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Sports in the 1980s


johnnysama

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Hi, guys. Since there's nothing going on in these times, here's is something I've been wanting to talk about for a while..... sports in the 1980s. I'm a big fan of 1980s things, and sports is no exception, since I like that too. 😄 With that said, let's have a discussion in here about the great moments, the uniforms, and everything else related to sports in the 1980s!

 

Let's get started. 😄

 

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One downside of sports in the 1980s: Unless you were a baseball fan, then there is no such thing as parity as far as championships is concerned. All but one of the Stanley Cups were won by two teams, three teams won more than one Super Bowl title, and four teams won every NBA championships. There was only one team that won more than World Series in the eighties.

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During the 80s, there was a lot of stability for franchises in the big 4. 

 

There was only expansion in the NBA, closer to the end of the decade.

 

Some relocations off the top of my head:

NHL

Colorado Rockies --> New Jersey Devils

Atlanta Flames move to Calgary 

 

NFL

St. Louis Football Cardinals move to Phoenix

Oakland Raiders move to LA

 

NBA

San Diego Clippers move to LA 

 

MLB

I don't believe there were any in baseball 

 

 

I was very young in my sport watching years by the end of the 80s (born in 1981) but it was a great decade to start.

 

 

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^ You are correct about MLB; there were no relocations between 1972 and 2004.

 

The Rams also moved from L.A. proper to Anaheim, but it technically doesn't count since they stayed in the same general metropolitan locale.

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Even the broadcasters were stable:

 

NFL:

  • NFC Package - CBS
  • AFC Package - NBC
  • Monday Night Football - ABC
  • Super Bowl - All 3 broadcasted Super Bowls in the decade

With the debut of the Sunday Night Football package going to TNT and ABC's future sister station ESPN in 1987

 

NBA Finals: CBS

MLB's World Series: ABC and NBC

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The NHL had trouble on U.S. TV in the 1980s. USA, ESPN and SportsChannel were the major national networks carrying it (they were all cable networks); no over-the-air broadcast network aired games then.

 

TNT only started broadcasting Sunday night games in 1990, and only in the first half of the season.

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Can't talk about sports in the '80s without bringing politics into it, sine the USA boycotted the MOCBA games in '80, and the Soviets boycotted the LA games in '84.

 

Also, that '84 olympic baseball team that brought us the Mark McGwire and Cory Snyder rookie cards:

 

71xHrNcDczL._AC_SL1382_.jpg1985-403.jpg

 

 

Hell - a big part of sports in the '80s was the cards themselves.  You had Topps, as always, and then in the early '80s you had Donruss and Fleer, and eventually Score and Upper Deck.  But for the most part, there was only three, and everyone bought the "wax packs" with the gum.  I think they were $0.35 when I was a lad.

"The views expressed here are mine and do not reflect the official opinion of my employer or the organization through which the Internet was accessed."

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The 80s were the end of a sensible trading card market (comic books too). The industry ate itself in the 90s.

 

I couldn't find Don West talking about Mark McGwire, but this is the basic idea:

 

 

1 hour ago, ShutUpLutz! said:

and the drunken doodoobags jumping off the tops of SUV's/vans/RV's onto tables because, oh yeah, they are drunken drug abusing doodoobags

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6 minutes ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

The 80s were the end of a sensible trading card market (comic books too). The industry ate itself in the 90s.

 

I couldn't find Don West talking about Mark McGwire, but this is the basic idea:

 

I didn't watch that entire video, but if it doesn't contain the phrase "PRISSSTIIIIINNE CONDITION" I'll eat my hat.

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In 1980, every Philadelphia team made their respective finals, including the Phillies, who won their first world series after 97 years of futility.

"The views expressed here are mine and do not reflect the official opinion of my employer or the organization through which the Internet was accessed."

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Can't forget the cocaine! It may have started in the '70s, but I'm pretty sure each of the Big Four had a big cocaine bust/scandal during the '80s. MLB had the Pittsburgh Drug Trials, the Oakland Hilton was the NBA's primary coke-dealing area, the NHL had a bunch of guys on coke, and I do believe the NFL had its fair share of drug busts relating to the white stuff. 

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1 hour ago, sc49erfan15 said:

 

I didn't watch that entire video, but if it doesn't contain the phrase "PRISSSTIIIIINNE CONDITION" I'll eat my hat.

 

I just looked up Mark McGwire rookie cards on eBay: $70. Lol they used to sell those for like $1,000.

1 hour ago, ShutUpLutz! said:

and the drunken doodoobags jumping off the tops of SUV's/vans/RV's onto tables because, oh yeah, they are drunken drug abusing doodoobags

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Just now, DG_ThenNowForever said:

 

I just looked up Mark McGwire rookie cards on eBay: $70. Lol they used to sell those for like $1,000.

 

I got a '86 Donruss Jose Canseco rookie card.  I had it in super thick lucite because I think at one time Beckett valued it at >$200.  Pretty sure it's around a nickle now.

"The views expressed here are mine and do not reflect the official opinion of my employer or the organization through which the Internet was accessed."

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Just now, DG_ThenNowForever said:

I just looked up Mark McGwire rookie cards on eBay: $70. Lol they used to sell those for like $1,000.

 

That was definitely THE "hot card" at the height of my online sports card trading days (2001-2002).

 

If you were into cards during that time, I'm sure you remember the mythical 1990 Topps Frank Thomas "No Name On Front" card. I get nostalgic from time to time and visit card forums, and stumbled upon this thread that all but uncovers the mystery surrounding the card. It's long and unfortunately missing some pictures, but it's an interesting read. TL;DR is basically that a guy theorizes that the "nameless" version of the Thomas was caused by something (piece of card stock, liquid, defective printing plate) that would affect more cards that were printed on the same uncut sheet as the Thomas - and then sifts through thousands of those specific cards and proves his theory correct.

 

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