Today at THT

I never thought I’d be one of those people, but yesterday as I was driving home from work it occurred to me that I simply can’t listen to any more bad financial news on the radio. It’s just too much and it is starting to depress me greatly. So I clicked off NPR and listened to “Freebird.” It was a good choice. As I was taking in that triple guitar attack, I wondered if that’s how Nats fans feel about the sports broadcast . . .

  • Brandon Isleib looks at the teams that suffered the most devastating loss of a star, yet still made the playoffs. Weirdest thing: he couches the article in the theme song to “Family Ties.” Unless he’s lying on his Facebook page, Brandon is 23 years-old. Is it really possible for someone that young to know about “Family Ties” for purposes other than mocking it? While we’re on the subject, I’ll throw a question out to the group: which of the women of 1980s Thursday night NBC programming would you like to be with the most: Meredith Baxter-Birney of “Family Ties,” Lisa Bonet form “Cosby,” Shelly Long from “Cheers,” Markie Post from “Night Court,” or Susan Dey from “L.A. Law?” I’m a Markie Post man, myself, but I think reasonable people can disagree on this one.
  • Colin Wyers has part 2 in his series about why players make the money that they do. He could have shortened the piece by simply writing “because the owners neglected to drown Marvin Miller in the East River in the early 70s.”
  • Finally, Tuck! piles on Jim Bowden. You should too, because after this week, I don’t think we’ll have the chance again!
  • Just to clarify, even in a good economy and with nothing but wonderful news in the world, “Freebird” is still the superior choice. Always.


    19 Comments
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    Ralph
    15 years ago

    Markie Post, without question.

    Luke
    15 years ago

    Markie Post, and it’s not even close.

    RickyB
    15 years ago

    Markie Post is the correct answer to your question. Meredith Baxter-Birney would win in a MILF contest; Lisa Bonet if you wanted something freaky; Shelley Long = Olive Oyl (‘nuff said); Susan Dey was off somehow and I can’t put my finger on it.

    APBA Guy
    15 years ago

    OMG, Lisa Bonet, all the way.

    Evidently not enough of you have seen “Angel Heart”.

    Nick
    15 years ago

    Mark me down for Markie.

    blaze
    15 years ago

    Doh! Angel Heart, not Wild Orchids.

    Dave Studeman
    15 years ago

    If you’re my age, you went through two Susan Dey periods.  Think Markie Post could have a comeback like Dey did?  Based on that 30 Rock episode, I don’t think so.

    Dey gets my vote.

    Craig Calcaterra
    15 years ago

    That’s hardly fair, though Dave:  The first Dey era was when she was really, young, and Post’s first era corresponded with the age Dey was in her second.

    Of course, I’m willing to take argument on the subject of whether Buck Rogers/Fall Guy Post was a distinct era from Night Court/Heart’s Afire Post.

    In other news, this page is going to probably rank pretty high on the list for people Googling “Markie Post.”  I would like to apologize in advance for would-be Post-ooglers who are angry that there are no pictures here.

    Mark Armour
    15 years ago

    I would say Bonet in a rout.  Also, a few years ago I watched several episodes of Family Ties—during my “up to feed the baby years”—and enjoyed it.  Yes, that’s right—I liked the show more than 10 years later.

    Andy L
    15 years ago

    I am also too young to have watched these shows when they were new, but Justine Bateman is still GORGEOUS, as she appeared late in the third season of Arrested Development.

    Eric Solomon
    15 years ago

    Phylicia.  Ayers.  Allen.  Rashad.

    That is all.

    lar
    15 years ago

    Wow. Where’s the love for Meredith Baxter-Birney? Justine Bateman is great, for sure, but so was Meredith. I’m just saying…

    Dave Studeman
    15 years ago

    Yes, I had a major thing for Meredith Baxter-Birney back in the day.  I remember she was on some sitcom with David Birney, (looked it up: Bridget Loves Bernie), which is where she picked up the second name.

    Is Courtney Thorne-Smith today’s Meredith Baxter-Birney?

    blaze
    15 years ago

    Lisa Bonet, post Cosby, of course.

    dlf
    15 years ago

    At the time, I was clearly a Justine Bateman fan … unfortunately, my dating life was more of the Carla Tortelli variety.

    TUCK!
    15 years ago

    I am NOT piling on. I’ve had that joke written for MONTHS. Wait. Nevermind.

    Brandon Isleib
    15 years ago

    Syndication exists for a reason – to give 23 year-old upstarts/whippersnappers/spring chickens a chance to catch up on pop culture.  I saw many episodes of Family Ties on daytime programming as a kid, and I can say with pride that I like the show.

    That doesn’t stop the theme song from being one of the most enduring and altogether unsatisfyingg earworms of all time.  But what other chance was I going to get to reference Family Ties in a baseball article?  Success is just maximizing your opportunities, Craig…‘s all it is. 

    Success is also a word that Stephanie Tanner tried to spell “rhododendron” in a spelling bee.  But that’s the wrong show.

    Mike
    15 years ago
    kobyp7
    15 years ago

    Don’t get me wrong, Markie Post is great, but there was just something about Shelly Long.