Author Topic: What Brings You Here? (Read 9448 times)

Alkie · « **on:** November 13, 2006, 09:48:59 pm »

Playing off the thread last week about the nicknames here...

How did you find AC/OWA?

I was on the alt.baseball.houston-astros usenet group in 1997 when someone named "Holly" suggested we all check out this Astros fan site called Astros Connection.

I still have no idea why I followed her advice.

If only I could find that "Holly" girl today...and kick her in the knee.

Craig · « **Reply #1 on:** November 13, 2006, 09:56:03 pm »

In 1999 I was trying to get information on the Mike Hampton and Derek Bell trade, but all I could find was the shitty message board that the old Astros website linked to. The place was full of idiots, and someone mentioned that a better spot was AstrosConnection. So I checked it out, and saw Andyzipp's "One Man's Odyssey" and the "Derek Bell Suck."

So I figured that was the place for me.

austro · « **Reply #2 on:** November 13, 2006, 10:30:50 pm »

I wound up at AC after reading Neyer's column touting the glossary. Man, that was a long time ago. 1999, maybe?

MusicMan · « **Reply #3 on:** November 13, 2006, 10:55:15 pm »

Heard it referenced on the 610 morning show.

The first hit was free.

Holly · « **Reply #4 on:** November 13, 2006, 10:56:04 pm »

Seriously? Dude, OBVIOUSLY I was on crack at the time.

I think Zipp gave it to me. Or I gave it to him. Shit, it's been so long I can't remember anymore.

HudsonHawk · « **Reply #5 on:** November 13, 2006, 11:11:44 pm »

Quote:

Playing off the thread last week about the nicknames here...

How did you find AC/OWA?

I was on the alt.baseball.houston-astros usenet group in 1997 when someone named "Holly" suggested we all check out this Astros fan site called Astros Connection.

I still have no idea why I followed her advice.

If only I could find that "Holly" girl today...and kick her in the knee.

I found this URL scrawled on the wall of the men's room at the bus station.

drew corleone · « **Reply #6 on:** November 13, 2006, 11:23:54 pm »

I think I found this place from AD in about 2003. Probably read for about a year before I started posting toward the end of the 2004 season.

Fredia · « **Reply #7 on:** November 13, 2006, 11:28:04 pm »

would it suprise everyone to know i really dont remember when i began posting.. (think it was a condition of my therapy or something) any how my daughter found the site and showed it to me about two or three incarnarions ago. at the time she was still at the age i monitered her web time.... and i read and i posted and it keeps me off the street and other websites to this very day. it was sad when it went away for a while.. i did try valiantly to post elsewhere but this was home

utastro · « **Reply #8 on:** November 13, 2006, 11:37:43 pm »

I wasted away a year posting on astros.com. Then about a year and a half ago, I stumbled across this site. When I got into my first pissing match with pravata and Jim and got the obligatory WFW, I was hooked.

Curly · « **Reply #9 on:** November 14, 2006, 12:14:52 am »

Jeeez...don't even have a clue. Probably in a drunken stuper while I was downloading every song I could get my hands on when it was "free", and before they started arresting 8 year olds. Either that or it was one of the one thousand pop ups I was trying to close after I hit some porn site. Then again, I could have just been trying out this internet thing that Gore invented.

JackAstro · « **Reply #10 on:** November 14, 2006, 01:26:28 am »

I started visiting AC in the fall of 99 on the recommendation of a a guy I worked with. I never posted back then, but came by religiously for the recaps, a few of the columns, and to poke my head into the TZ and read. I maybe chimed in once or twice a year, until this iteration of OWA. No idea why I started.

johnstros · « **Reply #11 on:** November 14, 2006, 02:49:36 am »

was looking on the web for some astros news other than u know what, found ac, loved the layout, and laughed until i couldn't feel anything on the seperated by birth and nicknames.

there were different takes each week or month i can't remember exactly with alkie, i remember your pics man, those black glasses and the army cut and zipp. and when ac closed, i was somewhat sad because i didn't know what was going to happen.

it might have been yahoo or google.

yeah and i loved reading hall of fame stuff, that was really great

Froback · « **Reply #12 on:** November 14, 2006, 02:53:18 am »

I came over from AD, not sure how I ended up there though.

MichaelN's Minor opinions drew me in, then it morphed into just a message board type place. Been posting here alot more than anywhere else, cause people here actually think, instead of just knee-jerk... well most of the time.

Astroholic · « **Reply #13 on:** November 14, 2006, 08:13:29 am »

I was wondering how my stars aligned for the day and typed in the wrong url.

Phil_in_CS · « **Reply #14 on:** November 14, 2006, 09:01:29 am »

web search for astro's sites, I think. Back in 2000

Guinness · « **Reply #15 on:** November 14, 2006, 09:03:22 am »

Mostly the beandip, but the Thursday buffet can be quite nice.

MikeyBoy · « **Reply #16 on:** November 14, 2006, 09:31:23 am »

If I recall correctly, I found AC through a search engine and was captivated by the game recaps, columns, glossary, and nicknames. It was the first (and only) place I found on the internet where the participants viewed the game of baseball the same way I did. I did not, however, start posting until OWA was spun off.

CarolinaStro · « **Reply #17 on:** November 14, 2006, 09:55:48 am »

Started viewing back in the AC days. The original draw for me was the minor league/prospect stuff (Michael N, iirc). Then the Zipp stories and their like got me. Of course, the talk zone finally hooked me. Fan of many teams in other sports with sites but this site is the best by far. Obviuosly, I didn't start posting until this year.

Tralfaz · « **Reply #18 on:** November 14, 2006, 09:56:34 am »

I was found by Elroy in the fourth Jetsons episode, "The Coming of Astro". When Elroy, Jane and Judy proposed keeping me to George, he was against it. To try and stay out of the "doghouse" with his family, he got an electronic dog. The electronic dog was supposed to be the new hairless, non-eating, protect your house, way to go. When a cat burgler tried to rob the Jetsons, the electronic dog attacked him (which he did to anyone wearing a mask). Elroy tried waking me to get me to stop the burglar as a way to prove myself, but I turned out to be more interested in hiding in fear. However, when trying to escape, the cat burgler put the mask on George. The electronic dog then proceeded to chase after George. It was I (who was trying to run from the cat burgler) that inevitably caught the criminal (by accident) by crashing into him. This prompted George to decide that the electronic dog was not the way to go. They gave the electronic dog to the police and kept me as part of their family.

In the fifteenth episode, "Millionaire Astro", I am discovered to be Tralfaz, the long-lost pet dog of zillionaire J.P. Gottrockets.

HurricaneDavid · « **Reply #19 on:** November 14, 2006, 09:59:08 am »

I don't remember how I ever found out about AC.com, but at the time the design was FAR superior to the old astros.com site. I had a link to AC.com on my very first web site built in my web development class in college, around 1999. I've only started posting in the last few years after joining the workforce and having oodles of free time.

toddthebod · « **Reply #22 on:** November 14, 2006, 11:01:28 am »

I've been thinking about your question for a while and I have absolutely no recollection of how I found this site. I don't think that it was the Neyer article. I remember that I either found Clutch City through AC or AC through Clutch City. Is there any way of checking when we first registered through AC? That might give me some context.

Browneye · « **Reply #23 on:** November 14, 2006, 11:12:38 am »

This is going to be a long off season...

Limey · « **Reply #24 on:** November 14, 2006, 11:13:35 am »

From the July 9, 2002 Limey Time, which was a farewell to the old site.

"I think I discovered the BFT in the '98 season. I'd become an avid 610 listener, as this was the only place where I could hear discussions about the stuff I liked. AstrosConnection was referenced by one of the on-air types, and I surfed my way over here. Like you, I was instantly hooked. Not only did it offer entertainment, news and views with a style that tickled my funny bone, but the TZ at last gave me an outlet for me desire to talk about all things Astro - and not work while looking busy."

Alkie · « **Reply #26 on:** November 14, 2006, 11:27:24 am »

I was reading some study a few months ago that said that America could EASILY go to a 4-day work week (still 8 hour days) and not lose a drop of production.

It was saying that if you gave people a (proper) 3-day-weekend, that people would get the same amount of actual work done in the 32 hours as they do now in 40 hours. So much of our day is spent not actually working that the incentive of a 3 day weekend every week would be enough to make most folks complete their job tasks in 80% of the time.

We're proof of that.

pravata · « **Reply #27 on:** November 14, 2006, 11:28:57 am »

I was led to understand there would be cheeses.

BUWebguy · « **Reply #28 on:** November 14, 2006, 11:29:18 am »

I think I, too, found the old AC on a search engine while building an Astros links page on my first website. No clue when that was, but had to be around 97 or 98, I guess. I vaguely remember the Eusebio tobacco chewoff, Kev's run at the sandwich record, and reading about Zipp's marathon. I don't think I made the instant leap over to here when AC shut down, but I sure was glad when I found it.

BudGirl · « **Reply #29 on:** November 14, 2006, 11:33:30 am »

I was looking for Astros stuff in 1999. Found it. Got hooked. Became a member of AA. And now I'm even closer to the Astros than ever.

Phil_in_CS · « **Reply #30 on:** November 14, 2006, 11:39:09 am »

we call this AWOV, At Work On Vacation....

Bench · « **Reply #31 on:** November 14, 2006, 11:39:28 am »

I moved to Eastern Europe for a year in August 1999 and was trying to find a way to follow the Astros. So fortunately I found AC, and I only read about a certain bases loaded situation which didn't quite work out in October of 1999 (I believe a shortstop was involved). Another bit of angst I'm happy to do without.

I have no idea how I found AC, but I assume it was through a search engine.

Browneye · « **Reply #32 on:** November 14, 2006, 11:43:29 am »

"What Brings You Here?"

A no trade clause

JimR · « **Reply #33 on:** November 14, 2006, 11:53:43 am »

good question. i think i used a search engine for "Astros" just to see what was out there. at the time, i did not even know what a message board was. i remember that i had a brief e-mail conversation with Scott about Knepper and a letter i wrote him so i guess this occurred sometime in the 1986-87 time frame. i'm not sure of that. i read for quite a while before i tried posting, and i remember thinking that nobody there cared very much about my opinions about how baseball actually is played. funny, i still think that. eventually, i met and made friends with several of the Austin posters, and my house became a gathering place to watch games. good times.

xxx · « **Reply #34 on:** November 14, 2006, 11:56:22 am »

while my sister was going to UT she kept telling me she found an Astros site to keep her up to date. She kept telling me I needed to go to it and read it because it was hilarious. So I did and I have been hooked since 98. I lurked until about 3/4 years ago and started posting..but not nearly as much as others. I love how much I have learned and how much I have laughed from reading this site.

Col. Sphinx Drummond · « **Reply #35 on:** November 14, 2006, 12:04:11 pm »

Sometime, around the turn of the century, whilst posting/reading the usenet group, alt.baseball.houston-astros, some guy named John Lauck started spamming about "the lauck-box" on astrosdaily.com. Which eventually prompted me to do a AltaVista or Excite search for Astros' Fan Forums. I found several including AC and AD. Up until that time I thought moderated forums were for whimps. I posted some on both sites, then AC went away, shortly there after, AD went ezboard. Initially I posted to the ezboard site but it seemed to affirm my thoughts about pussified fan forums. I always resented not being alowed to cuss, dammit! When OWA rose from the ashes of AC I started checking it out, posting rarely. When the thin skinned ezboard mods, kicked Pravata and Hudson Hawk off, they basically lost me too. This fourm has the best balance, the most thought, and the least noise.

Houston · « **Reply #36 on:** November 14, 2006, 12:04:41 pm »

I don't remember how I found this site, but I am a little disturbed at how this site keeps finding me. I think I was here in 1998 and didn't post one thing for about a year. I lived in Austin at the time and met "Alkie," so I moved to Houston. "Holly" found me there.

I moved to the East Coast. Now I've got "das" sending weather ballons over my home to spy on me.

I'm not paranoid - quit saying that. You don't know me.

What was the question again?

jwhudson · « **Reply #37 on:** November 14, 2006, 12:21:01 pm »

I did the standard web search looking for information during a hot stove season, this just seemed to me to be the most in-depth discussions most of the time.

It was the beer comparisons that really got me hooked and made me want to come back.

NeilT · « **Reply #42 on:** November 14, 2006, 12:50:49 pm »

It was back in the first year in the Dome. I picked up a matchbook at LaLa's Little Nugget, lit my Camel, and found the scrawl on the matchbook cover: For a good time, call. I called. It was a party line, and the discussion was about the Astros. Somebody was bitching about how they should have never changed their name, about how the old stadium was so much more real, and about how the coverage in the Post and the Chronicle all sucked.

I don't know much about the conversation, but I sure liked LaLa's wig.

Taras Bulba · « **Reply #43 on:** November 14, 2006, 12:57:48 pm »

There was a mention of AC in the "Grooming Q&A" column in "Cat Fancy."

Ty in Tampa · « **Reply #44 on:** November 14, 2006, 01:20:16 pm »

It helped me kick smack.

If I recall correctly, AC was the first or second listing when I Googled "Astros" in the spring of 1999. I remember feeling like I had found the mother lode, being that all I had here in Tampa for the past 10 years were box scores and a game here and there on TV. People actually talking about the Astros...hourly!?! Fairly intelligently!?! I was hooked and have been for 7+ years.

Duman · « **Reply #45 on:** November 14, 2006, 01:29:38 pm »

After the Astros moved their appy league team to Greeneville, I got to know some of the players. I wanted a forum to keep up with them as they moved up the ladder or out of the system.

I have found OWA to be the best site for Astro's minor league stuff and have recently begun enjoying the TZ stuff as well.

MRaup · « **Reply #46 on:** November 14, 2006, 01:39:42 pm »

My journey here started with the Great Lackey Shortage of '98. Andyzipp had been fishing for Lackeys for 5 months with no luck.
I was walking down the street and looked down, and "What have we here?" there was a twinkie just sitting there waiting to be eaten.
I reached down to get it. It jumped a foot ahead of me. I gave chase.
Next thing I knew, I had a tag in my ear and a tracking device... well... nevermind where the tracking device is.

Long story short, I was eventually let loose back in to the wild. This tag itches.

OldBlevins · « **Reply #47 on:** November 14, 2006, 01:52:43 pm »

I think there was a link to AC and other fan sites at one time from the official Astros site. Could that be true?

Golden Sombrero · « **Reply #48 on:** November 14, 2006, 02:11:52 pm »

A couple of regular contributers put the word out. I was bored and finally checked it out.

Sleepy · « **Reply #49 on:** November 14, 2006, 02:40:09 pm »

A friend sent me the AC glossary (presumably after the Neyer article) and it seemed like the place for me.

Oddly, I received an email later that day from a friend, and one of the cc: addresses looked familiar. I realized it was that Limey guy's email from the Astros site (back when email addresses were part of the post). Small world, considering I live in North Carlina. Turns out one of my college roommates is one of his drinking budies.

das · « **Reply #53 on:** November 14, 2006, 03:14:16 pm »

Yup, it's true. That's how I found the old AC in 1997, linked from the "official" Astros site. Boy, was that thing a steaming pile. Go here for a looksee:
The Link

At the bottom, there is a link for "Fans Home Pages", AC is at the top of the list.

Here's a link to AC from then:
The Link
The archive only goes back to 1999 for them. Click for some real fun.

Alkie · « **Reply #56 on:** November 14, 2006, 04:32:39 pm »

MY EYES! MY EYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!

Ty in Tampa · « **Reply #57 on:** November 14, 2006, 04:33:38 pm »

Which is not a problem if you have another in the boot.

Nate in IA · « **Reply #61 on:** November 14, 2006, 04:48:32 pm »

So I've been trying to remember how I found the old AC but am drawing a blank. I just remember really enjoying the writing there and followed the train over here. Oh, and I still enjoy the writing over here.

David in Jackson · « **Reply #65 on:** November 14, 2006, 06:54:08 pm »

My first post on the AC TZ was in 1998, when I got into a cussin' match with Michael N over the Jackson Generals moving to Round Rock. Needless to say, I was outnumbered and outgunned, lost the argument and the team, too.

Eight years of a great waste of time.

Jacksonian · « **Reply #67 on:** November 14, 2006, 08:12:48 pm »

Back in 97 yahoo's Astros page had links to other Astros related sites. One of the those links was to AC.com.

Author Topic: What Brings You Here? (Read 9448 times)

Guinness

strosrays

pravata

pravata

pravata

strosrays

pravata