The Chase, 20th anniversary (running thread)

Love how Jenks passed himself off as Newsweek's Paris bureau chief.

 

I was visiting my mom and dad the day of, and watched a World Cup game that afternoon before I headed back to college town (a 2-hour drive). Everything happened fast.

The arrest warrant announcement broke on the radio at the start of the drive, and by the time I was near the end of the drive, the Bronco had already been spotted. I walked in and my roommate was watching the NBA finals — probably the only channel that hadn't broken in yet early — and said "Dude, you're missing this shit." He was totally clueless.

NBC tried to ignore the car chase for the longest and finally couldn't.

 

I was having lunch at a bar when the LAPD press conference came on and they announced they were "actively seeking Mr. Simpson."

That night I was at a wedding rehearsal dinner and we were getting updates on the chase from the guys in the kitchen.

A buddy of mine was in living in LA at the time and was on the freeway in front the chase for a little bit on his way home from somewhere.

 

That was such a terrible year: the Harding-Kerrigan ordeal, OJ, baseball strike that wiped out the World Series, all sorts of personal grief.

On the night of the chase, I was broadcasting a baseball game on radio. Like thousands (millions?) of others, I uttered the phrase "Looks like the Juice is on the loose."

 

I was covering a Micky Ward fight when it happened.

 

We are marking a lot of 20th anniversaries of some big events this year, that is for sure. Also a lot of 25th anniversaries: We forget how newsy 1989 was too.

 

Where? And against whom?

 

Lowell Mass tko over Luis Castillo, not the former 2b.

 

Right.

 

And, of course, 1984 might have been the greatest of all from a sports standpoint.

 

OJ 30 for 30 is starting now.

 

I didn't know the game show was that old. Labbert has aged well