Greatness: A sports collaborative timeline

[WB18]

July 1, 1992: In the MLB, two super teams have emerged. The Toronto Blue Jays are dominating the AL East, led by the hitting of Roberto Alomar and Devon White and the Pitching of David Cone, Jimmy Key and Al Leiter, Toronto is 12 games ahead of the second place Milwaukee Brewers. In the NL West, the Atlanta Braves lead all of baseball with 63 wins and 37 losses and are on track for 107 wins as John Smoltz and Tom Glavine are putting Cy Young caliber seasons.

As for the other two divisions, the NL East is currently a tie between the Chicago Cubs and the surprising Montreal Expos, both at a mediocre 52-48 as the St. Louis Cardinals are at .500 and 2 back of both as the Pirates have sagged to second last in the division behind the Phillies. The AL West is complete chaos, as everyone except Kansas City is within 3 games of each other. The Texas Rangers, California Angels and Denver Zephyrs are tied up at first with Ken Griffey Jr.'s Seattle Mariners 1 back of those three, Minnesota and Oakland are three back but it's definitely anyone's game in both the NL East and AL West.

 

[Looper]

July 2, 1992: The Mid-Pacific Football Conference, one of the two conferences comprised of reborn football programs, announces they are ahead of schedule and will begin play in 1993, not 1994 as was planned. The Seaboard Conference, the other reborn programs conference, says that 1994 will be their first season. The NCAA announces that the schools in the aforementioned conferences will be eligible after one year of play for the Division 1-AA Playoffs.

July 3, 1992: After dominating with the Fort Lauderdale Yankees, the New York Yankees Single A team, pitcher and 1991 first overall pick Brien Taylor is moved to Double A Albany-Colonie.

 

[WB18]

July 5, 1992: The city of Cleveland announces plans for a new Sports and Entertainment complex which includes new stadiums for the Browns and Indians as well as a new arena for the Cavaliers and a possible NHL franchise, as many businessman from the area are rumored to pursue a franchise to move to the forest city. The city also announces the Rock and Roll hall of fame will be part of the project.

July 6, 1992: The NFL announces the expansion franchises coming in 1993 in Carolina and Baltimore will be named the Panthers and Ravens respectively. The Panthers will play in the NFC East while the Phoenix Cardinals will move to the NFC West. The Ravens will be put in the AFC Central.

 

[WB18]

July 8, 1992: The WLAF announces San Antonio, Texas will be getting an expansion team for the 1993 season. This comes as the league championship is days from happening between the Orlando Thunder and the Amsterdam Admirals, who knocked off the defending champion London Monarchs last week.

Also, the Toronto Towers, struggling on the field and at the box office, announce they will no longer seek a Canadian buyer. Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy’s, is rumored to buy the team and move it to Columbus, Ohio as is KFC executive and former Kentucky governor John Y. Brown Jr. who would move the team to Louisville.

 

[Looper]

July 11, 1992: The Cubs and Dodgers play to one of the weirdest finishes ever. In the top of the ninth, the Cubs Doug Strange hit a three run home run to put the Cubbies up one. Then in the bottom of the ninth, with one out Juan Samuel came to the plate, with Eric Karros on first. Samuel hit the ball to Cubs shortstop Rey Sanchez, who threw the ball to Ryne Sandberg for out two. Sandberg then wheeled around and fired the ball to Mark Grace, but Samuel beat the throw and tripped. Grace ran up and tagged Samuel, and the umpire ruled him out. Samuel argued, but tapes showed that when Samuel tripped, he technically rounded first, meaning he could be tagged. This win puts the Cubs in first place in the NL East.

 

[WB18]

July 11, 1992: The Cubs and Dodgers play to one of the weirdest finishes ever. In the top of the ninth, the Cubs Doug Strange hit a three run home run to put the Cubbies up one. Then in the bottom of the ninth, with one out Juan Samuel came to the plate, with Eric Karros on first. Samuel hit the ball to Cubs shortstop Rey Sanchez, who threw the ball to Ryne Sandberg for out two. Sandberg then wheeled around and fired the ball to Mark Grace, but Samuel beat the throw and tripped. Grace ran up and tagged Samuel, and the umpire ruled him out. Samuel argued, but tapes showed that when Samuel tripped, he technically rounded first, meaning he could be tagged. This win puts the Cubs in first place in the NL West.

You mean NL East don’t you, the Cubs were in the NL East at the time

 

[Looper]

You mean NL East don’t you, the Cubs were in the NL East at the time

fixed

 

[WB18]

July 12, 1992: David Robinson signs a 5 year, 60 million dollar deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, meaning he will team up with Charles Barkley, who resigned with Philly earlier this offseason.

 

[Inferno60]

July 12, 1992: David Robinson signs a 5 year, 60 million dollar deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, meaning he will team up with Charles Barkley, who resigned with Philly earlier this offseason.

Spurs, you’re fucked.

 

[Colonel Zoidberg]

Spurs, you’re fucked.

Not even sure if the Spurs can reasonably stay in San Antonio long term if they don’t start putting up some results after this. Especially if they never get a guy like Tim Duncan.

July 5, 1992: The city of Cleveland announces plans for a new Sports and Entertainment complex which includes new stadiums for the Browns and Indians as well as a new arena for the Cavaliers and a possible NHL franchise, as many businessman from the area are rumored to pursue a franchise to move to the forest city. The city also announces the Rock and Roll hall of fame will be part of the project.

July 6, 1992: The NFL announces the expansion franchises coming in 1993 in Carolina and Baltimore will be named the Panthers and Ravens respectively. The Panthers will play in the NFC East while the Phoenix Cardinals will move to the NFC West. The Ravens will be put in the AFC Central.

The NFL may have to wet Bidwill’s beak on this one. OTL he actually bitched and moaned about losing a home date with the Cowboys every year (maybe playing the 49ers every year will shut him up but he will probably piss and moan.)

July 17, 1992: The International Soccer Federation announces 16 cities that will receive teams for the inaugural 1993-94 season:

Boston
Chicago
Columbus, Ohio
Denver
Detroit
Houston
Kansas City
Los Angeles
New York
Phoenix
San Jose
Seattle
Tampa
Toronto
Vancouver
Washington, DC

 

[WB18]

The NFL may have to wet Bidwill’s beak on this one. OTL he actually bitched and moaned about losing a home date with the Cowboys every year (maybe playing the 49ers every year will shut him up but he will probably piss and moan.)

Well…

July 18, 1992: Following complaining about the NFL alignment, Cardinals owner Bill Bidwell’s car is struck by a drunk driver on a Phoenix-area freeway. He is taken to the hospital and expected to survive, but he is expected pass the team down to his family.

 

[Logamer1012]

July 23th, 1992: Multiple reliable sources are reporting that two of the main supporters of Toronto's bid for NBA expansion have died. If this is true, Toronto will most likely be forced to withdraw their bid. NBA fans in Toronto are holding out hope that these reports are either false or misleading.

 

[Colonel Zoidberg]

Well…

July 18, 1992: Following complaining about the NFL alignment, Cardinals owner Bill Bidwell’s car is struck by a drunk driver on a Phoenix-area freeway. He is taken to the hospital and expected to survive, but he is expected pass the team down to his family.

I guess that works too. His kid seems pretty on the ball, and he’s more than happy to play the 49ers twice a year.

July 23th, 1992: Multiple reliable sources are reporting that two of the main supporters of Toronto's bid for NBA expansion have died. If this is true, Toronto will most likely be forced to withdraw their bid. NBA fans in Toronto are holding out hope that these reports are either false or misleading.

Ooh damn. Might help Mexico City or Montreal, though.

 

[Looper]

July 24, 1992: Boston, Chicago, Kansas City and Washington DC reveal their team names. They are the Minutemen, Flames, Warriors and Monuments, respectively.

 

[Logamer1012]

July 24th, 1992: Toronto's mayor confirms reports that two of the city's main supporters for the NBA expansion bid have died. Because of that, the city council have voted in favor of withdrawing their bid. NBA fans all over the USA and Canada are in disbelief as Toronto was generally considered the front runner for the expansion.

 

[WB18]

July 26, 1992: In a shocking turn of events, the owners of the Toronto Blue Jays step in and announce that they will bid on an NBA expansion after Toronto’s NBA dreams appeared to be dead.

 

[Duel]

July 26, 1992: New York, Seattle, Detroit, and Toronto ISF teams announce their team names. New York will be the Empire, Seattle the Totems, Detroit the Diesel, and Toronto the Raccoons.

 

[Inferno60]

July 26, 1992: In a shocking turn of events, the owners of the Toronto Blue Jays step in and announce that they will bid on an NBA expansion after Toronto’s NBA dreams appeared to be dead.

Well if the previous bidders died, it makes sense for Lebatt to step in.

 

[Logamer1012]

July 30th, 1992: Vancouver, San Jose, and Houston announce their ISF teams. Vancouver will be called Vancouver Blizzard, San Jose will be the San Jose Orcas, and Houston's name will be the Houston Astronauts

 

[WB18]

August 2, 1992: Mariners pitcher Randy Johnson throws a no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway, striking out 14 and had a perfect game going until walking a batter in the eighth as Seattle wins 8-0 with Ken Griffey Jr going 3 for 5 at the plate. The Mariners are in an unprecedented 5 way tie with the Angels, Rangers, Twins and Zephyrs for first in the AL West as the Oakland A's aren't far behind at just 2 back with 40 games to go in the season.

August 3, 1992: Following the Orlando Thunder's triumph over the Amsterdam Admirals in the 1992 WLAF championship, the league announces the San Antonio franchise that will begin play in 1993 will be named the Texans and will call the brand new AlamoDome home. The Texans will play in the West Division while the St. Louis Clydesdales will move to the East Division.

As of now, the Toronto Towers have yet to find a buyer.