NCAA

5 Comments Posted on July 30, 2015September 12, 2015 #TBT Year in Review

#TBT Year in Review: 2007

In the year that doesn’t feel like it was 8 years ago…

Steve Jobs announced the first generation iPhone.
J.K. Rowlings releases “Harry Potter and The Deathly Hollows”, the fastest selling book ever.
Track Star Marion Jones surrendered her 5 Olympic gold medals after admitting to doping.
Legendary 49ers head coach Bill Walsh passed away at the age of 75.
4-time Best Drama Series Emmy award winning Mad Men premiered.

(Fingers crossed for Jon Hamm this year) And here’s the what happened in Movies, Music and Sports…

Movies

Comedy

Knocked Up, Superbad, Enchanted, Blades of Glory, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Hot Fuzz, Juno, Evan Almighty, Balls of Fury, Good Luck Chuck, Hot Rod, Death at a Funeral, Lars and the Real Girl, Epic Movie, Wild Hogs, The Game Plan, The Heartbreak Kid, Who’s Your Caddy?, Dan in Real Life, Fred Clause, The Bucket List, Mr. Woodcock, License to Wed, AND…

The Simpsons Movie

Action

The Bourne Ultimatum, Grindhouse, Zodiac, Live Free or Die Hard, Transformers, I Am Legend, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, The Kingdom, Sweeney Todd, Hitman, Death Sentence, 28 Weeks Later, Disturbia, Spiderman 3, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, Hannibal Rising, The Mist, Fracture, Ghost Rider, The Condemned, Vacancy, Rush Hour 3, War, Funny Games, Paranormal Activity, Mr. Brooks, The Hitcher, Resident Evil: Extinction AND…

Shooter

Drama

Into the Wild, Gone Baby Gone, Atonement, There Will Be Blood, American Gangster, Michael Clayton, Reign Over Me, Charlie Wilson’s War, The Visitor, The Girl Next Door, Premonition, We Own The Night, 3:10 To Yuma, In the Valley of Elah, PS. I Love You, The Lookout, Across the Universe, The Invisible, Breach, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, The Man From Earth, Control, Evening, Trade, Rendition, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Eastern Promises AND…

No Country For Old Men

The 80th Academy Awards

Best Actor

George Clooney, Michael Clayton
Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd
Tommy Lee Jones, In the Valley of Elah
Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood – Winner

(This was the 2nd of Daniel Day-Lewis’s 3 Best Actor Oscar wins)

Best Supporting Actor

Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton
Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson’s War
Hal Holbrook, Into the Wild
Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men – Winner

(It was Javier Bardem’s first win out of 3 Oscar nominations)

Best Actress

Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie, Away From Her
Laura Linney, The Savages
Ellen Page, Juno
Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose – Winner

(Marion Cotillard has been nominated twice for Best Leading Actress. This was her first win)

Best Supporting Actress

Cate Blanchett, I’m Not There
Ruby Dee, American Gangster
Saoirse Ronan, Atonement
Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton – Winner

(Swinton is batting 1.000 going one-for-one in Oscar nominations and awards, so far)

Best Picture

Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
There Will Be Blood
No Country For Old Men – Winner

(Won 4 of the 8 Oscars it was nominated, including Best Writing and Directing)

Music

Rock Albums

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Hip Hop Albums

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Pop Albums

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Billboard Year-End Top 25

01. “Irreplaceable” – Beyonce

02. “Umbrella” – Rihanna

03. “The Sweet Escape” – Gwen Stefani and Akon

04. “Big Girls Don’t Cry” – Fergie

05. “Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin’)” – T-Pain featuring Young Joc

06. “Before He Cheats” – Carrie Underwood

07. “Hey There Delilah” – Plain White T’s

08. “I Wanna Love You” – Akon featuring Snoop Dogg

09. “Say It Right” – Nelly Furtado

10. “Glamorous” – Fergie featuring Ludacris

11. “Don’t Matter” – Akon

12. “Girlfriend” – Avril Lavigne

13. “Makes Me Wonder” – Maroon 5

14. “Party Like a Rockstar” – Shop Boyz

15. “Smack That” – Akon featuring Eminem

16. “This Is Why I’m Hot” – Mims

17. “It’s Not Over” – Daughtry

18. “The Way I Are” – Timbaland featuring Keri Hilson

19. “Fergalicious” – Fergie featuring will.i.am.

20. “Crank That (Soulja Boy) – Soulja Boy Tell’em

21. “Give It To Me” – Timbaland featuring Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake

22. “What Goes Around…Comes Around” – Justin Timberlake

23. “Cupid’s Chokehold” – Gym Class Heroes featuring Patrick Stump

24. “How To Save A Life” – The Fray

25. “Home” – Daughtry

Sports

Baseball

League Leaders

Offensive

Average: Magglio Ordonez (DET) – .363

Hits: Ichiro Suzuki (SEA) – 238

Home Runs: Alex Rodriguez (NYY) – 54

RBI: Alex Rodriguez (NYY) – 156

OPS: Alex Rodriguez (NYY) – 1.067

Stolen Bases: Jose Reyes (NYM) – 78

Pitching

Wins: Josh Beckett (BOS) – 20

ERA: Jake Peavy (SD) – 2.54

Strikeouts: Jake Peavy (SD) – 240

Complete Games: Roy Halladay (TOR) – 7

Shutouts: Brandon Webb (AZ) – 3

Saves: Jose Valverde (AZ) – 47

MVP

AL – Alex Rodriguez (NYY)

NL – Jimmy Rollins (PHI)

CY Young

AL – CC Sabathia (CLE) NL – Jake Peavy (SD)

Rookie of the Year

AL – Dustin Pedroia (BOS)

NL – Ryan Braun (MIL)

World Series

Boston Red Sox sweep the Colorado Rockies (4-0)

Basketball

NCAA

Final Four

(1) Florida, (1) Ohio State, (2) Georgetown, (2) UCLA

National Championship

(1) Florida over (1) Ohio State 84-75

NBA

League Leaders

Points Per Game: Kobe Bryant (LAL) – 31.6

Rebounds Per Game: Kevin Garnett (MIN) – 12.8

Assists Per Game: Steve Nash (PHX) – 11.6

All-NBA Team

Kobe Bryant (LAL)

Tim Duncan (SA)

Steve Nash (PHX)

Dirk Nowitzki (DAL)

Amar’e Stoudamire (PHX)

MVP – Dirk Nowitzki (DAL)

Rookie of the Year – Brandon Roy (POR)

NBA Finals

San Antionio Spurs sweep Cleveland Cavaliers (4-0)

Football

NCAA

Heisman Trophy – Tim Tebow, Florida

BCS National Title

(2) LSU over (1) Ohio State 38-24 in the Sugar Bowl

NFL

League Leaders

Passing Yards: Tom Brady (NE) – 4,806

Passing Touchdowns: Tom Brady (NE) – 50

Passer Rating: Tom Brady (NE) – 117.2

Rushing Yards: LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) – 1,474

Rushing Touchdowns: LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) – 15

Receiving Yards: Reggie Wayne (IND) – 1,510

Receiving Touchdowns: Randy Moss (NE) – 23

Receptions: T.J. Houshmandzadeh (CIN) & Wes Welker (NE) – 112

AP MVP: Tom Brady (NE)

Super Bowl XLII

New York Giants over New England Patriots 17-14

Hockey

League Leaders

Goals: Vincent Lecavalier (TB) – 52

Assists: Joe Thornton (SJ) – 92

Points: Sidney Crosby (PIT) – 120

Hart Memorial Trophy: Sidney Crosby (PIT)

Stanley Cup

Anaheim Ducks over Ottawa Senators (4-1)

Did I miss anything? Let me know on Twitter @Mike_PiFF03.

Also checkout past #TBT Years in Review.

2011

2006

2005

1999

1998

1992

1989

1988

1987

7 Comments Posted on July 16, 2015September 12, 2015 #TBT Year in Review

#TBT Year in Review: 1988

In the year that Michael Jordan took flight…

The Winter Olympics were held in Alberta, Canada.
The Supreme Court sided with Larry Flynt in the Hustler vs. Falwell case.
George H.W. Bush was elected President of the United States.
The first “World AIDS Day” was held on December 1st.
The NBA’s youngest MVP, Derrick Rose, was born.

And here’s what else happened in Movies, Music, and Sports…

Movies

Comedy

Beetlejuice, Big, A Fish Called Wanda, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad, The Great Outdoors, Bull Durham, Hairspray, Heathers, Working Girl, Midnight Run, Punchline, Twins, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Earth Girls are Easy, My Stepmother is an Alien, Mystic Pizza, Scrooged, Crocodile Dundee II, Big Top Pee-Wee, She’s Having a Baby, Short Circuit 2, I’m Gonna Git You Sucka, AND…

Coming to America

Action/Thriller

Young Guns, Rambo III, Child’s Play, They Live, Frantic, The Dead Pool, Red Heat, Dead Ringers, The Vanishing, Action Jackson, Off Limits, D.O.A., Tequila Sunrise, Spellbinder, Halloween 4, Shoot to Kill, Shakedown, The Bourne Identity, Friday the 13th VII, Maniac Cop, The Presidio, Bloodsport AND…

Die Hard

Drama

Cocktail, Willow, The Accused, Dangerous Liaisons, Beaches, The Last Temptation of Christ, Evil Angels, The Accidental Tourist, Mississippi Burning, Dead Solid Perfect, Eight Men Out, And God Created Woman, Another Woman, Patty Hearst, Betrayed, Bright Lights Big City, Torch Song Trilogy, Stealing Home, The Moderns, Sweethearts Dance, Cocoon: The Return, A Summer Story, Running on Empty, Bird, Stand and Deliver, Colors, Gorillas in the Mist, AND…

Rain Man

The 61st Academy Awards

Best Actor

Gene Hackman, Mississippi Burning
Tom Hanks, Big
Edward James Olmos, Stand and Deliver
Max von Sydow, Pelle the Conquerer
Dustin Hoffman, Rain Man – Winner

It was Dustin Hoffman’s second Oscars win after Kramer vs. Kramer in 1980 out of 7 nominations.

Best Supporting Actor

Alec Guinness, Little Dorrit
Martin Landau, Tucker The Man and His Dream
River Phoenix, Running on Empty
Dean Stockwell, Married to the Mob
Kevin Kline, A Fish Called Wanda – Winner

Kline is 1-for-1 at the Oscars

Best Actress

Glenn Close, Dangerous Liaisons
Melanie Griffith, Working Girl
Meryl Streep, A Cry in the Dark
Sigourney Weaver, Gorillas in the Mist
Jodie Foster, The Accused – Winner

Of 4 nominations, this was Jodie Fosters first of 2 Oscar wins.

Best Supporting Actress

Joan Cusack, Working Girl
Frances McDormand, Mississippi Burning
Michelle Pfeiffer, Dangerous Liaisons
Sigourney Weaver, Working Girl
Geena Davis, The Accidental Tourist – Winner

Geena Davis has won 1 out of 2 nominations, the second for Thelma and Louise.

Best Picture

The Accidental Tourist
Dangerous Liaisons
Mississippi Burning
Working Girl
Rain Man – Winner

Rain Man won 4 of the 8 Academy Awards it was nominated for, including Best Director and Best Writing.

Music

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Hip Hop Albums

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Pop Music

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Billboard Year-End Top 25

01. “Faith” – George Michael

02. “Need You Tonight” – INXS

03. “Got My Mind Set On You” – George Harrison

04. “Never Gonna Give You Up” – Rick Astley

05. “Sweet Child o’ Mine” – Guns N’ Roses

06. “So Emotional” – Whitney Houston

07. “Heaven is a Place on Earth” – Belinda Carlisle

08. “Could’ve Been” – Tiffany

09. “Hands to Heaven” – Breathe

10. “Roll with It” – Steve Winwood

11. “One More Try” – George Michael

12. “Wishing Well” – Terrence Trent D’Arby

13. “Anything For You” – Gloria Estefan

14. “The Flame” – Cheap Trick

15. “Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car” – Billy Ocean

16. “Seasons Change” – Expose

17. “Is This Love” – Whitesnake

18. “Wild, Wild West” – The Escape Club

19. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Def Lepard

20. “I’ll Always Love You” – Taylor Dayne

21. “Man in the Mirror” – Michael Jackson

22. “Shake Your Love” – Debbie Gibson

23. “Simply Irresistible” – Robert Palmer

24. “Hold On To The Nights” – Richard Marx

25. “Hungry Eyes” – Eric Carmen

Sports

Baseball

League Leaders:

Offensive

Average: Wade Boggs (BOS) – .366

Hits: Kirby Pucket (MIN) – 234

Home Runs: Jose Canseco (OAK) – 42

RBI: Jose Canseco (OAK) – 124

OPS: Wade Boggs (BOS) – .965

Stolen Bases: Rickey Henderson (NYY) – 93

Pitching

Wins: Frank Viola (MIN) – 24

ERA: Joe Magrane (STL) – 2.18

Strikeouts: Roger Clemens (BOS) – 291

Complete Games: Danny Jackson (CIN) & Orel Hershiser (LAD) – 15

Shutouts: Orel Hershiser (LAD) & Roger Clemens (BOS) – 8

Saves: Dennis Eckersley (OAK) – 45

MVP

AL – Jose Canseco (OAK)

NL – Kirk Gibson (LAD)

CY Young

AL – Frank Viola (MIN)

NL – Orel Hershiser (LAD)

Rookie of the Year

AL – Walt Weiss (OAK)

NL – Chris Sabo (CIN)

World Series

Los Angeles Dodgers over Oakland Athletics (4-1)

Basketball

NCAA

Final Four:

(1) Oklahoma, (1) Arizona, (2) Duke and (6) Kansas

National Championship

(6) Kansas over (1) Oklahoma 83-79

NBA

League Leaders

Points Per Game: Michael Jordan (CHI) – 35.0

Rebounds Per Game: Michael Cage (LAC) – 13.0

Assists Per Game: John Stockton (UTAH) – 13.8

All-NBA Team

Charles Barkley (PHI)

Larry Bird (BOS)

Magic Johnson (LAL)

Michael Jordan (CHI)

Hakeem Olajuwon (HOU)

MVP – Michael Jordan (CHI)

Rookie of the Year – Mark Jackson (NY)

NBA Finals

Los Angeles Lakers over Detroit Pistons (4-3)

Football

NCAA

Heisman Trophy: Barry Sanders (Oklahoma State)

National Championship

Notre Dame over West Virginia 34-21 in the Fiesta Bowl

NFL

League Leaders

Passing Yards: Dan Marino (MIA) – 4,434

Passing Touchdowns: Jim Everett (LAR) – 31

Passer Rating: Boomer Esiason (CIN) – 97.4

Rush Yards: Eric Dickerson (IND) – 1,659

Rush Touchdowns: Greg Ball (LAR) – 16

Receiving Yards: Henry Ellard (LAR) – 1,414

Receiving Touchdowns: Mark Clayton (MIA) – 14

Receptions: Al Toon (NYJ) – 93

AP MVP: Boomer Esiason

Super Bowl XXIII

San Francisco 49ers over Cincinnati Bengals 20-16

Hockey

League Leaders

Goal: Mario Lemieux (PIT) – 70

Assists: Wayne Gretzky (EDM) – 109

Points: Mario Lemieux (PIT) – 168

Hart Memorial Trophy: Mario Lemieux (PIT)

Stanley Cup

Edmonton Oilers over Boston Bruins (4-0)

Did I miss anything? Let me know on Twitter @Mike_PiFF03.

Also checkout past #TBT Years in Review.

2011

2006

2005

1999

1998

1992

1989

1987

7 Comments Posted on July 9, 2015September 12, 2015 #TBT Year in Review

#TBT Year in Review: 1999

As we waited to see what would happen when Y2K hit…

The Sopranos debuted on HBO.
President Bill Clinton was acquitted in impeachment proceedings.
Sega Dreamcast was released in North America,
George Harrison was attacked at his home in Friar Park.
Wilt Chamberlain passed away at the age of 63.

And here’s what happened in the worlds of Movies, Music, and Sports…

Movies

Comedy

American Pie, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, 10 Things I Hate About You, Notting Hill, Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, Being John Malkovich, She’s All That, Big Daddy, Galaxy Quest, South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut, Never Been Kissed, Dogma, Stuart Little, Blue Streak, Analyze This, Jawbreaker, Bowfinger, Dick, Idle Hands, Mystery Men, Life, Drive Me Crazy, EDtv, Detroit Rock City, The Bachelor, Superstar, AND…

Office Space

Action/Thriller

The Sixth Sense, The Matrix, Three Kings, The Boondock Saints, End of Days, Deep Blue Sea, The Insider, Universal Soldier: The Return, A Murder of Crows, 8mm, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Double Jeopardy, Instinct, The Bone Collector, The World is Not Enough, The Ninth Gate, Arlington Road, Chill Factor, True Crime, Payback, Resurrection, Stigmata, The Mod Squad, Entrapment, The Astronaut’s Wife, The Rage: Carrie 2, AND…

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Drama

Fight Club, American Beauty, Eyes Wide Shut, Bicentennial Man, Boys Don’t Cry, Anna and the King, Girl Interrupted, Animal Farm, 200 Cigarettes, The Virgin Suicides, October Sky, Great Expectations, Onegin, Flawless, The Hurricane, Brokedown Palace, Magnolia, Cruel Intentions, Random Hearts, All About My Mother, The Winslow Boy, Varsity Blues, The Cider House Rules, The Deep End of the Ocean, Tuesdays with Morrie, Black and White, AND…

The Green Mile

The 72nd Academy Awards

Best Actor

Russell Crowe, The Insider
Richard Farnsworth, The Straight Story
Sean Penn, Sweet and Lowdown
Denzel Washington, The Hurricane
Kevin Spacey, American Beauty – Winner

(Spacey’s 2nd Oscar. First was Best Supporting Actor in 1996 for The Usual Suspects)

Best Supporting Actor

Michael Clarke Duncan, The Green Mile
Jude Law, The Talented Mr. Ripley
Haley Joel Osment, The Sixth Sense
Tom Cruise, Magnolia
Michael Caine, The Cider House Rules – Winner

(Caine’s 2nd win out of 6 nominations.)

Best Actress

Annette Benning, American Beauty
Janet McTeer, Tumbleweeds
Julianne Moore, The End of the Affair
Meryl Streep, Music of the Heart
Hilary Swank, Boys Don’t Cry – Winner

(This was Swank’s first of two Oscar nominations and awards.)

Best Supporting Actress

Toni Collette, The Sixth Sense
Catherine Keener, Being John Malkovich
Samantha Morton, Sweet and Lowdown
Chloe Sevigny, Boys Don’t Cry
Angelina Jolie, Girl Interrupted – Winner

(Jolie has also won the Humanitarian Academy Award in 2014)

Best Picture

The Cider House Rules
The Green Mile
The Insider
The Sixth Sense
American Beauty – Winner

(American Beauty won 5 of the 8 Oscars it was nominated for.)

Music

Rock Albums

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Hip Hop Albums

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Pop Albums

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Billboard Year-End Top 25

01. “Believe” – Cher

02. “No Scrubs” – TLC

03. “Angel of Mine” – Monica

04. “Heartbreak Hotel” – Whitney Houston featuring Faith Evans and Kelly Price

05. “…Baby One More Time” – Britney Spears

06. “Kiss Me” – Sixpence None the Richer

07. “Genie in a Bottle” – Christina Aguilera

08. “Every Morning” – Sugar Ray

09. “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here” – Deborah Cox

10. “Livin’ la Vida Loca” – Ricky Martin

11. “Where My Girls At?” – 702

12. “If You Had My Love” – Jennifer Lopez

13. “Slide” – Goo Goo Dolls

14. “Have You Ever?” – Brandy

15. “I Want It That Way” – Backstreet Boys

16. “I’m Your Angel” – Celine Dion and R. Kelly

17. “All Star” – Smash Mouth

18. “Angel” – Sarah McLachlan

19. “Smooth” – Santana featuring Rob Thomas

20. “Unpretty” – TLC

21. “Bills, Bills, Bills” – Destiny’s Child

22. “Save Tonight” – Eagle-Eye Cherry

23. “Last Kiss” – Pearl Jam

24. “Fortunate” – Maxwell

25. “All I Have to Give” – Backstreet Boys

Sports

Baseball

League Leaders:

Offensive

Average: Larry Walker (COL) – .379

Hits: Derek Jeter (NYY) – 219

Home Runs: Mark McGwire (STL) – 65

RBI: Manny Ramirez (CLE) – 165

OPS: Larry Walker (COL) – 1.168

Stolen Bases: Tony Womack (AZ)

Pitching

Wins: Pedro Martinez (BOS) – 23

ERA: Pedro Martinez (BOS) – 2.07

Strikeouts: Randy Johnson (AZ) – 364

Complete Games: Randy Johnson (AZ) – 12

Shutouts: Scott Erickson (BAL) & Andy Ashby (SD) – 3

Saves: Mariano Rivera (NYY) – 45

MVP

AL – Ivan Rodriguez (TEX)

NL – Chipper Jones (ATL)

CY Young

AL – Pedro Martinez (BOS)

NL – Randy Johnson (AZ)

Rookie of the Year

AL – Carlos Beltran (KC)

NL – Scott Williamson (CIN)

World Series

New York Yankees sweep Atlanta Braves (4-0)

Basketball

NCAA

Final Four:

(1) Duke, (1) Michigan State, (4) Ohio State and (1) UConn

National Championship:

(1) UConn over (1) Duke 77-74

NBA

League Leaders

Points Per Game: Allen Iverson (PHI) – 26.8

Rebounds Per Game: Chris Webber (SAC) – 13.0

Assists Per Game: Jason Kidd (PHX) – 10.8

All-NBA Team

Tim Duncan (SA)

Allen Iverson (PHI)

Jason Kidd (PHX)

Karl Malone (UTAH)

Alonzo Mourning (MIA)

MVP – Karl Malone (UTAH)

Rookie of the Year – Vince Carter (TOR)

NBA Finals

San Antonio Spurs over New York Knicks (4-1)

Football

NCAA

Heisman Trophy:

Ron Dayne (Wisconsin)

National Championship

(1) Florida State over (2) Virginia Tech 46-29 in the Sugar Bowl

NFL

League Leaders

Passing Yards: Steve Beuerlein (CAR) – 4,436

Passing Touchdowns: Kurt Warner (STL) – 41

Passer Rating: Kurt Warner (STL) – 109.2

Rushing Yards: Edgerrin James (IND) – 1,553

Rushing Touchdowns: Stephen Davis (WAS) – 17

Receiving Yards: Marvin Harrison (IND) – 1,663

Receiving Touchdowns: Cris Carter (MIN) – 13

Receptions: Jimmy Smith (JAX) – 116

AP MVP: Kurt Warner (STL)

Super Bowl XXXIV

St. Louis Rams over Tennessee Titans 23-16

Hockey

League Leaders

Goals: Teemu Selanne (ANA) – 47

Assists: Jaromir Jagr (PIT) – 83

Points: Jaromir Jagr (PIT) – 127

Hart Memorial Trophy: Jaromir Jagr (PIT)

Stanley Cup

Dallas Stars over Buffalo Sabres (4-2)

Did I miss anything? Let me know on Twitter @Mike_PiFF03.

Also checkout past #TBT Years in Review.

2011

2006

2005

1998

1992

1989

1987

10 Comments Posted on May 14, 2015September 12, 2015 #TBT Year in Review

#TBT Year in Review: 1989

Yes, I know…

It’s the year Taylor Swift was born, but also happening in 1989…

George H.W. Bush succeeded Ronald Reagan as the 41st President of the United States.
MGM Studios at Disney World opened to the public.
The world’s first HDTV broadcasts commence in Japan
Nintendo released Game Boy portable gaming system to North America.
Pete Rose received his lifetime ban from Major League Baseball.

And here’s what we saw from the world’s of Movies, Music and Sports.

Movies

Comedy

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Back to the Future Part II, Ghostbusters II, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Parenthood, When Harry Met Sally…, Seen No Evil, Hear No Evil, Say Anything…, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Look Who’s Talking, The Burbs, Uncle Buck, Weekend at Bernie’s, Driving Miss Daisy, Turner & Hooch, Fletch Lives, Harlem Nights, Going Overboard, The War of the Roses, UHF, New York Stories, The Big Picture, Gross Anatomy, Crimes and Misdemeanors, We’re No Angels, AND…

Major League

Action/Thriller

Lethal Weapon II, Black Rain, License to Kill, The Abyss, Dead Calm, Next of Kin, Lock Up, The Punisher, Leviathan, Pet Sematary, Kickboxer, DeepStar Six, The Killer, The Package, Samurai Cop, The January Man, Cutting Class, Johnny Handsome, Halloween 5, Sea of Love, Blue Steel, Far From Home, Shotgun, Ministry of Vengeance, An Innocent Man, The Mighty Quinn, AND…

Road House

Drama

Dead Poets Society, Do The Right Thing, Glory, Steel Magnolias, My Left Foot, Casualties of War, Sex Lies and Videotape, Always, Rooftops, Born on the Fourth of July, Driving Miss Daisy, Sea of Love, Small Sacrifices, Lean On Me, Gleaming the Cube, True Believer, Scandal, Look Back in Anger, The Ryan White Story, Drugstore Cowboy, The Karen Carpenter Story, Immediate Family, Listen To Me, Dad, Music Box, AND…

Field of Dreams

The 62nd Academy Awards

Best Actor

Kenneth Branagh, Henry V
Tom Cruise, Born on the Fourth of July
Morgan Freeman, Driving Miss Daisy
Robin Williams, Dead Poets Society
Daniel Day Lewis, My Left Foot – Winner

Best Supporting Actor

Dan Aykroyd, Driving Miss Daisy
Marlon Brando, A Drive White Season
Martin Landeau, Crimes and Misdemeanors
Danny Aiello, Do the Right Thing
Denzel Washington, Glory – Winner

Best Actress

Isabelle Adjani, Camille Claudel
Pauline Collins, Shirley Valentine
Jessica Lange, Music Box
Michelle Pfeiffer, The Fabulous Baker Boys
Jessica Tandy, Driving Miss Daisy – Winner

Best Supporting Actress

Anjelica Huston, Enemies, A Love Story
Lena Olin, Enemies, A Love Story
Julia Roberts, Steel Magnolias
Dianne Wiest, Parenthood
Brenda Fricker, My Left Foot – Winner

Best Picture

Born on the Fourth of July
Dead Poets Society
Field of Dreams
My Left Foot
Driving Miss Daisy – Winner

Music

Rock Albums

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Hip Hop Albums

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Pop Albums

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Billboard Year-End Top 25

1. “Look Away” – Chicago

2. “My Prerogative” – Bobby Brown

3. “Every Rose Has It’s Thorn” – Poison

4. “Straight Up” – Paula Abdul

5. “Miss You Much” – Janet Jackson

6. “Cold Hearted” – Paula Abdul

7. “Wind Beneath My Wings” – Bette Midler

8. “Girl You Know It’s True” – Milli Vanilli

9. “Baby I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley” – Will to Power

10. “Give You The Best That I Got” – Anita Baker

11. “Right Here Waiting” – Richard Marx

12. “Waiting for a Star to Fall” – Boy Meets Girl

13. “Lost In Your Eyes” – Debbie Gibson

14. “Don’t Wanna Lose You” – Gloria Estafan

15. “Heaven” – Warrant

16. “Girl I’m Gonna Miss You” – Milli Vanilli

17. “The Look” – Roxette

18. “She Drives Me Crazy” – Fine Young Cannibals

19. “On Our Own” – Bobby Brown

20. “Two Hearts” – Phil Collins

21. “Blame It On The Rain” – Milli Vanilli

22. “Listen To Your Heart” – Roxette

23. “I’ll Be There For You” – Bon Jovi

24. “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” – Simply Red

25. “Like A Prayer” – Madonna

Sports

Baseball

League Leaders

Offensive:

Average: Kirby Puckett (MIN) – .344

Hits: Kirby Puckett (MIN) – 215

Home Runs: Kevin Mitchell (SF) – 47

RBI: Kevin Mitchell (SF) – 125

OPS: Kevin Mitchell (SF) – 1.023

Stolen Bases: Rickey Henderson (NYY & OAK) – 77

Pitching:

Wins: Bret Saberhagen (KC) – 23

ERA: Bret Saberhagen (KC) – 2.16

Strikeouts: Nolan Ryan (TEX) – 301

Complete Games: Bret Saberhagen (KC) – 12

Shutouts: Tim Belcher (LAD) – 8

Saves: Mark Davis (SD) – 44

MVP

AL – Robin Yount (MIL)

NL – Kevin Mitchell (SF)

CY Young

AL – Bret Saberhagen (KC)

NL – Mark Davis (SD)

Rookie of the Year

AL – Gregg Olson (BAL)

NL – Jerome Walton (CHC)

World Series: Oakland Athletics def. San Francisco Giants (4-0)

Basketball

NCAA

Final Four:

(1) Illinois, (3) Michigan, (3) Seton Hall and (2) Duke

National Championship:

Michigan over Seton Hall in overtime 80-79

NBA

League Leaders

Points Per Game: Michael Jordan (CHI) – 32.5

Rebounds Per Game: Hakeem Olajuwon (HOU) – 13.5

Assists Per Game: John Stockton (UTAH) – 13.6

All-NBA Team

Charles Barkley (PHI)

Magic Johnson (LAL)

Michael Jordan (CHI)

Karl Malone (UTAH)

Hakeem Olajuwon (HOU)

MVP: Magic Johnson (LAL)

Rookie of the Year: Mitch Richmond (GSW)

NBA Finals: Detroit Pistons over Los Angeles Lakers (4-0)

Football

NCAA

Heisman Trophy

Andrew Ware, University of Houston

National Champion

(2) Miami over (7) Alabama 33-27 Sugar Bowl, (1) Colorado lost to (4) Notre Dame 6-21 Orange Bowl

NFL

League Leaders

Passing Yards: Don Majkowski (GB) – 4,318

Passing Touchdowns: Jim Everett (LA) – 29

Passer Rating: Joe Montana (SF) – 112.4

Rushing Yards: Christian Okoye (KC) – 1,480

Rushing Touchdowns: Greg Ball (LA) – 15

Receiving Yards: Jerry Rice (SF) – 1,483

Receiving Touchdowns: Jerry Rice (SF) – 17

Receptions: Sterling Sharpe (GB) – 90

AP MVP: Joe Montana (SF)

Super Bowl: San Francisco 49ers over Denver Broncos 55-10

Hockey

League Leaders

Goals: Mario Lemieux (PIT) – 85

Assists: Wayne Gretzky (LA) & Mario Lemieux (PIT) – 114

Points: Mario Lemieux (PIT) – 199

Hart Memorial Trophy

Wayne Gretzky (LA)

Stanley Cup

Calgary Flames over Montreal Canadiens (4-2)

Did I miss anything? Let me know on Twitter @Mike_PiFF03.

Checkout past #TBT Years in Review

2011

2006

1998

1987

13 Comments Posted on April 30, 2015September 12, 2015 #TBT Year in Review

#TBT Year in Review: 2006

I graduated high school in 2006…but that’s not why you called.

NASA launched the first space mission to Pluto.
Twitter was founded and launched.
No. 5, 1948 by Jackson Pollock became the most expensive painting, selling for $140 .million
Former Iraq president Saddam Hussein was executed by hanging.
Actor Peter Boyle passed away at the age of 71.

And this is what we saw from the worlds of Movies, Music, and Sports!

Movies

Comedy

Borat, Grandma’s Boy, The Break-Up, The Devil Wears Prada, Idiocracy, John Tucker Must Die, Little Miss Sunshine, Beerfest, Benchwarmers, A Good Year, Nacho Libre, Accepted, Employee of the Month, Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny, You, Me and Dupree, The Pink Panther, Clerks II, Man of the Year, AND…

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

Action/Thriller

Superman Returns, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, X-Men: The Last Stand, Deja Vu, Crank, Mission Impossible III, The Prestige, Inside Man, Running Scared, Lucky Number Slevin, Children of Men, Miami Vice, The Sentinel, The Marine, The Illusionist, Underworld: Evolution, Smokin’ Aces, 16 Blocks, Snakes on a Plane, The Da Vinci Code, Apocalypto, Poseidon, Silent Hill, The Good Shepard, The Hills Have Eyes, AND…

Casino Royale

Drama

Babel, The Lake House, Pans Labyrinth, The Pursuit of Happiness, Children of Men, The Queen, United 93, The Lives of Others, The Fountain, Rescue Dawn, Blood Diamond, The Black Dahlia, Invincible, The Last King of Scotland, Tristan & Isolde, Lady in the Water, Marie Antoinette, Gridiron Gang, The Last Kiss, Find Me Guilty, We Are Marshall, The Nativity Story, Candy, Flyboys, Rocky Balboa, AND…

The Departed

Animated

Happy Feet, Ice Age: The Meltdown, Over the Hedge, Open Season, The Ant Bully, A Scanner Darkly, Monster House, Curious George, The Wild, Barnyard, AND…

Cars

The 79th Academy Awards

Best Actor

Leonardo Dicaprio, Blood Diamond
Peter O’Toole, Venus
Ryan Gosling, Half Nelson
Will Smith, The Pursuit of Happiness
Forest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland – Winner

Best Supporting Actor

Jackie Earle Haley, Little Children
Djimon Honsou, Blood Diamond
Eddie Murphy, Dreamgirls
Mark Whalberg, The Departed
Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine – Winner

Best Actress

Kate Winslet, Little Children
Penelope Cruz, Volver
Judi Dench, Notes on a Scandal
Meryl Streep, The Devil Wears Prada
Helen Mirren, The Queen – Winner

Best Supporting Actress

Adriana Barraza, Babel
Cate Blanchet, Notes on a Scandal
Abigail Breslin, Little Miss Sunshine
Rinko Kikuchi, Babel
Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls – Winner

Best Picture

Little Miss Sunshine
The Queen
Babel
Letters of Iwo Jima
The Departed – Winner

Music

Rock Albums

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Hip Hop Albums

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Pop Albums

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Billboard Year-End Top 25

“Bad Day” – Daniel Powter
“Temperature” – Sean Paul
“Promiscuous” – Nelly Furtado feat. Timbaland
“You’re Beautiful” – James Blunt
“Hips Don’t Lie” – Shakira feat Wyclef Jean
“Unwritten” – Natasha Bedingfield
“Crazy” – Gnarls Barkley
“Ridin” – Chamillionaire
“SexyBack” – Justin Timberlake feat Timbaland
“Check on It”- Beyonce
“Be Without You” – Mary J. Blige
“Grillz” – Nelly, Paul Wall and Ali & Gipp
“Over My Head (Cable Car)” – The Fray
“Me & U” – Cassie
“Buttons” – Pussycat Dolls feat. Snoop Dogg
“Run It!” – Chris Brown feat Juelz Santana
“So Sick” – Ne-Yo
“It’s Goin’ Down” – Yung Joc feat. Nitti
“SOS” – Rihanna
“I Write Sins Not Tragedies” – Panic! at the Disco
“Move Along” – The All-American Rejects
“London Bridge” – Fergie
“Dani California” – Red Hot Chili Peppers
“Snap Yo Fingers” – Lil Jon feat E-40 and Sean Paul
“Lean wit It, Rock wit It” – Dem Franchize Boyz

Sports

Baseball

League Leaders:

Offensive:

Average: Joe Mauer (MIN) – .347

Hits: Ichiro Suzuki (SEA) – 224

Home Runs: Ryan Howard (PHI) – 58

RBI: Ryan Howard (PHI) – 149

OPS: Albert Pujols (STL) – 1.102

Stolen Bases: Jose Reyes (NYM) – 64

Pitching:

Wins: Johan Santana (MIN) & Chien-Ming Wang (NYY) – 19

Strikeouts: Johan Santana (MIN) – 245

Complete Games: Aaron Harang (CIN) & CC Sabathia (CLE) – 6

Shutouts: Chris Carpenter (STL) – 3

Saves: Francisco Rodriguez (LAA) – 47

MVP:

AL – Justin Morneau (MIN)

NL – Ryan Howard (PHI)

CY Young

AL – Johan Santana (MIN)

NL – Brandon Webb (AZ)

Rookie of the Year

AL – Justin Verlander (DET)

NL – Hanley Ramirez (FLA)

World Series: St Louis Cardinals over Detroit Tigers (4-1)

Basketball

NCAA

Final Four:

(3) Florida, (2) UCLA, (11) George Mason, and (4) LSU

National Championship

(3) Florida over (2) UCLA 73-57

NBA

League Leaders

Points Per Game: Kobe Bryant (LAL) – 35.4

Rebounds Per Game: Kevin Garnett (BOS) – 12.7

Assists Per Game: Steve Nash (PHX) – 10.5

All-NBA Team

Kobe Bryant (LAL)

Lebron James (CLE)

Steve Nash (PHX)

Dirk Nowitzki (DAL)

Shaquille O’Neal (MIA)

MVP: Steve Nash (PHX)

Rookie of the Year: Chris Paul (NO)

NBA Finals: Miami Heat over Dallas Mavericks (4-2)

Football

NCAA

Heisman Trophy

Tim Tebow, Florida

National Championship

Florida over Ohio State 41-14 in the Fiesta Bowl

NFL

League Leaders

Passing Yards: Drew Brees (NO) – 4,418

Passing Touchdowns: Peyton Manning (IND) – 31

Passer Rating: Peyton Manning (IND) – 101.0

Rushing Yards: LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) – 1,815

Rushing Touchdowns: LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) – 28

Receiving Yards: Chad Johnson (CIN) – 1,369

Receptions: Andre Johnson (HOU) – 103

Receiving Touchdowns Terrell Owens (DAL) – 13

AP MVP

LaDainian Tomlinson (SD)

Super Bowl

This…

And then…Indianapolis Colts over Chicago Bears 29-17

Hockey

League Leaders

Goals: Jonathan Cheechoo – 57

Assists: Joe Thornton (BOS/SJ) – 96

Points: Joe Thornton (BOS/SJ) – 125

Hart Memorial Trophy

Joe Thornton (BOS/SJ)

Stanley Cup:

Carolina Hurricanes over Edmonton Oilers (4-3)

Did I miss anything? Let me know on Twitter @Mike_PiFF03

Also checkout past #TBT Years in Review

1998 & 1987

13 Comments Posted on April 23, 2015September 12, 2015 #TBT Year in Review

#TBT Year in Review: 1998

Two years before Y2K, yet everyone was talking about it…and these things.

Bill Clinton dominated the headlines and SNL for his “off the field” issues.
Before teaching you how to survive EVERYTHING, Bear Grylls became the youngest person to scale Mount Everest at 23.
Microsoft released Windows 98…some of you still use it.
The Winter Olympics were held in Nagano, Japan.
Will Smith’s son Jaden was born and former Hall of Fame Bears quarterback Sid Luckman passed away at the age of 81.

And this is what we saw in the worlds of Movies, Music and Sports!

Movies

Comedy

The Truman Show, There’s Something About Mary, Rushmore, Can’t Hardly Wait, Patch Adams, You’ve Got Mail, Dr. Dolittle, The Waterboy, The Wedding Singer, Baseketball, Night at the Roxbury, Almost Heroes, Waking Ned Devine, Bulworth, Sliding Doors, Blues Brothers 2000, How Stella Got Her Groove Back AND…

The Big Lebowski

Action/Thriller

Ronin, Enemy of the State, Fallen, U.S. Marshals, The Negotiator, Mercury Rising, Lethal Weapon 4, Wild Things, Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, Godzilla, Rush Hour, The Siege, Psycho, Snake Eyes, The Faculty, A Perfect Murder, Out of Sight, The X-Files, Hard Rain, Lost in Space, The Mask of Zorro, Dark City, Sphere, Small Soldiers, John Carpenter’s Vampires, The Big Hit, Phantoms, Black Dog, Halloween: H20, Desperate Measures, Blade, Deep Impact AND…

Armageddon

Drama

Saving Private Ryan, American History X, Meet Joe Black, What Dreams May Come, Elizabeth, A Civil Action, The Thin Red Line, City of Angels, Shakespeare In Love, Ever After, Another Day in Paradise, 54, Rounders, He Got Game, Stepmom, Les Miserables, The Adventures of Sebastian Cole, Great Expectations AND…

Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas

Animated

Mulan, The Prince of Egypt, The Rugrats Movie, Antz, AND…

A Bug’s Life

The 71st Oscars Nominees/Winners

Best Actor

Nick Nolte, Affliction

Edward Norton, American History X

Tom Hanks, Saving Private Ryan

Ian McKellen, Gods and Monsters

Roberto Benigni, Life Is Beautiful – Winner

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Robert Duvall, A Civil Action

Ed Harris, The Truman Show

Geoffery Rush, Shakespeare in Love

Billy Bob Thornton, A Simple Plan

James Coburn, Affliction – Winner

Best Actress

Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth

Fernanda Montenegro, Central Station

Meryl Streep, One True Thing

Emily Watson, Hilary and Jackie

Gwyneth Paltrow, Shakespeare in Love – Winner

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Lynn, Redgrave, Gods and Monsters

Kathy Bates, Primary Colors

Brenda Blethyn, Little Voice

Rachel Griffiths, Hilary and Jackie

Judie Dench, Shakespeare in Love – Winner

Best Picture

Elizabeth

Life is Beautiful

Saving Private Ryan

The Thin Red Line

Shakespeare in Love – Winner

Music

Rock Albums

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Hip-Hop

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Pop Albums

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Billboard Year-End Hot 100

“Too Close” – Next
“The Boy Is Mine” – Brandy and Monica
“You’re Still the One” – Shania Twain
“Truly Madly Deeply” – Savage Garden
“How Do I Live” – LeAnn Rimes
“Together Again” – Janet
“All My Life” – K-Ci & JoJo
“Candle in the Wind 1997” – Elton John
“Nice and Slow” – Usher
“I Don’t Wait to Wait” – Paula Cole
“How’s It Going to Be” – Third Eye Blind
“No, No, No” – Destiny’s Child
“My Heart Will Go On” – Celine Dion
“Getting’ Jiggy wit It” – Will Smith
“You Make Me Wanna” – Usher
“My Way” – Usher
“My All” – Mariah Carey
“The First Night” – Monica
“Been Around the World” – Puff Daddy feat. Mase and Notorious B.I.G
“Adia” – Sarah McLachlan

Sports

Baseball

Offensive Leaders:

Average: Larry Walker (COL) – .363

Hits: Dante Bichette (COL) – 219

Home Runs: Mark McGwire (STL) – 70

RBI: Sammy Sosa (CHC) – 158

OPS: Mark McGwire (STL) – 1.222

Stolen Bases: Rickey Henderson (OAK) – 66

Pitching:

Wins: Roger Clemens (TOR), Rick Helling (TEX), David Cone (NYY), Tom Glavine (ATL) – 20

ERA: Greg Maddux (ATL) – 2.22

Strikeouts: Randy Johnson (SEA/HOU) – 329

Complete Games: Curt Schilling (PHI) – 15

Shutouts: Randy Johnson – 6

Saves: Trevor Hoffman (SD) – 53

MVP:

AL: Juan Gonzalez (TEX)

NL: Sammy Sosa (CHC)

CY Young:

AL: Roger Clemens (TOR)

NL: Tom Glavine (ATL)

Rookie of the Year:

AL: Ben Grieve (OAK)

NL: Kerry Wood (CHC)

World Series: New York Yankees over San Diego Padres (4-0)

Basketball

NCAA

Final Four:

(2) Kentucky, (3) Utah, (3) Stanford, and (1) North Carolina

National Championship:

(2) Kentucky over (3) Utah 78-69

NBA

League Leaders:

Points Per Game: Michael Jordan (CHI) – 28.7

Rebounds Per Game: Dennis Rodman (CHI) – 15.0

Assists Per Game: Rod Strickland (WAS) – 10.5

All-NBA Team:

Tim Duncan (SA)

Michael Jordan (CHI)

Karl Malone (UTAH)

Shaquille O’Neal (LAL)

Gary Payton (SEA)

MVP: Michael Jordan (CHI)

Rookie of the Year: Tim Duncan (SA)

NBA Finals: Chicago Bulls over Utah Jazz (4-2)

Football

NCAA

Heisman Trophy Winner:

Ricky Williams, University of Texas

National Championship:

Tennessee over Florida State (23-16) in the Fiesta Bowl

NFL

League Leaders:

Passing Yards: Brett Favre (GB) – 4,212

Passing Touchdowns: Steve Young (SF) – 36

Passer Rating: Randall Cunningham (MIN) – 106.0

Rushing Yards: Terrell Davis (DEN) – 2,008

Rushing Touchdowns: Terrell Davis (DEN) – 21

Receptions: O.J. McDuffie (MIA) – 90

Receiving Yards: Antonio Freeman (GB) – 1,424

Receiving Touchdowns: Randy Moss (MIN) – 17

AP MVP:

Terrell Davis (DEN)

Super Bowl:

Denver Broncos over Atlanta Falcons (34-19)

Super Bowl MVP:

John Elway

Hockey

League Leaders:

Goals: Peter Bondra (WSH) & Teemu Selanne (ANA) – 52

Assists: Wayne Gretzky (NYR) & Jaromir Jagr (PIT) – 67

Points: Jaromir Jagr (PIT) – 102

Hart Memorial Trophy:

Dominik Hasek (BUF)

Stanley Cup:

Detroit Redwings over Washington Capitals (4-0)

Did I miss anything? Let me know on Twitter @Mike_PiFF03.

17 Comments Posted on April 16, 2015September 12, 2015 #TBT Year in Review

#TBT Year In Review: 1987

A new tradition on MichaelPiff.com…

We’ll be reviewing a different year each week #TBT…or Throwback Thursday…and we’ll do so by looking over what happened in the worlds of Movies, Music, and Sports!

For fun, we’ll start with 1987…my birth year.

Take a look and feel free to add on in case something was overlooked.

Movies

Action

RoboCop, The Untouchables, Lethal Weapon. Running Man, Beverly Hills Cop II, Over The Top, Adventures in Babysitting, The Living Daylights (James Bond) and…

Predator

Comedy

Good Morning, Vietnam, Spaceballs, Plains, Trains and Automobiles, Dragnet, Overboard, Three Men and A Baby, Roxanne, Summer School, The Secret of My Success, and…

The Princess Bride

Horror

Hellraiser, The Lost Boys, The Witches of Eastwick, Nightmare on Elm Street 3, Jaws: The Revenge, and…

Evil Dead II

Also…

Wall Street, Raising Arizona, Moonstruck, Dirty Dancing, Full Metal Jacket, Fatal Attraction, La Bamba, The Last Emperor

The 60th Oscars Nominees/Winners

Best Picture

Broadcast News

Fatal Attraction

Hope and Glory

Moonstruck

The Last Emperor – Winner

Best Actor

William Hurt, Broadcast News

Jack Nicholson, Ironweed

Marcello Mastroianni, Dark Eyes

Robin Williams, Good Morning, Vietnam

Michael Douglas, Fatal Attraction – Winner

Best Actress

Glenn Close, Fatal Attraction

Holly Hunter, Broadcast News

Sally Kirkland, Anna

Meryl Streep, Ironweed

Cher, Moonstruck – Winner

Best Supporting Actor

Albert Brooks, Broadcast News

Vincent Gardenia, Moonstruck

Morgan Freeman, Street Smart

Denzel Washington, Cry Freedom

Sean Connery, The Untouchables – Winner

Best Supporting Actress

Norma Aleandro, Gaby: A True Story

Anne Archer, Fatal Attraction

Anne Ramsey, Throw Momma From The Train

Ann Southern, The Whales of August

Olympia Dukakis, Moonstruck – Winner

Music

Rock Albums

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Pop Albums

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Billboard Year-End Top 20

“Walk Like An Egyptian” – The Bengals
“Alone” – Heart
“Shake You Down” – Gregory Abbot
“I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” – Whitney Houston
“Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” – Starship
“C’est La Vie” – Robbie Nevil
“Here I Go Again” – Whitesnake
“The Way It Is” – Bruce Hornsby and the Range
“Shake Down” – Bob Seger
“Livin’ on a Prayer” – Bon Jovi
“La Bamba” – Los Lobos
“Everybody Have Fun Tonight” – Wang Chung
“Don’t Dream It’s Over” – Crowded House
“Always” – Atlantic Starr
“With or Without You” – U2
“Looking for a New Love” – Jody Watley
“Head To Toe” – Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
“I Think We’re Alone Now” – Tiffany
“Mony Mony” – Billy Idol
“At This Moment” – Billy Vera And the Beaters

Sports

Baseball

Offensive Leaders:

Average: Tony Gwynn (SD) – .370

Hits: Tony Gwynn (SD) – 218

Home Runs: Mark McGwire (OAK) & Andre Dawson (CHC) – 49

RBIs: Andre Dawson (CHC) – 137

On-base Plus Slugging Percentage: Jack Clark (STL) – 1.055

Stolen Bases: Vince Coleman (STL) – 109

Pitching:

Wins: Roger Clemons (BOS) & Dave Stewart (OAK) – 20

ERA: Jimmy Key (TOR) – 2.76

Strikeouts: Nolan Ryan (HOU) – 270

Complete Games: Roger Clemens (BOS) – 18

Shutouts: Roger Clemens (BOS) – 7

MVP:

AL: George Bell (TOR)

NL: Andre Dawson (CHC)

CY Young:

AL: Roger Clemens (BOS)

NL: Steve Bedrosian (PHI)

Rookie of the Year:

AL: Mark McGwire (OAK)

NL: Benito Santiago (SD)

World Series: Minnesota Twins over St. Louis Cardinals (4-3)

Basketball

NCAA:

Final Four:

(1) Indiana, (2) Syracuse, (1) UNLV, and (6)Providence

National Championship:

(1) Indiana over (2) Syracuse 74-73

NBA

League Leaders:

Points Per Game: Michael Jordan – 37.1

Rebounds Per Game: Charles Barkley – 14.6

Assists Per Game: Magic Johnson – 12.2

All-NBA Team:

Larry Bird (BOS)

Magic Johnson (LAL)

Michael Jordan (CHI)

Kevin McHale (BOS)

Hakeem Olajuwon (HOU)

MVP: Magic Johnson (LAL)

Rookie of the Year: Chuck Person (IND)

NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers over Boston Celtics (4-2)

Football

NCAA

Heisman Trophy Winner:

Tim Brown, Notre Dame

National Championship:

University of Miami over Oklahoma – 20-14 in the Orange Bowl

NFL

League Leaders:

Passing Yards: Neil Lomax (STL) – 3,387

Passing Touchdowns: Joe Montana (SF) – 31

Passer Rating: Joe Montana (SF) – 102.1

Rushing Yards: Charles White (LA) – 1,374

Rushing TDs: Johnny Hector (NYJ) & Charles White (LA) – 11

Receptions: J.T. Smith (STL) – 91

Receiving Yards: J.T. Smith (STL) – 1,117

TD Receptions: Jerry Rice (SF) – 22

MVP – John Elway (DEN)

Super Bowl XXII – Washington over Denver 42-10

Super Bowl MVP – QB Doug Williams

Hockey

NHL League Leaders:

Goals: Wayne Gretzky (62)

Assists: Wayne Gretzky (121)

Points: Wayne Gretzky (183)

Hart Memorial Trophy: Wayne Gretzky

Stanley Cup:

Wayne Gretzky aka Edmonton over Philadelphia (4-3)

Did I miss anything? Let me know on Twitter @Mike_PiFF03.

1 Comment Posted on March 19, 2015 College Basketball, March Madness, NCAA, NCAA Tournament, sports

Early NCAA Tournament Thoughts: This is Madness!

Madness?

This is March!

Falling out of his chair was Georgia State head coach Ron Hunter as his son RJ hit the go-ahead three with just over 2 seconds left. Hunter was nursing a torn achilles, hence the roller chair on the sidelines. Taurean Prince was the only Baylor player in double digits, scoring 18. The Pounce of Georgia State won though, 57-56.

If you had Georgia State winning, I want photographic proof.

R.J. finished with 16 points in the game, leading all Georgia State scorers. Baylor led by 12 (56-44) with 2:55 left in the game. It was at that point, I thought Seth Davis could pull out his red marker…

At least Baylor is playing like a 3 seed, so far… #MarchMadness

— Mike Piff (@Mike_PiFF03) March 19, 2015

Which quickly turned into…

That thing I said about Baylor playing like a 3 seed…? Apparently 3 seeds let 14 seeds scare the shit out of them. #MarchMadness

— Mike Piff (@Mike_PiFF03) March 19, 2015

As Georgia State was within 2 with 19 seconds left in the game.

Of course Baylor wasn’t alone…

It seemed like Iowa State was America’s Team…The 3 seed that everyone was choosing to go as far as the Final Four…

Uh oh.

Iowa State jumped out to a 12-4 with 14:22 left in the first half, and then lost lead with 7 minutes later. The University of Alabama-Birmingham led by 3 at halftime, 31-28. Neither team led by more than 3 until Georges Niang put the Cyclones up by 4 on a pair of free throws with 3:13 left in the game.

Robert Brown, who led all scorers with 21, put UAB ahead with a 3 pointer and 50 seconds left. Iowa State couldn’t regain the lead as UAB won 60-59. And then you heard a collective…

…across the country.

Notre Dame was able to narrowly escape a similar fate as the other two #3 seeds as they edged out Northeastern 69-65. Fellow #3 seed Oklahoma better watch out tomorrow as they take on Albany, who is already feeling the “Madness” after winning their conference tournament on a game winning 3…the only one they made ALL GAME.

For more March Madness reaction, follow me on Twitter @Mike_PiFF03

Leave a comment Posted on March 13, 2015 Basketball, College Basketball, NCAA, sports

No Excuses Next Year, Illini Hoops

Did you have high expectations for the 2014-15 Fighting Illini?

John Groce did. He had to. He’s the coach.

The team and fan base probably did. And why not? What’s the point of playing or being a fan without some belief?

I did not. While the team didn’t have much turnover from 2013-14 (just graduating Joseph Bertrand and Jon Ekey), they didn’t add much either to a squad that only reached the 2nd round of the NIT. Yes, the roster gained a year of experience, and that showed in Big Ten breakout Malcolm Hill. However it did not show in leading scorer Rayvonte Rice, who found himself suspended from the team following extended time out with a broken left hand.

Would the 2014-15 Illini won more games with Rice on the floor? Probably. Would a handful of extra wins put them in the NCAA tourney? In this year’s Big Ten…certainly. It wasn’t about THIS year for the Illini, though. As difficult as it is for anyone with vested interest in Illini basketball to hear it, success was a luxury rather than a necessity. That is because the incoming class will make or break the Groce era.

Ranked 15th by ESPN, 10th by 247 (CBS), and 16th by Rivals (Yahoo! Sports), the 2015 class will be Illinois’ best recruiting class in years. Having covered 3 of the 4 commits in person, I can tell you the Illini will add scoring and a lot of it. Local Chicago area stars DJ Williams (ranked 63rd in the nation on Rivals) 6’7 from Simeon High School and Aaron Jordan (ranked 83rd) are long and athletic players with range and a knack for attacking the paint. Jordan is more of a jump shooter, passive compared to Williams, but knows how to get to the free throw line when it’s needed. Williams, amazingly, has been able to shine on a Simeon squad full of D1 talent and that bodes well when it comes to meshing with his new Illini teammates.

Jalen Coleman, a 6’3 shooting guard from La Porte, IN (Indianapolis area), is the real catch and not based on his rankings alone. Playing against some of the country’s best in AAU, Coleman proved to be a prolific scorer. He made half of his 92 three-point attempts leading up to the NIKE EYBL Peach Jam Championship tournament in Augusta, South Carolina last summer. He can run the floor when asked to, but has the ability to take over a game by himself…a huge difference when it comes to college basketball.

The Illini will also be adding Darius Paul, who technically was already a member of the team but was suspended for 2014 because of a failed drug test and underage drinking. He is the younger brother of former Illinois star Brandon Paul, a 6’8 power forward from Gurnee, IL, and played this season at Lamar State junior college in Texas. Illinois will need all the size they can get after Nnanna Egwu graduates this year and Paul has the opportunity to contribute in a big way with his 2 years of eligibility.

After missing the year due to injury, senior Tracy Abrams will have another year of eligibility. Abrams tore his ACL last September, but spent the season providing much needed leadership for the team this season, leadership that will hopefully translate to hardwood next Fall. Hill will be depended on to replace the scoring after Rice graduates, much like he did during the injury and suspension.

The big knock on Groce and the Illinois program in recent years has been their inability to keep highly touted recruits in-state. Duke’s Jahlil Okafor (Whitney Young HS, Chicago) and Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky (Benet Academy, Lisle, IL) were this year’s NCAA All-American headliners. The nation’s top point guard recruit Jalen Brunson (Stevenson High School, Lincolnshire, IL) chose Villanova. Catholic League star Charles Matthews (St. Rita, Chicago) selected Kentucky a year ago. And Illinois Top-10 players like Glynn Watson (St. Joseph), Ed Morrow (Simeon) and Brandon Hutton (De La Salle) all chose other Big Ten schools to take their talents to.

If Illinois basketball proves they can win with the in-state talent they committed already, the program will become more attractive to recruits in the Chicagoland area. If they win big games on national television, step up in the Big Ten conference, play well in the NCAA tournament, and put players in the NBA, more talent will stay in-state. That’s a lot of “ifs”, but it is plausible. And because it is plausible, that means no excuses in the 2015-16 season…year 4 of the Groce era.