it was pretty big:
Michael Jordan's father is murdered while sleeping in his vehicle just off a North Carolina highway.  3 months later Michael Jordan announces his retirement, which lasts till March of 1995. 

1994:
1. This was Clyde Drexler's last year as a Trailblazer.  He was a phenomenal athlete, rebounder and shooter and had some pretty memorable late-game heroics.  I remember well this ridiculous circus shot to beat the Bucks:
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2. Major upset in the NBA-- for the first time ever the #1 team loses to the #8 team in the playoffs.  The Seattle Supersonics had a franchise record 62 wins and took on the Denver Nuggets, and lost 3 straight after being up 2-0.  Dikembe Mutombo beaming while laying on the floor was an iconic moment.

3. The Montreal Expos have their best season in franchise history.. but the labor strike wiped out the season. 
4. Craptastic movies: I LOVE TROUBLE, JUNIOR, CAR 54 WHERE ARE YOU, THE NEXT KARATE KID, DOUBLE DRAGON, BAD GIRLS, LITTLE GIANTS, THE PAGEMASTER, and this little theatrically unreleased nugget (of sh*t):
FANTASTIC FOUR
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5. Better movies: PULP FICTION, WOLF, APOLLO 13, SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE, BLOWN AWAY, DISCLOSURE (saw at the theater with my mom-- odd mother-son movie), STARGATE, SPEED.  Movies I didn't care for that others liked: NATURAL BORN KILLERS and INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE.
More to come later..

[retrorussell]

6. FOX picks up the NFL license!  Da-na-na, da-na-NA...
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7. The GAME SHOW NETWORK debuts!
8. TV debuts: VIPER, BABYLON 5, THE CRITIC, WHERE ON EARTH IS CARMEN SAN DIEGO?, ALADDIN, DUCKMAN, MYSTERIES OF THE BIBLE, ELLEN, SPACE GHOST COAST TO COAST, ALL THAT, DENNIS MILLER LIVE, HOWARD STERN SHOW, THE HEAD, VR TROOPERS, MAGIC SCHOOL BUS, THE TICK, PARTY OF FIVE, ER, CHICAGO HOPE, TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL, REBOOT, GARGOYLES, AAAHH!! REAL MONSTERS, LIFE WITH LOUIE, and 2 great other shows..
9. The outstanding Fox network SPIDER-MAN animated series debuts!
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10. As does FRIENDS!  "I'll be there for youuuu..."
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11. Some series endings: ROC, HERMAN'S HEAD, LA LAW, IN LIVING COLOR, STAR TREK THE NEXT GENERATION, ARSENIO HALL SHOW, EVENING SHADE, DINOSAURS, AMERICA'S FUNNIEST PEOPLE, CLARISSA EXPLAINS IT ALL, GARFIELD & FRIENDS, ROMPER ROOM.
12. Some top songs: I SWEAR- All 4 One, I'LL MAKE LOVE TO YOU- Boyz II Men, WILD NIGHT- John Cougar Mellencamp, CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE TONIGHT- Elton John, HERE COMES THE HOTSTEPPER- Ini Kamoze, ZOMBIE- Cranberries, I'LL REMEMBER- Madonna, BLACK HOLE SUN- Soundgarden, I'LL STAND BY YOU- Pretenders, WHEN I COME AROUND- Green Day, BASKET CASE- Green Day, STAY (I MISSED YOU)- Lisa Loeb, BETTER MAN- Pearl Jam, HOLD MY HAND- Hootie & The Blowfish
13. I was still working at the department store in Tigard OR, and was left on my own to tackle the Home Improvement building-- quite a tall task.  I would sometimes shoot some hoops as there was a basketball hoop and a basketball on the shelf.  I had some hops-- could almost dunk on a 10 footer.  Our hoop was 9 1/2 and I was able to dunk.  We had some Fijians on our crew (including the foreman) that were lazy and we hated them.  There were a number of Fijians at other stores in the chain, and most got busted for shoplifting!
14. Funny video for I ONLY WANNA BE WITH YOU by Hootie & The Blowfish; Dan Marino and ESPN Sportscenter luminaries appear!
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Still more to come from 1994..

[ER]

Basket Case! Whoohoo!