A Year of Confusion

1993 was certainly an odd year for anyone who was closely engaged with pop culture or had a life in general. I think it can certainly be argued that it was a very strange time to most due to the fact that many established figures decided that it was a year to "call it quits".

One of the most pivotal sports figures of our generation stepped away from the game in 1993. Michael Jordan chose to retire from the game of basketball and pursue a career in baseball. Most would attribute this to the murder of Jordan's father as well as the superstar's gambling issues. Although Jordan signed a minor league deal with a Chicago team (White Sox), any fan of basketball and Jordan alike appreciated his return to the Bulls as well as the team's second 3-peat of the decade. Still to this day, Jordan remains the greatest player of all time. Although his 1st retirement somewhat tatters his prolific career, I can understand why he left. Sometimes people want to hide right in public.

The famous television show Cheers also had its last episode in 1993. I'll admit I have never been a fan of the show but the song is a different story. Even though the bar finally "closed", the anthem of that show is still prevalent in society today. Perhaps that will change over the next few years, but that is the type of cultural impact Cheers had.

New Kids on the Block said no more this year as well. After being together for seven years, the boys cited being burned out from touring as the primary reason for their demise. I'm pretty sure me and my older sister actually had NKOTB sweatshirts. I have no idea why I just admitted that, but I can't hide from the truth. This to me was the very first "boy band" that our generation would recognize. I'm not talking about their makeup, but of their success. These guys paved the way for the more successful groups later in the decade but were the original teen heartthrobs. It was actually refreshing to see the group make a little comeback over the past couple of years.