Reminiscing the 90s! Athletes and Crushes

This week on Going Off Topic we are going back to the greatest decade, the 90s. I reached out to a few friends and family members who grew up during that time to cover a few categories: Music, Movies, TV Shows, Athletes, Toys, Stores, Video Games/Board Games and Crushes from the 90s. I gave them the reins to discuss each topic whether that meant things they remember from each category, things they had or loved, things they didn’t have but wish they did. I enlisted a few returning people but most are making their blogging debut. Each day we will be covering a new category with each person’s opinion on that topic. The seventh category for the Going Off Topic 90s week is Athletes and Crushes so dig up all the posters that used to cover the walls of your bedroom!

Kyle: 
I am a huge sports nut and this obsession definitely started at birth, I remember watching games and going to Cardinals game with my parents as a kid. I always had a ball in my hand and remember playing wiffle ball with my parents and grandma at her house while my parents were at work. Some of my favorite athletes from this time were Sammy Sosa (before I knew he cheated then he broke my heart and I became a full time Cards fan, Mark McGwire, The Greatest Show on Turf, MJ of course, Ken Griffey Jr, Dennis Rodman, T-Mac and Vinsanity. One point of interest can you imagine how good the Raptors could have been if they kept T-Mac and Vince? My goodness talk about one of the greatest sports “what-ifs”. I was also huge in wrestling, Sting was the shit.

There was only one crush for me in the 90s, the one and only Christina Aguilera. She was amazing and I still love her to this day.

Ellen:

The Magnificent Seven. They made history by winning the team gold medal in the 1996 Olympics and it was a big deal. Shannon Miller, Dominique Moceanu, Dominique Dawes, Kerri Strug, Amy Chow, Jaycie Phelps and Amanda Borden. Kerri Strug’s sticking her second vault after literally destroying her ankle on her first vault! Iconic and so inspiring! It gets me every time when I watch that video. My mom used to yell “You can do it Kerri!” in a horrible Romanian accent whenever I was vaulting or doing any gymnastics at all. That moment is legendary.

My first big crushes that I can remember were Leonardo DiCaprio and Nick Carter. Oh my god, Nick Carter was swoon-worthy back in the 90s/early 2000s. My sister was also obsessed with BSB and Nick Carter so she told me that I had to like someone else and she literally said, “You can like Brian”. Now, I didn’t like Brian but I had to comply and pretend I did because I didn’t want to get on that chicks bad side. Looking back, Brian wasn’t bad looking and Nick Carter turned out to be trailer trash in an unfortunate turn of events. As for Leo… yeah I still have a mad celebrity crush on that man. His eyes are so beautiful and re-watching Titanic, Catch Me if You Can, or Romeo + Juliet is simply a treat. People say he isn’t aging well… maybe love has made me blind but I don’t see it. He’s still beautiful in my eyes.

Shannon:

I always had a crush on Lance Bass from NYSNC and then he came out as gay, and it broke my heart. 

Becca:

The only thing I really knew about sports back in the day I learned from movies, particularly Space Jam! I don’t think there is a person on earth who doesn’t know who Michael Jordan is... even though Lola Bunny clearly carried the Toon Squad to victory! My crushes were Jonathan Taylor Thomas or JTT and the other JT, Justin Timberlake. Weird they both have the same initials...