2000-2009: The Decade in Review

Holy smoke, it's the final day of the decade of the 2000's, at midnight tonight we turn the page to not just another year but another ten years. Before we jump ahead to 2010 and turn the page on the last ten years entirely, let's take a trip down memory lane.

I think we must start with thsi decade review at the VERY beginning, with the Y2K fiasco. One of the most ridiculous ideas of all-time, I believe it was something like all the world's technology would be ka-put at midnight that night. Nothing happened other than some extra celebration for the new millenium that night, and for the few crazies who thought that the world was going to go into some apocalypse that night, boy wait until they wold get a hold of this 2012 business.

In any case, 2000 rolled along, the highlight for me was the Subway Series victory for the Yankees, but much of the country's suspense was held in the 2000 Presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore. After a month of waiting, Bush ifnally won Florida's electoral votes and consequentally, the presidency and what will likely be the closest election in my generation's lifetime.

There were many other memories this decade, mostly sports, that stick out to me. We saw three great Summer Olympics and two Winter Olympic Games, the Yankees would win another World Series at the end of the decade in 2009, the Cowboys return to the elite of the NFL in 2007 with a NFC East title. I was lucky enough to witness the Toronto Raptors clinch their first Atlantic Division title on Good Friday, 2007 in Philadelphia.

There was the bad in sports, and I'm not talking about the Red Sox winning World Series titles. I'm talking about the near baseball strike that almost happened in 2002, which, if it took place, would likely follow the same course as 1994. These cancelled season fears became a reality in the 2004-05 NHL season, or should I say, non-season, as the NHL cancelled an entire seaso nfor the first time in pro sports history. Since then, hockey hasn't been the same and I spent the winter watching extra NBA and AHL games. Now, as we enter the new decade, labor unrest sits in the NFL, as an uncapped 2010 is waiting in the wings, with little hope of change down the road. NASCAR, in 2001, saw the death of the late, great, Dale Earnhardt, in an accident during the fianl lap of the 2001 Daytona 500, which would lead to safety changes in the sport of NASCAR culminating in what we know today as the Car of Tomorrow.


More than anything, the biggest event and memory of this decade is the attacks of September 11th. Without question, anyone could tell you they remember exactly what happened that day, what they were doing, and how scared they felt.

Looking back to these events over eight years later, I think not of the specific of these attacks, or the ensueing war on Afghanistan, which later spilled into a war with IRaq, both of which continue to this day. Rather, I think of the mentality of the country after those attacks. In particular, I can remember the return of baseball that Monday, September 17th. Watching the Phillies take the field against the Braves was the return to "normalcy" the country needed. Except, something was different. Everyone was united in a way. Everyone, regardless of differences as simple as rooting for sperate sports teams, or as large as differences in political party, economic status, or race, was together as Americans.

Looking back to this today, it's amazing how easily people forget about that day, and how we all alow our differences get in the way of being a untied coutnry. I think today, more than ever, with the turmoil in the economy and politics, we need to stand firm as a nation together and work together to make everything work together. A country not united can be s large and have all the power in the world, but it will struggle to control that power without a united front.

Everyone has they own New Year's Resolutions this year, I have a few myself, but I think everyone should make this resolution for themselves, and try to not only be more open-minded, and listen to everyone's ideas, even if don't agree with them. If everyone was able to sit, listen, and consider others, we can reach compromises that are previously thought impossible. As was a common catch phrase after 9/11 United We Stand, Divided We Fall.

I wish everyone a very happy and safe New Year, tomorrow the schedule will be as normal with Fantasy Sports Friday, with a look into the new fantasy tennis season.