JULY 25, 1984

Full News Archive

• Headline: Reagan's Push for Nicaraguan Aid. Impact: This little briefing on Reagan's Nicaraguan escapades was the spark that ignited a thousand conspiracy theories. Had they just let the rebels enjoy their day at the beach instead of adding more aid, who knows? Perhaps the '80s would have been filled with more beach parties and less covert operations. The butterfly flaps its wings, and suddenly, no one knows what a CIA is.. Fact: Did you know that the Nicaraguan rebels were often referred to as 'Contras'? Sounds fancy, but it actually just means 'against' in Spanish. So essentially, they were just against everything, including proper funding apparently..
• Headline: Mets Embrace Technology in Intense Rivalry. Impact: The Mets testing computers? It’s a comedic tragedy waiting to happen. This moment set off the chain reaction leading to every sports team thinking they needed analytics to win, thus paving the way for fantasy leagues and the inevitable invention of 'fantasy sports' as a way to argue with your friends about imaginary players. Who knew spreadsheets would become more relevant than actual athletes?. Fact: Funny enough, Dave Johnson had more faith in computers than in his own players. Maybe he thought a computer could finally figure out how to get the Mets to win a game without relying on sheer luck or divine intervention..