2007 – The Red Sox won another World Series and their fans, after decades of labeling Yankees fans arrogant and obnoxious, became ironic. The Pirates finished with the worst record in the NL at 68-94 and rope and razor blades were banned from being sold in Pittsburgh. Bonds hit 28 homeruns in what became his final season, and it was special because he broke Aaron’s all-time record while people booed him. He also tested positive for amphetamines and was indicted on perjury and obstruction of justice charges. In music, Robert Goulet died and the world mourned.
2008 – The Philadelphia Phillies crushed the dreams of the low-payroll Tampa Bay Rays by defeating them in the World Series, and the Pirates crushed no dreams or hopes by once again finishing 28 games below .500. Bonds, weighing in at more than 230-pounds by some estimates, was unofficially black-listed. Breaking Bad debuted on AMC and Matt Ufford’s erection has not subsided since.
2009 – The Yankees ended a smaller drought by knocking off the Phillies in the World Series, and the Pirates (62-99) sent the Washington Nationals a fruit basket for being the worst team in baseball. On the big screen, Avatar made James Cameron an even wealthier man, but it was funny to watch his ex-wife Kathryn “Bam Bam” Bigelow win the Academy Award for Best Director for The Hurt Locker.
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How long before we call a code red on Yinzer smug?
1996, 1997 – 2000, and 2009 were my favorite years of this retrospective, but the Z. Cavarrici pants reference really brought me back to my senior year of college.
Great work, Burnsy.
Great stuff, Burnsy. It really put how old I am into perspective.
Heh, they had to beat the worst team in baseball to do it.
Just noticed a typo in my comment, make that 1998 – 2000.
And of course with Casey McGehee’s 3-run homerun, they’ll probably be tied for second by the time they play tonight.
Bonds broke McGwire’s record by 3, not 11.
Eh, I blog like Ryan Theriot plays shortstop so I’m allowed a few mistakes.
Noticeable Omission: 1994, Montreal Expos would have won the World Series, 2002: The Ultimate frat boy movie of this generation, Van Wilder was released and 2004, Harold and Kumar, the second best fratboy movie of all time was released.
It’s a shame the Marlins can’t go back to greatness like they once did twice in the past. It was great to see Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers and other big market fans fume when the Marlins won the World Series
I grew up in Pittsburgh, and was in high school in the early 90′s. That game 7 against the Braves was one of the most heartbreaking things I’ve seen. Fucking Sid Bream.
Nice to see Stroud isn’t the only one who can shoehorn pro wrestling references in.
/wishes Kathryn Bigelow had a missing front tooth
In the film industry, Tom Hanks captured our hearts as Forrest Gump, while millions of angst-ridden teens cried as jocks asked them, “Hey, what was the last thing that went through Kurt Cobain’s mind?”
A bullet. Duh.
At least their marketing team did a respectable job keeping people coming to the stadium for the past 2 decades. If there are two things in this world yinzers love (beside having their pregnant wives smoke cigarettes and chipped ham) it’s Firework night and free Soul Asylum concerts.
‘hey remember Runaway Train? It was very popular the last time our team was relevant’