To read the first part of this article, The Super Summers of 7th Grade 2014 vs. 1984–Part 1, click here.

This past June, I was fortunate to put a pool in our backyard and also a new hoop in our expanded driveway.  My hope was to provide a nice hangout for my kids and their friends.  Drew and his posse usually have the routine of playing hoops, swimming, and X-box.  I can’t forget to include the constant checking of the cell phone/i-pod for texts, posts, instagrams, vines,…  The Drew Crew also mixes in games like keep-away tag, rundown, wiffle ball, and ping-pong.

My summer days had their similarities.  It usually started with calling my core group to play some tennis ball.  It was basically 4-on-4 baseball, but played with a tennis ball to cut down the size of the field.  We would incorporate terms like ‘pitcher’s hand’, ‘ghost runners’, and ‘crossies at home’. Our usual posse cosisted of me (a.k.a. ‘Satchel’), Mark (‘Yid’) , Bobby (or as my dad would call him, ‘Bubba’), Eric (‘E’), Dan, and Robert.  My little bro Jon and his pal Steve (or ‘Stosh’, another one of my dad’s nicknames he recycled from childhood days growing up near Cleveland) would usually come along.  On good days, other guys would join in to get a bigger game going..  I would wear my Cleveland Indians batting helmet…

and do my best Andre ‘Thunder’ Thornton imitation trying to hit homers.

Our games were always at Broad Street Park.  Ironically, it was later re-named…

in honor of my dad’s service to the Louisville community, which you can read about in in this blog.

After a couple of hours, we headed to my house for some swimming and hoops.  We had no X-box/Atari/Nintendo at that time, so our technology fix was limited to watching the awesome 1984 Olympics on TV and hoping for American medals so we could win food from from McDonald’s with our Olympic pull-off tickets.

The Soviet boycott must have cost the Golden Arches some serious dough in giveaways!  We would also sprinkle in games like driveway tennis, rundown, and apple tag (basically throw apples at each other).

I was lucky enough to have parents who created a safe and fun home environment for my friends and me.  That’s one of many things that I have tried to emulate from my parents.  One great idea my dad did to keep us active is one that I don’t  have the room for in my yard…

‘Aljansga National Golf Course’ (our name twist of Augusta National GC where the Masters is played) got a lot of play in those summers.  We had 18 different tee-offs from all over our yard as well as the neighbors.  And I am relieved to report that no kids or windows were ever harmed (well, maybe just a little).

One last commonality of the 7th grade summers is the night life.  No, neither Drew or I are involved in break-dance challenges in the back alleys.  I am talking about sleepovers.  Drew is a true addict.  I don’t think that we have had an evening go by this summer where Drew hasn’t asked to have someone(s) over or go to someone’s house.  Once in a while, this mean author has to put his foot down and say NO to the ‘joyboy’ life and YES to some normalcy.  Drew always handles my vetoes with that teenage dignity common to every household.  Sleepovers pretty much consist of staying up late night swimming, playing X-Box and also doing the phone thing.  Phones now of course have cameras, so creating videos of some crazy stunts is a periodic option.

I did my share of sleepovers as well, most often with my buddy Yid.  TV-wise, we loved to watch late-night re-runs of the Twilight Zone, except for Friday nights, which meant watching… 

Big Chuck and Lil’ John show (definitely a great blog topic for another day).

Suprisingly, creating videos was a 1984 thing as well.  Yid’s dad had a camera, and we put it to good use.  I still remember creating our own horror movie—I believe the title was They Never Returned.  Rumor has it that this flick surfaced in some Ohio State dorm rooms and became a Columbus cult classic back in the early 90s. My biggest contribution was bringing my dad’s outdoor spotlights.  I was such a bad actor that not only was I killed off in the first scene, but the ‘killer’ had to put a magazine over my face to cover up my laughing!

So, Drew, remember to savor your 7th grade summer.  This is a moment in your life that you will cherish for a lifetime.  And if your Dad ever falls into one of his grumpy old fuddle dud adult moods, remind him that he was once a 7th grader like this…

And tell him to…

Follow the author on twitter:  @macaljancic

You can also e-mail him:  macaljancic@yahoo.com

 

 

 

My oldest son, Drew, finished up seventh grade this past May, and this summer, he is truly ‘living the dream’.  I don’t think I am bursting any teacher’s bubble (including my own) to say that summertime is pure heaven for just about any kid.  And I would theorize that the peak years for full summer enjoyment is somewhere around 7^th and 8^th grade. 

Let’s further analyze the evidence to support this theory.  The great thing about being a pre-teen is that your responsibilities are few. Empty the dishwasher.  Clean your room once in a while. Brush your teeth.  You can even get away without showering every day!

While we are on that thought, why do some kids hate taking showers?  Is there a better 5 minutes  in your day (or in my wife’s case, 25 minutes) than a nice hot shower?

STOP THE PRESSES!!!!  I just came up with an idea to make me millions!

Here it goes.  First: a deluxe shower with multiple heads to cover every part of your body (it stinks when you have to rotate in the shower like a rotisserie chicken to try keep your entire body warm).

Second: at a cushioned, water-resistant, reclining chair to avoid tiring out.

 

Now comes the true magic:  mix in a water-proof remote control and a flat screen TV!

 

What do you think?  I say I can retire on that moment of brilliance.  Maybe I can offer the option of a garbage disposal in the drain in case you want to make a salad like Kramer on Seinfeld.

Back to my theory.  Pre-teens the joy of having fewer responsibilities.  The trade off is that you have fewer freedoms.  Nowadays, a kid is pretty much landlocked within a 30-yard radius of his house.  Back in the day, that leash was much longer for kids like myself.  Ignorance to the dangers of the world that we now see on TV and on the internet was definitely bliss back then.

As you become a young teen, the world becomes your oyster.  Your roaming area grows exponentially.  That must be due to parents trusting their teens more.  Or, in very rare cases, they get sick of seeing and hearing those sparkling teenage personalities.  Anyhow, you can cover a whole bunch of blocks on a good bike to your buddy’s house or the city park or to some store to buy some junk food.  Or maybe even accidentally peddling by that certain cute girl’s house.

Another plus for Middle schoolers is that while they are old enough to dip their toes into the adult pool of life, they are still young enough to hang at the kiddie pool and have kid fun.  You are still allowed to play ‘kid’ games in the neighborhood and even use ‘kid’ toys without embarrassment.

High schoolers have the enormous advantage of having the power of a driver’s license.  But to quote Spiderman’s Uncle Ben:

More chores at home.  Babysitting your lil’ sibs.

(I had to watch these two, which will be a great blog topic down the road, including an in-depth analysis of this picture)

Getting a real job.  Having to start paying more and more for your stuff (like clothes, tech stuff, car insurance, dating,…).  And sports in high school become more of a job than a game with weight lifting, speed training, open gyms, shoot-outs, camps,…

My own 7th grade summer was exactly 30 years ago.  I touched it briefly in a blog from last month.

 On the left is my 8th grade batting stance for the American Legion squad.  A little more fearsome to pitchers than my manly 7th grade pose on the right.  If you look close enough, I couldn’t even loop my belt right!  Thank goodness that elastic waistbands came the next year!

A lot has changed in the last 30 years, but many similarities ring true.  Let’s see how the 2014 and 1984 measure up in the shoes of two 13-year old Andrew Aljancics.

Let’s start with the footwear.  Flip-flops ruled for both eras, with about a 15-year break in between.  Did any guys wear them in the 90’s?  Maybe the ladies did, but I seem to remember the sandals of the 1970’s making their comeback during Bill Clinton’s tenure.

Here is an enormous difference in the last 30 years.  In ’84, I could take $15 to Tournoux’s Sporting Goods, buy a pair of Chuck Taylor Converse All-Star low-tops in just about any color of the rainbow…

 

…and still leave with $5 in my pocket.  My son, on the other hand, wears socks that cost $15.  FOR ONE PAIR!   OF SOCKS!  But I am happy to say that Chuck Taylor stompers are still considered pretty hip nowadays…at no less than $40 a pair!

The daily ritual of hanging with your core group of buds is another common thread of Drew and me. Sleeping in has not gone out of style, and I have to give my son a pat on the back for usually being up by 9:30 am.  I seem to remember being an 11 am rise & shine guy.

CLICK HERE TO READ PART 2

Follow the author on twitter:  @macaljancic

You can also e-mail him:  macaljancic@yahoo.com

 

Lebron James is one of those world class elite athletes whose performance on the athletic field has the power draw the eyes of the hard-core sports fan, the casual viewer, and just about everyone in between.  Few athletes in the past three decades have had that view magnetism. Three pop into my mind:

Be Like Mike

 Iron Mike

Iron Hitter Tiger (and alleged 6-Iron Hittee) 

It’s hard to come up with anyone else.  You could argue for a few NFL superstars–Joe Montana, Peyton Manning, and Barry Sanders come to mind—but I think football viewers are drawn to elite teams and the sport itself far above individual performances. 

Where Lebron has taken sports superstardom to a new level is in his ability to attract off-season attention.  ‘Ability’ is probably the wrong word.  Many athletes have had the ability to attract off-season attention, most always due to poor decisions—see Tyson and Tiger.  ‘Methodology’ is likely a better word.  Lebron and his advisors have brilliantly held the mid-summer weeks hostage not once, but twice, as he pursued free agency.  First, in 2010, which ended with ‘The Decision’.  Then came this July, culminating with ‘The Letter’.  The hype/coverage/speculation for both were off the charts.  This is even my 4th straight blog on him!

LBJ’s choice in both situations could be considered safe picks.  Four years ago, he chose the Heat for a relatively easy path to winning and championships.  Eight days ago, he chose the Cavs for a relatively easy path to positive popularity and elevating his image.  That move has a beautiful combination of homecoming, redemption, and underdog status to take the Lebron brand to another level.

But each choice can also be looked at as a huge risk.  By heading to the Heat, Lebron took a great chance of destroying his image not only by forsaking his home, but by also by both taking the easy way out to winning and taking a sidekick role to Dwayne Wayne. That roll of the dice paid off handsomely.  He got two rings to help his legacy, and his image had more than recovered from that previous plunge, due to both his amazing talents and class to which he has carried himself.

I will say that his move back to the Cavaliers is an even bigger risk. Championships seemed inevitable when he chose the crystal clear beaches of Miami.  In Cleveland, the forecast of bringing an NBA championship is as murky as the water of Lake Erie.  And that’s just looking at the Cavs’ current roster of youth and inexperience.  Adding on the heavy burden of Cleveland’s longevity of losing in all sports makes the journey all the more arduous.

But the enormous difficulty in Lebron’s upcoming NBA adventure in Ohio is why it was the right move.  I have to believe that LBJ’s ultimate athletic goal to be the G.O.A.T.—Greatest of All Time.  His move to Miami was the safe choice to elevate his status on the unofficial ‘top players in NBA history’ list because he would earn the multiple rings.  He likely will end up on the NBA’s Mount Rushmore (top 4 of all time–sounds like a good blog). But that safe choice also made the quest for Michael Jordan’s #1 spot pretty much out of reach.

Coming back to the Cavaliers puts the G.O.A.T. back on the table.  Ending the well-known Cleveland 50-year championship drought (my dad was at that 1964 win over the Colts!) would likely carry the weight of at least three rings anywhere else and all but eliminate the stigma of accepting the ‘sidekick’ role to win in Miami.

So Dan Gilbert and Chris Grant (Cavs owner and general manager, respectively), LBJ put all his chips on the Wine and Gold.  Now it’s your turn.  In Lebron’ first term, the Cavs’ shooting accuracy was worse than the a James Bond villain (I pat myself on the back for that simile.  By the way, think about how many bullets have missed 007 in the 24 movies he has been in).  Let’s do a role call of the Cavs off-targets:  Larry Hughes, Antawn Jamison, Shaquille O’Neal, Mo Williams, Ben Wallace, and my wife’s favorite:

Wally Szczerbiak!!!  Sorry, Wally, but in Beth’s eyes, you are a distant runner-up to this guy:

Not to mention this guy.

 

I don’t think even Brady Quinn can hang with 13-year-old me!

Sorry for getting off track.  Back to the LBJ/Cavs story.

So do you trade the potential of #1 pick Andrew Wiggins for the all-star talents of Kevin Love?  That’s a tough question.  The latest rumor is not only Wiggins but also last year’s #1 pick Anthony Bennett (who I think is going redeem himself this year due to much better health) along with next year’s first round pick.  I would stamp a big ‘NO’ on that ticket.  I know that 50-year drought is hanging in the air, but give it a little time, Cavs.  Don’t look desparate.  Try to play a little ‘hard to get’.  Cleveland has a hot hand right now.  Check out these two cards we picked up in the last few months:

   

I think the time is now to reverse the fleecing we took the last two times we were involved in superstar trades.  Do you remember what we got for these two Cy Young Award Winners?

Maybe Minnesota maybe take Anthony Bennett, Ira Newble and ‘Hot Rod’ Williams?  I can always dream!

Follow the author on twitter:  @macaljancic

You can also e-mail him:  macaljancic@yahoo.com

 

The Lebron roller coaster continues.  I won’t get into all of the details.  If you care at all, you know most of the details and rumors.

My biggest concern is the actions of the Cleveland fan base.  From listening to radio talk shows as well as having conversations with people, I think Lebron’s status had improved greatly in the last year or two.

Early this week, when it started getting out that he was coming, people were overjoyed, and even a little cocky.

As the week went on and rumors were that he might stay in Miami, I started seeing some of the ‘jilted girlfriend/boyfriend’ reactions starting to come out.

However it plays out, remember the paraphrased words of Ron Burgundy:

 & CLEVELAND!!!!!!

Lebron James.  Can he get the world buzzing or what?  Think back 15 years ago to his high school days at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary’s.  His games were like rock concerts.  I seem to remember Shaq at his peak as a L.A. Laker coming to the Canton Fieldhouse to watch LBJ play.  St. V’s games were on ESPN.  I remember going to the state tournament and watching middle-aged men act like teenage girls seeing the Beatles (or in this era, One Direction).  These guys were carrying copies of Sports Illustrated (the one with Lebron on the cover) just in case they had the chance for an autograph.  From a 16-year-old kid.

Once the NBA came calling, ‘Lebron-mania’ reached all the corners of the globe.  ESPN probably named its first child after him.  Well, at least the middle name.  And going to a Cavs game at the Q was a major event.  A social event.  It was the place to be.

Then came ‘The Decision’.  In case you forgot, let me explain the facts.  A 25-year old young man had just finished his 7^th year with the same team, and at that point, earned the right to choose what team he wanted to play for.  And he decided to switch to another team that he correctly felt had a better shot of winning.

If someone who had no idea who Lebron was just read that last paragraph, he or she would probably say ‘good for him’ and think nothing more of it.  That’s probably the rational way of thinking of it.

But sports and rational thinking are rarely seen in the same zip code.  The venom that rained down on Lebron for making that decision could probably even melt those fat free, perfectly square and orange imitation cheese slices.

I admit to being angry about it, and I relished the Heat’s loss in the NBA finals to Dallas the next year.  But listening to local sports talk shows in the four years since he has left, I cringe at the spiteful, hateful words of some callers and hosts!

Lebron is about to make another decision about where he will be playing.  As the rumor mills fan the flames of a possible return to Cleveland, the hype on talk shows, ESPN, and even casual conversations is burning hotter than a 4th of July fireworks grand finale.  When he finally shares his choice, Northeast Ohio is either gonna look like the day that World War II ended…

 

Or it might be like one of big city riots after their team loses (or even wins) a championship game…

I might be underestimating a bit, though.

I am betting there would be a Zombie apocalypse.

Whatever reaction it is, it will all depend on a decision of a 29-year-old man to make a career location change or not.  How about that for pressure? When pondering a career change that might better my life as well as my family’s, I don’t usually have to worry about deeply offending millions of people.  

Sports are a beautiful element of society, and can bring great joy to participants and fans.

But sports also can squeeze out the deepest, darkest ugliness in our human nature.  Like being at a pro game and watching human being in the stands scream at, curse at, demean, and degrade another human being just because he is on a playing surface wearing a uniform. And I am not just talking about that dirty drunk guy.  I have seen it from the typical person that we run into every day.  Its like being at a zoo and seeing some low life torment a caged animal.  When & why did society make this behavior acceptable?

And this behavior, of course, is not restricted to pro games.  No field or gym is safe from this plague.  Whether it’s a big-time college football game or a small-time 8-year-old baseball game, you are bound to run one or more of the following:  fans yelling at opposing players.  Coaches yelling at refs.  Parents yelling at their kids.  Fans yelling at refs.  Coaches yelling at players.  Parents yelling at coaches.  Fans yelling at fans.  Fans yelling at their own players.  Sports brings out passion, and that passion often takes a turn for the worse.  At high school football games, I often try to sit on the opposite side of my team to avoid hearing some of this ugliness directed at the kids that I know.  I remember sitting at a recent play-off team and hearing a grandma scream at her team every time a play went bad.  This was 75-year old yelling at unpaid 16-year old kids trying their hardest to play a game. A very physically demanding, difficult game.

I have received some harsh words as a player, coach, and, especially, as a referee/umpire.  In fact, I think the next amendment to the Constitution should be that every sports fan should be required to perform 10 hours of community service as a ref.  For those of you that have done that service, it is not near as easy as it looks.  If you get every call correct, you are still gonna have at least 50% of the fans mad at you!

Unfortunately, I have to admit that I have been guilty of dishing out some of those harsh words as well.  I am a human, just like all of you out there.  All of us can let our emotions get the best of us.  But I am sure all of us like to be treated with respect.  And in most areas of our lives, we try to treat others with respect.  We are allowed to carry that respectful mentality to sports.  And we have seen many great examples of that in big time and small time sporting events.

So whatever the outcome of this latest Lebron decision, or even the call of that 15-year old umpire on a close play at the plate, remember the words of the drill sergeant in the 1981 Bill Murray movie, Stripes:

The big question in the sports world right now is WWLBJD:  What Will Lebron James Do?  Turn to any ESPN channel and you won’t be able to go more than a couple minutes without seeing a ‘breaking news’/’latest news’/’expert analysis’ piece to keep the hype going.  Tune into Cleveland radio talk shows and you get about the same thing, along with phone calls from someone that knows Lebron’s mom/ agent/ buddy/ chef/ mailman/ barber/ trainer/ garbage man/ 3^rd grade coach that says that Lebron is coming back.

 

Oh well.  I might as well jump in this rushing current and give my own NON-EXPERT analysis of this media hurricane.  Here is my argument list (mostly my opinion with a few facts mixed in) for my readers as well as for Lebron himself (since I am sure he is combing the Times Reporter website on a daily basis):

1.  I am a lifelong Cavs fan.

2.  Lebron did a phenomenal job carrying the Cavs to greatness while he was here.

3.  The Cavs had 61 regular season wins Lebron’s last year.  They won 19 the next year.

4.  61-19 = 42.  A 42 –GAME DIFFERENCE WITHOUT LEBRON!!!

5.  Lebron had a terrible game 5 vs. the Celtics in his last play-off series with the Cavs.  And his effort in that pivotal game was very suspicious.

6.  I was angry when Lebron left.

7.  If I were advising Lebron back then, I would have told him to leave.  The Cavs were not able to surround him with a good enough supporting cast for him to win championships.  In his last game, the second best player was Delonte West.  Yeah.  That Delonte West.  Feel free to insert various jokes right now if you want.  If Lebron stayed, his results would likely have been about the same in following years. Shoulder the enormous load until a superior team ganged up on him to shut him down.

8. If I were advising Lebron back then, I would have told him not to go to Miami.  By joining the Heat, it appeared that he couldn’t handle the leader role and had to be Dwayne Wade’s sidekick.  It also looked like he felt the only way he could win was to stack his team.  And anyone who has played sports, organized or pick-up, knows that move is garbage.  Unless, of course, you are on the  stacked team!

9. If I were advising Lebron back then, I would have told Lebron to go to Chicago.  He would have been the alpha-dog with a great sidekick in Derrick Rose, as well as a solid coach and supporting cast.

10. If I were advising Lebron back then, I would have told him not to do the Decision (as would have just about anyone else in hindsight).  In his defense, I will say that I do understand the mentality to do it.  According to ESPN, that show raised over 3 million dollars for charity.  THREE MILLION DOLLARS.  That sounds pretty good when you & your advisors are sitting around debating the pros and cons.  Plus, if you remember, the hype was enormous leading to that show.  And pro athletes love hype.

11.  Dan Gilbert’s reponse letter to the Decision was embarrassing, and a much poorer decision.  He is multi-millionaire NBA owner, not some yahoo adding an anonymous comment at the bottom of a  webpage (or trying to write a ‘Sports Smack with Mac’ blog!)

12.  Winning solves a lot of problems.

13.  Time solves a lot of problems.  Long-term vision trumps short-term panic just about every time.

14.  The Media (and society in general) does not like to give things time to play out.

15.  Crock pot meals are infinitely better than microwave meals.  Once again, long-term over short-term!

16.  Four years later, Lebron’s decision to go to Miami ended up being a good one.  He has two rings, and his legend legacy is on the right track.

17.  If Lebron went to the Bulls, he would have likely had the same results or better.

18.  Losing causes a lot of problems.  A few bad games against a super San Antonio team last month has Miami ready for a possible shake-up.

19.  Lebron is the best athlete ever to live.

20.  Losing causes a lot of problems.  See the Cleveland Cavaliers

21.  While you are in the Cleveland aisle, check out the Cleveland Browns to support point #20.

22.  Correction from #19.  Lebron is not the best athlete ever to live.  He could be someday.  Michael Jordan is the best athlete to ever live.

23.  Let me clarify point #22.  For the term ‘athlete’, I consider winning and performance under pressure as big factors.   That was a struggle for LBJ.  He has definitely improved in the those areas.  But he is no Jordan yet.  Or Jesse Owens.  Or Babe Ruth.  Or Jack Nicklaus.  Or Joe Montana.

24.  Lebron is the most athletic human ever.  Bo Jackson and Jim Brown could make an argument, but look at Lebron.  Not only is he 6’8”, but he is strong, has a thick, muscular build, is very fast, and also is shifty and agile.  Give him time to train and he probably would be amazing in most every sport.  I know he would be an all-pro in the NFL.  I wonder how he would look at the 2018 World Cup with four years of training?  He already has the flopping thing down!

25.  Lebron is a very classy athlete and a good role model.  Besides the Decision, is there much you can criticize about his character?  He is clean off the court.  On the court, he is unselfish (to a fault sometimes) and very hard working.  Probably the best defender in the league.

26.  Putting arguments #6, #13, & #25 together, I now would be more than happy for my sons to be Lebron fans again.

27.  I couldn’t say #26 a couple years ago.

 

 

So……………

 

If I were advising Lebron now, I would tell him to……..

 

28.  Re-sign with the Heat.

 

29.  Re-sign for just one year.

 

30. Re-sign for just one year and see how the Cavs, Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters, and Andrew Wiggins progress this upcoming season.

 

31.  In the summer of 2015, buy your favorite sports blogger/fictional advisor (I am referring to me) and his wife a trip to Hawaii for their 20^th wedding anniversary.

 

32.  In the summer of 2015, re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

 

33.  Referring back to argument #1, just skip #28-30 just go directly to #32 right now.

 

34.  AT ALL COSTS, DO NOT SKIP #31!!!

 

The unquestioned holy trinity of the American sports universe is football, basketball, & baseball.  I cannot remember a time in my 43-year old life when that was not true.

 

But can you name the three major pro sports of the first half of the 20^th century?  I will give you a hint:  only one of those three current majors made the list.  That, of course would be America’s pastime, baseball.

 

What would be the other two???

 

One was horseracing.  Seabiscuit.  War Admiral.  Secretariat.  The Kentucky Derby.

 

Now can you name any horse in the last few years other than maybe the one that was going for the triple crown this year?  (If you don’t know, that would be California Chrome).  This so-called ‘sport of kings’ has definitely fallen greatly off its once lofty perch.

 

The other major sport would be the sweet science: boxing.  Boxing long ago lost its ‘major’ status to those team sports.  But it always had a pretty bright spotlight held to it. Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Mike Tyson, George Foreman, and Evander Hollifield are some of the biggest names from my lifetime.  But the flames of those careers have long been extinguished.  How many current boxers can you name?  That answer, or, to be more precise, lack of answers, shows how much boxing has slid this century, with a big punch to the gut from MMA.

 

The fall of those two sports shows how the popularity of a sport, like anything, is not written in stone.

 

I graduated high school 25 years ago in 1989 (man, I am getting old!).  Here would be my unscientific ranking of the most popular sports back in my high school days of the late 1980s:
1.  Football.  TV & the Super Bowl gave the pigskin the yearbook popularity crown by the 1970s, and it was still the ‘belle of the ball’ as Joe Montana and the 49ers ruled the gridiron.

2.  Baseball.  Here is a stat for you:  in a 1985 Harris Poll, 24% chose the NFL as their top sport, while 23% chose Major League Baseball.  I wonder what the 2014 poll showed?

3.  Basketball.  Bird and Magic were passing the torch to Jordan, which firmly entrenched hoops into the #3 spot after being on shaky ground to start the decade.  Magic Johnson’s famous game 6 performance in the 1980 NBA finals when Kareem was out with a bad ankle was actually on tape delay! (kids, ask your parents for an explanation).

4.  Boxing:  remember that Mike Tyson was indestructible machine back then.  And that’s not factoring in the ‘Punchout’ Nintendo game he was in!  I chipped in some money to buy pay-per-view at my buddy’s house in 1988 to watch Tyson destroy Michael Spinks in 91 seconds.  And the famous Marvin Hagler-Sugar Ray Leonard fight was the year before.

5.  Tennis.  Tennis was starting to slide after a huge rush in the 1970s and 80s with Bjorn Borg/John McEnroe/Jimmy Connors rivalry, not to mention Chris Evert vs. Martina Navratolova.  Big names in the late 80s included Ivan Lendl, Boris Becker, and Steffi Graf.

6.  Hockey?  It’s always been the 4^th team sport.  The question is, where did/does it fit with the other sports?  Wayne Gretzky was big, but the Miracle on Ice glow of 1980 was long gone by now.  Not having a team in Ohio definitely tainted my interests, but it didn’t seem to be too big of a deal in our nation.

7.  Golf.  Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson were about done, and golf was lacking a big draw.  Greg Norman was knocking on that door, though.  Well, except for  Larry Mize and Bob Tway and their miracle chip ins to steal back-to-back majors from the ‘Great White Shark’.

8.  Indy Car Racing:  remember that the Indy 500 used to be a BIG deal in May.

9.  NASCAR Racing.  It was definitely still more of a Southern sport then.

10.  Horse Racing?  Ice Skating?  Bowling?  Australian Rules Football?  I loved the WWF, but sorry, there was a  rumor going around that is was fake.

 

I know one thing.  Soccer would not be on the list.  At least the outdoor version.  Indoor soccer, though, made its mark in Northeast Ohio in the 80s.  The Cleveland Force had their moment in the sun.  I seem to remember being pretty emotionally involved watching a play-off series on TV (vs. their rivals, the Baltimore Blast??)  And the Canton Invaders packed in the Civic Center for a few years.

 

But Outdoor soccer?  Other than the name, Pele, soccer was not even on the American Sports Radar 25 years ago.  I was a huge sports junkie then, and I don’t even remember knowing if the World Cup existed.

 

How times have changed.  Stay tuned for part 2 where we discuss the current popularity list and Soccer’s rise up the charts.