Thursday, June 17, 2010

June 17, 2010: 16 Years Ago Today

In 1994, I was in my 3rd year of University at the University of Waterloo, and I was living in a student house along with 4 friends. 16 years ago, on June 17, 1994, we were gearing up for game 5 of the NBA Finals featuring the New York Knicks and the Houston Rockets. The series was tied 2-2, and considering it was being played at Madison Square Garden, to say it was a big deal would be an understatement.

As we settled in to the game, suddenly we were shocked to see NBC cut away to a police chase featuring a white Bronco. That's right, the O.J. Chase was 16 years ago today. It's still crystal clear in my mind as I saw my friend and roommate Buzz (an affable Philipino who loved John Starks) jumping up and down screaming at the TV to go back to the game.

We never really got to see the game (which the Knicks won 91-84) as the Bronco chase took over, although we did get some split screen action before NBC decided that the chase was more important. Thinking about it today and remembering Buzz getting upset, made me wonder: Where were you when it happened? What were you doing when O.J. was being chased by the LAPD?

Let's hear your stories in the Comments Section.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Interesting Sean that you've mentioned this event. This is a day that we won't ever forget for more than one reason. 16 years ago today, our daughter was christened. We had just come home after being with family for the day. We turned on CNN and couldn't believe what we were seeing. We sat there watching in stunned disbelief.

Jason said...

I remember this day vividly. That night myself and two very good friends dropped acid (for the first of only a handful of times). What I remember about the chase was that we were more impacted by the fact that it was announced that the bass player for Hole had died. A truly surreal day that was filled with plenty of jokes about "Nordberg"...

Kirsten said...

I was serving at Walts in Streetsville and the whole bar/restaurant stopped to watch the t.v. - even some of the patio came in to see what was going on...

Brytni said...

Well, I was 4... So I'm sure I was playing with toys.

Just Jen said...

I was 14, it was the summer before high school started, so I was just being a lazy-ass around the house trying to find a channel to watch that wasn't covering the chase. I ended up popping Top Gun in the VCR.

Erin {pughs' news} said...

Seriously? Was it really 16 years ago now? That's crazy. I remember watching some of the big chase on tv with my boyfriend who'd moved out from Newfoundland to be with me in BC (and was about to change his mind, pretend he was going fruit-picking in the Okanagan for the summer and drive all the way back to the Rock without so much as a phone call... that guy was a jerk)

Thanks for the memories!

Sean said...

Great responses! From happy, to sad, to just plain depressing (Brytni, you were 4???)

Sorry to bring up a sore spot, Erin. I'm sure you're much better off because of it, though!

Anonymous said...

I was watching the game as well - as a Houston Rockets Fan, though!

-Nicole M
Houston, TX

Anonymous said...

I was at a Bar at Yonge and Eglinton in Toronto. The whole bar was watching it. 16 years flies by doesnt it ?

Sad that one of our biggest "where were you" moments was the OJ chase. Pretty lame comment on our society.