Alternate 80's Scenarios

More Scenarios

Here are some more scenarios. The first two are from the 70's, but they have way more impact on how the 80's would turn out:

1. The University of Miami decides to discontinue their struggling football program in 1978.

2. Joe Montana doesn't miss the entire 1976 season at Notre Dame due to injury, and is drafted into the NFL in 1978 instead of 1979.

3. The Saints take Lawrence Taylor #1 overall in 1981.

4. The Lakers take Dominique Wilkins #1 overall instead of James Worthy in 1982.

5. Ralph Sampson enters the draft in 1980 after his freshman year at Virginia, and the Celtics take him #1 overall.
 

Cook

Banned
"Rupert Murdoch decides not to go ahead with a fourth major TV network in 1986."

Does Murdoch still end up as the front man for the Illuminati and the Secrete Global World Government?
 
Here are some more scenarios. The first two are from the 70's, but they have way more impact on how the 80's would turn out:

1. The University of Miami decides to discontinue their struggling football program in 1978.

2. Joe Montana doesn't miss the entire 1976 season at Notre Dame due to injury, and is drafted into the NFL in 1978 instead of 1979.

3. The Saints take Lawrence Taylor #1 overall in 1981.

4. The Lakers take Dominique Wilkins #1 overall instead of James Worthy in 1982.

5. Ralph Sampson enters the draft in 1980 after his freshman year at Virginia, and the Celtics take him #1 overall.


1. The butterflies off of that are blinding!

2. Depends on how he does injury free in '76 and '77. If he plays very well, wins a Heisman in '77, Bucs might keep the #1 pick and take him. They could just as well trade the pick (like they did OTL) but do the Oilers get it, or does someone else out-bid them?

This one's tricky, mainly because you can't really know how he'd perform, or how much better he'd perform (depends on how he's used and how the offense around him works out) and how big a name he builds up based on that performance.

He was a decent enough QB in '78 and didn't go until the third round in the '79 draft. Got any stats for Super Joe at ND? I'd have to see those and even then, after trying to get a feel for what he may have accomplished, a lot depends on who's looking for what in '78. First QB taken in '78 was Doug Williams at 17, by the Bucs. If Joe's better (Heisman or National Title to his credit going in, with high marks from the scouts) he would probably go much higher (somewhere in the top ten, possibly top 5) but then it's a question of "Who wants a franchise QB?" or who's willing to trade up to get one.

So this one's got way too many variables to make a definitive call on.

3. Depends on if the Saints decide to build a killer D with him as just the first piece. They took Russell Gary with the first pick in round 2, a DB. Maybe they trade down and to the Bears and take Singletary at 38 rather than taking Ricky Jackson with their second pick in the round at 51 OR, let's make this even more interesting, trade that second pick up and grab Howie Long at 48?

2 rounds, 3 picks:

1 (1): Lawrence Taylor, LB, North Carolina
2 (38): Mike Singletary, LB, Baylor
2 (48): Howie Long, DE, Villanova

Think about that pass rush for a second if they build it right.

Now, think about Joe Montana trying to run away from THAT, twice a season, every year, for 10 years.

Major butterflies all around.

On just three picks. And they can go deeper.

With the 1st pick in round 3, they took DE Frank Warren out of Auburn. Don't need him if they've taken Long in the second, they could take Carlton Williamson out of Pitt with that pick then take Lloyd Burruss with their second 3rd round pick at 71.

The Saints give up George Rogers, but could lay the foundations for a stiffling D in that draft.

4. Lakers would probably have a run in the 80's very similar to the Celts run in the 60's.

That would just be a sick, sick team.

5. Sampson up the middle, Bird and McHale on the wings, Tiny and Carr in the back...if this AND 4 happen...the NBA would either experience one of two things:

A. It's the proverbial "Battle of The Century", must-see-TV rivalry of the 80's and makes the NBA as popular as it is now, 30 years earlier.

or

B. NBA fans get sick of watching the Lakers and Celtics play each other every year for the title and the league loses revenues and fans.

If the rest of the league stays close, you get A. If the Lakers and Celtics are just flat out eating the rest of the league's lunch, you'll get B.
 
1. Kareem Abdul Jabbar not injured during the NBA finals in 1980

2. The Padres win the 1984 World Series

3. Fox News started in 1989 along with Sky News

4. Noriega doesn't allow elections in 1989

5. ENQUIRE becomes the basis of a World Wide Web in the early 1980s

6. Pierce Brosnan takes over from Roger Moore in 1985

7. Russia invades Afghanistan after Breshnev dies

8. America doesn't boycott the 1980 Summer Olympics

9. Xerox continues to develop its graphical user interface, beating Microsoft and Apple

10. Ma Bell not broken up
 
80's Scenarios

1. The butterflies off of that are blinding!

2. Depends on how he does injury free in '76 and '77. If he plays very well, wins a Heisman in '77, Bucs might keep the #1 pick and take him. They could just as well trade the pick (like they did OTL) but do the Oilers get it, or does someone else out-bid them?

This one's tricky, mainly because you can't really know how he'd perform, or how much better he'd perform (depends on how he's used and how the offense around him works out) and how big a name he builds up based on that performance.

He was a decent enough QB in '78 and didn't go until the third round in the '79 draft. Got any stats for Super Joe at ND? I'd have to see those and even then, after trying to get a feel for what he may have accomplished, a lot depends on who's looking for what in '78. First QB taken in '78 was Doug Williams at 17, by the Bucs. If Joe's better (Heisman or National Title to his credit going in, with high marks from the scouts) he would probably go much higher (somewhere in the top ten, possibly top 5) but then it's a question of "Who wants a franchise QB?" or who's willing to trade up to get one.

So this one's got way too many variables to make a definitive call on.

3. Depends on if the Saints decide to build a killer D with him as just the first piece. They took Russell Gary with the first pick in round 2, a DB. Maybe they trade down and to the Bears and take Singletary at 38 rather than taking Ricky Jackson with their second pick in the round at 51 OR, let's make this even more interesting, trade that second pick up and grab Howie Long at 48?

2 rounds, 3 picks:

1 (1): Lawrence Taylor, LB, North Carolina
2 (38): Mike Singletary, LB, Baylor
2 (48): Howie Long, DE, Villanova

Think about that pass rush for a second if they build it right.

Now, think about Joe Montana trying to run away from THAT, twice a season, every year, for 10 years.

Major butterflies all around.

On just three picks. And they can go deeper.

With the 1st pick in round 3, they took DE Frank Warren out of Auburn. Don't need him if they've taken Long in the second, they could take Carlton Williamson out of Pitt with that pick then take Lloyd Burruss with their second 3rd round pick at 71.

The Saints give up George Rogers, but could lay the foundations for a stiffling D in that draft.

4. Lakers would probably have a run in the 80's very similar to the Celts run in the 60's.

That would just be a sick, sick team.

5. Sampson up the middle, Bird and McHale on the wings, Tiny and Carr in the back...if this AND 4 happen...the NBA would either experience one of two things:

A. It's the proverbial "Battle of The Century", must-see-TV rivalry of the 80's and makes the NBA as popular as it is now, 30 years earlier.

or

B. NBA fans get sick of watching the Lakers and Celtics play each other every year for the title and the league loses revenues and fans.

If the rest of the league stays close, you get A. If the Lakers and Celtics are just flat out eating the rest of the league's lunch, you'll get B.

1. As for Montana, I don't have any stats on him, but what I do know is that Dan Devine, the ND Coach at the time, seemed reluctant to make him his starting QB. He said that he was going to make Joe the #1 guy in 1975, Joe's soph year, but he relented, although Joe still came in and pulled some games out of the fire. If Dan would have made Joe the man in 76, and he keeps the job for his last two years, I still don't see him being drafted too high, and I don't see him winning the Heisman in 77 over Earl Campbell, who was a beast that year. Scouts weren't too high on Joe, mainly because he had average arm strength.

2. The Saints really messed up starting in 1981. For starters, they could have had Lawrence Taylor #1 overall. George Rogers was a nice back, but he shouldn't have been the #1 pick that year. They also could have had those other guys you mentioned, Singletary and Long. That would have been a strong nucleus to build around. Next, Bum Phillips messed up when he took Illinois QB Dave Wilson in the Supplemental Draft that summer. They could have had Marcus Allen the next year. After that, trading away Wes Chandler to San Diego was a mistake. He was a pretty good receiver. Imagine Dan Marino on the Saints throwing to Chandler and handing the ball off to Allen. That could have happened if they didn't trade away their #1 pick to Green Bay for Bruce Clark. They also could have had Darryl Talley in round 2 in 83. Then, in 84, with Marino, they probably don't trade away their #1 pick to the Jets for Richard Todd. So, they could have had Don Rogers or Louis Lipps in Round 1. The Saints could have had a great team by the mid-80's if they would have made the right moves.
 

Deleted member 5719

Sports:

On the play after The Catch, Drew Pearson breaks away from Eric Wright and scores a TD, giving Dallas a victory over San Fran in the 1981 NFC Championship game.

The Warriors decide to keep a center named Robert Parish in 1980 instead of trading him to the Celtics.

The Colts decide to trade Elway's rights to the Chargers for their two of their three #1's and Dan Fouts before the 1983 draft. Then, the Chargers decide to trade their third 83#1 to New England for All-Pro CB Mike Haynes.

Steve Rogers doesn't give up the homer to Rick Monday in the 1981 playoffs, and the Expos, with young stars Gary Carter, Andre Dawson, Tim Raines, Tim Wallach, etc.., go on to the WS and defeat the Yankees.

MJ gets drafted by the Houston Rockets after they trade Ralph Sampson to the Blazers for the #2 overall pick, and the Rockets get Olajuwon and Jordan.


As a butterfly fundamentalist, I don't often say this. But the worldwide impact of US sport "what ifs?" is always zero.
 
1. As for Montana, I don't have any stats on him, but what I do know is that Dan Devine, the ND Coach at the time, seemed reluctant to make him his starting QB. He said that he was going to make Joe the #1 guy in 1975, Joe's soph year, but he relented, although Joe still came in and pulled some games out of the fire. If Dan would have made Joe the man in 76, and he keeps the job for his last two years, I still don't see him being drafted too high, and I don't see him winning the Heisman in 77 over Earl Campbell, who was a beast that year. Scouts weren't too high on Joe, mainly because he had average arm strength.

2. The Saints really messed up starting in 1981. For starters, they could have had Lawrence Taylor #1 overall. George Rogers was a nice back, but he shouldn't have been the #1 pick that year. They also could have had those other guys you mentioned, Singletary and Long. That would have been a strong nucleus to build around. Next, Bum Phillips messed up when he took Illinois QB Dave Wilson in the Supplemental Draft that summer. They could have had Marcus Allen the next year. After that, trading away Wes Chandler to San Diego was a mistake. He was a pretty good receiver. Imagine Dan Marino on the Saints throwing to Chandler and handing the ball off to Allen. That could have happened if they didn't trade away their #1 pick to Green Bay for Bruce Clark. They also could have had Darryl Talley in round 2 in 83. Then, in 84, with Marino, they probably don't trade away their #1 pick to the Jets for Richard Todd. So, they could have had Don Rogers or Louis Lipps in Round 1. The Saints could have had a great team by the mid-80's if they would have made the right moves.

1. So, basically, we're in agreement: We just don't know.:confused:

2. Hmmm...let's make this a little more interesting:

The Saints continue to build the D in the '82 draft...

Where would they have picked in '82 had they not picked in the '81 Supplemental? Pro Sports Transactions lists them without a pick number, but squeezed between the Colts at #2 and Browns at #3. Does that mean they would have had the #2 pick had they not taken Wilson?

If that's the case, with the #2 pick, they could take Allen, but they could also continue to build the defense with Chip Banks at #2.

Singletary at MLB flanked by Taylor and Banks.

Now, if they still deal Chandler (which, if they're building a killer D, becomes very useful trade bait) they could use that second first rounder and trade it for a first rounder in the "Everybody sees it coming, so deep Don Coryell's trading picks like crazy to stock up for this one!" '83 draft, OR, they can grab a strong piece for their O line (gotta start building it someday) and take Luis Sharp at #13 (Cards took him at #16). Second round's pretty thin, so perhaps they're better off flipping that pick for a pick in the second round in '83.

So in the '83 draft...

First question: Where do they pick?

Can this team (with a pathetic offense, but a young and strong D) finish worse than the Colts and Oilers?

If they get the #1 pick, would Elway sign with them or do to them what he did to the Colts?

If they land Elway and use the '83 and '84 drafts to build their offense around him the same way as, in our hypothetical, they use the '81 and '82 draft to build their D.

Second question:

If they can't sign Elway, what can they get for the #1 pick? Perhaps trade down and grab Jim Kelly somewhere between 9 and 14? What else can they get for the pick?

They'll need recievers and linemen and a running back (if they take Banks rather than Allen in '82), but they could find quality pieces in the '83, '84, '85, '86 drafts to fill those needs, plus add some depth to the D. Depending on where they're picking, they could snag Henry Ellard early in the 2nd round at WR. How about Albert Lewis in the third round at DB?

It'd be a building process to be sure, but with the right pieces in each draft, they could be contending by '85 or '86 with that defense and Kelly and some capable offensive pieces around them.
 
Saints

1. So, basically, we're in agreement: We just don't know.:confused:

2. Hmmm...let's make this a little more interesting:

The Saints continue to build the D in the '82 draft...

Where would they have picked in '82 had they not picked in the '81 Supplemental? Pro Sports Transactions lists them without a pick number, but squeezed between the Colts at #2 and Browns at #3. Does that mean they would have had the #2 pick had they not taken Wilson?

If that's the case, with the #2 pick, they could take Allen, but they could also continue to build the defense with Chip Banks at #2.

Singletary at MLB flanked by Taylor and Banks.

Now, if they still deal Chandler (which, if they're building a killer D, becomes very useful trade bait) they could use that second first rounder and trade it for a first rounder in the "Everybody sees it coming, so deep Don Coryell's trading picks like crazy to stock up for this one!" '83 draft, OR, they can grab a strong piece for their O line (gotta start building it someday) and take Luis Sharp at #13 (Cards took him at #16). Second round's pretty thin, so perhaps they're better off flipping that pick for a pick in the second round in '83.

So in the '83 draft...

First question: Where do they pick?

Can this team (with a pathetic offense, but a young and strong D) finish worse than the Colts and Oilers?

If they get the #1 pick, would Elway sign with them or do to them what he did to the Colts?

If they land Elway and use the '83 and '84 drafts to build their offense around him the same way as, in our hypothetical, they use the '81 and '82 draft to build their D.

Second question:

If they can't sign Elway, what can they get for the #1 pick? Perhaps trade down and grab Jim Kelly somewhere between 9 and 14? What else can they get for the pick?

They'll need recievers and linemen and a running back (if they take Banks rather than Allen in '82), but they could find quality pieces in the '83, '84, '85, '86 drafts to fill those needs, plus add some depth to the D. Depending on where they're picking, they could snag Henry Ellard early in the 2nd round at WR. How about Albert Lewis in the third round at DB?

It'd be a building process to be sure, but with the right pieces in each draft, they could be contending by '85 or '86 with that defense and Kelly and some capable offensive pieces around them.

Yes, they would have picked #2 in 1982. Allen would have been the best pick, but Banks would have been pretty good as well. Then they could have had WR Mark Duper in Round 2.

As for their 1983 pick, it would have been in the 10th-12th range because they had a 4-5 record in the strike-shortened 82 season and almost made the postseason. Marino or Kelly would have been the best bet, unless they find a way to trade with the Colts for Elway.
 
Space
The European Space Agency approves funding for the Hermes Spaceplane, & it's carrier rocket, the Ariane 5.
Although delayed, due to technical reasons related to man rating the Ariane 5 rocket, both eventually enter service in the mid 1990's...
As a result of this, during the late 1990's, Esa is starting to consider a building a modular space station, launched by a massively uprated Ariane 5, called the Ariane X...
Ariane 5 also begins to corner the commercial satellite launcher market, as it can launch far heavier satellites, than it's equivalent U.S counterparts...
 
Yes, they would have picked #2 in 1982. Allen would have been the best pick, but Banks would have been pretty good as well. Then they could have had WR Mark Duper in Round 2.

As for their 1983 pick, it would have been in the 10th-12th range because they had a 4-5 record in the strike-shortened 82 season and almost made the postseason. Marino or Kelly would have been the best bet, unless they find a way to trade with the Colts for Elway.

If they go 4-5 and pick 10-12, and still need a franchise QB, I think they take Kelly at 11 based only on Marino's lousy combine.

Now, if Marino had a decent combine, yeah, probably the Saints at 11, if the Chiefs don't take him at 7.

If Marino has a combine that shows everyone what kind of QB he's capable of being (future HOFer) Colts could take him over Elway at #1...does Houston keep the #2 pick and take Elway? Figure the Rams still end up with Dickerson at #3. Blackledge still goes to KC at 7, Saints take the best QB available at 11 and that would be Jim Kelly.

Now, all they have to do is convince him to sign with them over the USFL...
 
Marino

If they go 4-5 and pick 10-12, and still need a franchise QB, I think they take Kelly at 11 based only on Marino's lousy combine.

Now, if Marino had a decent combine, yeah, probably the Saints at 11, if the Chiefs don't take him at 7.

If Marino has a combine that shows everyone what kind of QB he's capable of being (future HOFer) Colts could take him over Elway at #1...does Houston keep the #2 pick and take Elway? Figure the Rams still end up with Dickerson at #3. Blackledge still goes to KC at 7, Saints take the best QB available at 11 and that would be Jim Kelly.

Now, all they have to do is convince him to sign with them over the USFL...

Actually, I was on this Chief fan's site, and the site owner said that they allegedly had Dan in for a workout, and they were turned off because he was cussing out the receivers and being abusive. If that is true, I can see why the Chiefs took Todd, who is a Born-Again Christian.

As for the Colts taking him, I heard that GM Ernie Accorsi allegedly put that Marino at #1 idea past the owner, and he said that he would be fired if he took Dan at #1.

As for Kelly, he may have gone to NO if he was drafted there because he did go to another southern city in Houston. He just wasn't in love with Buffalo at the time, so he didn't sign there. I have to think that the Saint's odds of signing him would have to have been higher than Buffalo's.
 
Big Canadian POD.
In 1988 the Canadian Parliament actually does go through with making overtures to the Caribbean country of Turks and Cacos to become the 11th province of Canada. At the time parliament had voted to begin talks with the country, and T&C was very interested, but they were in the middle of an election, so Canada held back a few months to avoid interference and never followed up.
 
She (Bo Derek) then graduates into getting the roles Marg Helgenberger got in Field of Dreams and Uncle Buck where she wins kudos....

I think you mean Amy Madigan, not Marg Helgenberger.
 
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The 1980 offseason:
Milwaukee trades outfield prospect David Green and infielder Lenn Sakata to Baltimore for infielder Cal Ripken Jr. and pitcher John Flinn.
 
Sports: Linesman Leon Stickle gets the offsides call correct in game 6 of the Stanley Cup playoffs between the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Islanders. The Islanders' apparent goal is washed out, and the game remains tied at 1. The Flyers score shortly thereafter to take a 2-1 lead in the game, and ultimately win game 6, knotting the series at three wins apiece.

With the momentum having swung to Philadelphia after wins in games 5 and 6, the Flyers and Islanders play a taut game at the Nassau County Coliseum in which a Butch Goring mistake leads to a Bill Barber goal that proves to be the lone score in the game.
 
1984 NBA Draft

Question to you all: If Daryl Hannah doesn't get Splash role... who stars in Legal Eagles in her place since that role is now butterflied away?
Rae Dawn Chong was up for the part, according to IMDB:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091396/trivia?ref_=tt_trv_trv

Now, on to a huge one involving the NBA: The Utah Jazz score three more points on the final game of the 1984 season.

The significance of that, you say?

Well, if the Jazz beat the Clippers on the final night of the 83-84 season, the Clippers "edge" Houston for the worst record in the West, and the Sixers are in the Super Flip with the Blazers instead.

The reason? On October 12, 1978, there was a trade involving World B. Free. He went from Philly to the Clippers, who were just starting their first year in San Diego. What went to Philly? A 1984 first-round pick (you had a lot of weird trades like that back then).

According to this article from The Sporting News, the Sixers probably end up taking Michael Jordan no matter how the flip goes:

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba-new...n-michael-jordan-charles-barkley-pat-williams

As a result, the Akeem-Clyde reunion would have taken place 11 years earlier, and in Portland instead of Houston.
 
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