RETRO EDITION: FLASHBACK TO 1989.

1989. Our hair was thick and our wallets were thin. Time Magazine recently called 1989 "The Year That Shaped Our World."

I like to call 1989 "The Year I Blew Out My Knee and Developed a Long-Term Drinking Problem." Either way, it was a very good year.

Most importantly, 1989 was the first year of the NMU Packer Weekend. The original roster was: The Mayor, Stitch Jones, Fatty Gering, and Dave Babe. There was a special appearance by America's Guest at the now defunct Top Shelf Bar.

Highlights of that maiden voyage included meeting Lynn Dickey, Strube getting thrown through a plate glass window, living the "Life of Reilly", encountering a drunken and very intimidating Roy Brown outside Lambeau, and going on a downtown movie date with 3 of my teammates in tow.

A tone was set my friends. And for 20 years we've followed the tradition of boozy excellence set that very first weekend.

What follows are a few of the other highlights from 1989 . . . the last year of a great decade.

World Events

Cold War ends with the fall of the Berlin Wall and Soviet domination of Eastern Europe

Around NMU

The gang moves off campus. Wall, Electric, Bubba, Ratt and Sweet Head of Devine move into the crime scene that was 124 W. Crescent Street -- just a few doors down from the Pub. The Mayor and company move into 1826 Van Evera (former swimmer's house).

Speaking of the Pub, Power Hour still in effect. 50 cent drafts from 10 to 11 pm, 364 days a year. By the end of the year, the only "legal" freshman from our crew were Ratt, me, and Bubba who all turned 21 in October.

Whelps turns O-Line Night into a roving off-campus party complete with hazing (making freshman kiss plungers and eat gourds and spiders) and random ackts of vandalisim (raiding the swimmers' house).

No diving. In a sad development, The Alibi as we know it closes its doors in December. In a bit of poetic justice it's now gym.

Pop Culture

Eat my shorts! The Simpsons debuts on Fox in December

Top Singles of the Year

• Like a Prayer, Madonna


• Eternal Flame, The Bangles. Bubba and I still have a crush on lead singer Susanna Hoffs.

• Another Day in Paradise, Phil Collins
  
• The Look, Roxette. My girlfriend had a sweet Roxette haircut.


• Love Shack, B-52's. Tin Roof. Rusted.

Critically Acclaimed Songs

• Fight the Power, Public Enemy
• Monkey Gone to Heaven, The Pixies. Spring Break Theme Song. Padre 91.
• Rockin in the Free World, Neil Young. "I see a thousand points of light, for the homeless man. I see a kinder, gentler machine-gun hand."
• Personal Jesus, Depeche Mode. For my man Brys.

Top Movies

• Batman. "I'm Blackman. Tell the brothers about me." bastardized quote courtesy of Shaun Manego.
• Look Who's Talking. Didn't we see this movie on a football road trip?
• Dead Poets Society "Oh Captain, My Captain."
• Born on the Fourth of July.
• Say Anything. "I gave her my heart and she gave me this pen."

Sports

• Saskatchewan Roughriders upset the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 43 to 40 in the 77th Grey Cup. Rookie lineman and NMU alum Chuck Klingbeil named defensive MVP. No shit, they guy only bench pressed 600 lbs!

• Notre Dame Football Coach Brian Kelly named defensive coordinator at GVSU.
  
• Bad Boys Ride Again. Detroit Pistons win their second straight NBA title.
  
• The Oakland A's, who were more juced up than most college football teams, win the World Series 4-0. Series interrupted by earthquakes.
  
• Niners down the Bengals 20-16 in Super Bowl XXIII. More importantly Steve Avery throws a kick-ass Super Bowl Party at JT's Shaft. One memorable site was Bubba sitting at the bar with one eye open, one eye closed, and Slick draped all over him.
  

NMU Football (5-5)

Oh Captains, Our Captains: Eduardro, Rednuts, Baraga Bandit

Quote of the Year: "Gering, you're a big fat lumberjack. It's your fault, Marana, you recruited him!" Carl "Buck" Nystrom.

Game-by-Game Results:

• NMU 24, North Dakota 22 - Tocco kicks winning field goal in his first game. Bubba celebrates by passing out in the flower bed at Ten O'Clock Charlies.


• NMU 23, North Dakota State 55 -- The Mayor makes his first catch.


• NMU 17, Hillsdale 27 -- Hillsdale always had our number.
  
• NMU 17, Wayne State 13 -- back when they were still the Tartars.


• NMU 19, Ferris State 14 -- I still hate Ferris. Never lost to them in 5 years!


• NMU 14, Grand Valley 38 -- The luck of the Irish is with Brian Kelly.


• NMU 28, Saginaw Valley 27 -- Must have been a good one; don't remember a thing.
  
• NMU 43, UW Stout 22 -- Got drunk the night before this one. First and only time.
  
• CENSORED -- DG blows out his knee. NMU just plain blown out!
  
• NMU 20, St. Francis-Illinois 32 -- Whelps' last game. Dahlke plays center in my absence. No wonder we lost.