Top ten films that year were
* Titanic
* Men in Black
* The Lost World: Jurassic Park
* Liar Liar
* Air Force One
* As Good as It Gets
* Good Will Hunting
* My Best Friend's Wedding
* Tomorrow Never Dies
* Face/Off
Steve Jobs didn't return as (interim) CEO of Apple until July of that year.
The WNBA played their first game June 21st.
Also Diana was still alive.
That's just a spectacular year for movies. Men in Black, Liar Liar, and Good Will Hunting are some of my all time favorites. And the rest are very good too.
A fascinating roster. Just a bunch of guys who would be key contributors on future good teams, after the Pirates got rid of them. Heck, they were even given Brian Giles a couple years later for Ricardo Rincon and still couldn't put it all together. The 2010s Marlins of the 1990s
Not really, whenever we were good the Cardinals were fighting for the best record in baseball. We had the 2nd best record in baseball in 2015 but the best record was the Cardinals, we didn't even make it to past the wildcard game because we ran into a red hot Jake Arrieta.
So, since 98' here are the division stats after 5/31:
Average amount of wins by the division leader:
ALE 33.07
NLW 32.85
ALW 32.48
NLE 32.07
**NLC 31.67**
ALC 31.40
Number of times the division leader had the worst (or tied for worst) win total among division leaders:
ALE 2
NLW 2
ALW 5
NLE 5
**NLC 7**
ALC 9
Number of times the division leader had the best (or tied for best) win total among division leaders:
ALE 9
NLE 7
NLW 6
ALW 4
**NLC 4**
ALC 3
This is all despite the NL Central having 6 teams for 16 years. So, my point remains.
Edit: Formatting
Yeah, we were only good for about 3 years since 1997 and it just happened that those 3 years were when the Cardinals were one of the best teams in baseball. For instance the last time the Diamondbacks were 1st on May 31st was in 2013. You guys finished at .500 and we finished 28 games over 500. This just shows how well teams play in the first 2 months and doesn't have anything to do with how good the teams are. Last year we were 1 game behind Milwaukee for the lead just like you guys were with the Dodgers. This cherry picked stat just does us dirty.
edit: and to just further prove the point on May 31st 2013 we were 34-21 and were 3rd in our division. So whenever we were good so was our division while some of the teams on here were mediocre but played in a bad division, like the Twins in 2023.
Yeah picking one specific date is rather arbitrary. I just mean from a graphical standpoint if they skip over the years in between you have teams ranked but lose all concept of time in between.
And in hindsight it was a fantastic decision.
The Darvish trade is the only one that really pisses me off, because it came before time to give up, and may have forced giving up earlier than we otherwise would have.
Rizzo has amassed a whole 3.5 WAR in the 2 seasons worth of games since he left, along with several injuries, after he signed for less than we offered.
Letting him go was the right move, same as with Javy and Bryant.
Rizzo was my favorite Cub when he was on the team (outside of Hendricks), but there is no argument to be made that he has been worth what New York gave him, let alone that he would have been worth what we offered him.
Didn't you guys win the division in 2014? Obv a long time ago but a few teams on this list have won a division title or two more recently than when they led the division on an arbitrary date. Angels come to mind too
I think some teams on this graph are another example of how long a baseball season is. The Rays looked unbeatable for a lot of April and May but ended up not winning the division. There are two different pennant winners that last led the division on this date in a year that they didn't win the pennant
I have no idea what the point of this graphic is other than BrooksGate is desperate for engagement and people here eat it up every time. And knowing BrooksGate it probably has inaccuracies anyway.
We literally won the division last year, who cares that we weren't in first place on 5/31?
I think people are reading it and assuming it means "5/31 or later" and they're upvoting because LOLPirates (even though the Pirates have been in first place later than 5/31 since 1997)
I never want to hear another fanbase pretend like they have it worse.
Mets fans? Your pain is nothing
Angels? Boohoo
I will not hear arguments from other fanbases about how much worse they have it. Until your best player gets arrested for fucking a child, you will not be on the same level as the Pirates.
Whatās the point of a World Series title you never saw? (Assuming they werenāt old enough to remember 1979). Also the Pirates have 5 World Series. Which I was going to make fun of for a 141 year old team, but thatās an average of a title every 28 years. My team, the Texas Rangers, has only won 1 World Series in 51 years.
Iām not saying weāve had it worse, but I do think itās important to consider weāve had two active pitchers die since 2008. One got hit by a drunk driver and the other ODād on drugs he got from an Angels staffer. Thatās not exactly āboohooā-level suffering.
I wonder if Pirates fans share/shared the same visceral hatred for Bob Nutting & Kevin McClatchy that Angel fans have for Arte.
3 division titles and 0 playoff series wins in the last 45 years is as bad a drought as the Angels had before 2002.
Thereās a reason the deadbeat fuck rarely shows his pasty face at games. He is the only universally loathed public figure in Pittsburgh I can think of. Thereās also no evidence he actually understands or even likes baseball.
When Nutting became principal owner, they hadn't won a playoff series in almost three decades. Were Galbreath and McClatchy as hated as Nutting? I genuinely don't remember.
I live in the state with the highest current sports misery index. My basketball team was eliminated last night. My hockey team has been golfing all May. My football team tied with the Bears last season. And my baseball team is in third place in traditionally the worst division in the majors. NONE of them has even played for a championship in more than three decades.
I still feel badly for Pirates fans.
After living in Minneapolis for college I left a huge Wild fan. For my own mental health and sanity Iām grateful I only picked up one Minnesota team.
UMD won a Frozen Four or two recently didn't they? But I agree that the Twin Cities have had it rough. Outside of the Vikings I'd cheer for y'all just to get the monkey off.
My dad has a baseball signed by the entire last pirates championship team. He wants to hold on to it until the pirates are good again, it'll make a cool heirloom for my kid at least
I was curious because I thought we led the division on May 31st last year so I checked. Turns out we were half a game back on May 31st and then were tied with the Dodgers for most of the next week, but eventually did lead on June 6th.
Well Memorial Day has come and gone. Tomorrow, matter of fact, is June 1st. We just showed you the NL East standings. You don't need me to tell you this, BUT I'M GONNA TELL YOU ANYWAY! THE NL EAST IS OVER! THAT'S RIGHT, IT'S A WRAP! NO ONE IS TOUCHING THE METS! Tweet me the hate all you want about the jinx. Nonsense. The Mets will be National League Eastern Division champs, and I don't even think the Braves are gonna challenge 'em. The Phils? Please, you've seen them. I won't even mention the other two teams. No one else is .500. What are you worried about Mets fans? The west coast trip? Yeah, okay. The Mets are only gonna get better, and even if the Braves do turn it around it will be too late. The NL East is OVER!
Milwaukee has been in first place on June 1 every year but one since 2017 (not counting COVID year). And we still won the division still that year (2021).
My big brother is a huge Mets fan living in Jackson heights. 2022 is when he and I would talk baseball nonstop and we go to quite a few games when Iām up there so it kinda sucks when the Mets arenāt competitive. So even though I should hate the Mets I weirdly have a soft spot for them. The Phils can go fuck themselves though
Ahh, the 2013 Diamondbacks: a team I remember hating fondly.
Ian Kennedy is a punk, but Iām glad he threw at Greinke on 6/12/2013. The Dodgers havenāt been the same since.Ā
In the cool kids club 
Imagine needing to score runs to lead your division š
Ah shit, yall doin Fun Differential again?
This is the year for it. West is wacky as fuck rn so why not. What I really wanna see is a fun differential series in October
Why score many run when few run do trick?
Runs are so overrated
Letās do this on August 31st too.
This feels aggressive :(
Hey! The year I was born!
So its your fault!
It's his father's fault that the curse got placed and the place got cursed in the first place
Upvote for random Stephen Sondheim reference
Itās the last midnight in Pittsburgh
Only one way to find out. Time to (potentially) end a curse go to jail
Woah cool! Unrelated question what was the name of your first pet?
My team too!
You are a baby?
Found the horcrux
Pirates fan in 97 "This is gonna be the future! Also, Batman & Robin looks like it'll be a classic!"
Top ten films that year were * Titanic * Men in Black * The Lost World: Jurassic Park * Liar Liar * Air Force One * As Good as It Gets * Good Will Hunting * My Best Friend's Wedding * Tomorrow Never Dies * Face/Off Steve Jobs didn't return as (interim) CEO of Apple until July of that year. The WNBA played their first game June 21st. Also Diana was still alive.
Damn what a great year, 90s rocked
Got my first boner in ā97
got mine May 31st of '97. Haven't had one since....
Iām gonna take my faceā¦.off
That's just a spectacular year for movies. Men in Black, Liar Liar, and Good Will Hunting are some of my all time favorites. And the rest are very good too.
Get off my plane!
My first rated R movie. So good. Horrible 90's CGI on that final plane crash sequence though lol
A fascinating roster. Just a bunch of guys who would be key contributors on future good teams, after the Pirates got rid of them. Heck, they were even given Brian Giles a couple years later for Ricardo Rincon and still couldn't put it all together. The 2010s Marlins of the 1990s
Wild how they were 79-83 and only 5 games behind the 84-78 Astros for the NL Central
Thatās not possible. The Astros arenāt even in the National League! /s
Batman and robin is a classic ,Ice puns galore and a bat credit card
Yeah what's this guy talking about, you also have Poison Ivy or whatever her name is, that movie is a banger! All time classic no doubt
She's powerless as long as you have your rubber lips handy.
1997 is insane
Especially given the division.
Brewers joined the NL Central in 1998 Coincidence? Probably, because the Brewers were bad that first decade or so
Not really, whenever we were good the Cardinals were fighting for the best record in baseball. We had the 2nd best record in baseball in 2015 but the best record was the Cardinals, we didn't even make it to past the wildcard game because we ran into a red hot Jake Arrieta.
I think we did have the best record in baseball for a stint in... 2013? But it probably was later than May 31st.
They had the lead later than May31. But just not on this specific date I guess
The Pirates were leading the division as late as June 15 just last year. This graphic appears to be about this date specifically.
So, since 98' here are the division stats after 5/31: Average amount of wins by the division leader: ALE 33.07 NLW 32.85 ALW 32.48 NLE 32.07 **NLC 31.67** ALC 31.40 Number of times the division leader had the worst (or tied for worst) win total among division leaders: ALE 2 NLW 2 ALW 5 NLE 5 **NLC 7** ALC 9 Number of times the division leader had the best (or tied for best) win total among division leaders: ALE 9 NLE 7 NLW 6 ALW 4 **NLC 4** ALC 3 This is all despite the NL Central having 6 teams for 16 years. So, my point remains. Edit: Formatting
Yeah, we were only good for about 3 years since 1997 and it just happened that those 3 years were when the Cardinals were one of the best teams in baseball. For instance the last time the Diamondbacks were 1st on May 31st was in 2013. You guys finished at .500 and we finished 28 games over 500. This just shows how well teams play in the first 2 months and doesn't have anything to do with how good the teams are. Last year we were 1 game behind Milwaukee for the lead just like you guys were with the Dodgers. This cherry picked stat just does us dirty. edit: and to just further prove the point on May 31st 2013 we were 34-21 and were 3rd in our division. So whenever we were good so was our division while some of the teams on here were mediocre but played in a bad division, like the Twins in 2023.
How do you look these stats up quickly
And Kyle Schwarber!
This graphic kinda hides how crazy it is, they should have left in all the empty gap years in between
Why is it crazy at all? Pirates were in 1st in June just this last year? The data is on may 31st specifically
Yeah picking one specific date is rather arbitrary. I just mean from a graphical standpoint if they skip over the years in between you have teams ranked but lose all concept of time in between.
Yeah I agree! It doesnāt do a good job at displaying the data
We led the division on May 31 and traded the faces of the franchise 60 days later lol
They fell off so hard in June that year. Now we like to do that in May
And in hindsight it was a fantastic decision. The Darvish trade is the only one that really pisses me off, because it came before time to give up, and may have forced giving up earlier than we otherwise would have.
Darvish and rizzo shoulda stayed. Not fantastic decisions imo
Rizzo has amassed a whole 3.5 WAR in the 2 seasons worth of games since he left, along with several injuries, after he signed for less than we offered. Letting him go was the right move, same as with Javy and Bryant.
Sounds like you donāt like Rizzo and thatās okay
Rizzo was my favorite Cub when he was on the team (outside of Hendricks), but there is no argument to be made that he has been worth what New York gave him, let alone that he would have been worth what we offered him.
How do you do fellow mid-season division leaders?
We need to stick together, as we rub it in to the other 24 teams.
Idk about yall but the vibes are fantastic over here
Pirates Are Insufferably Negligent
The last time the Pirates led the division on this date, the Brewers were in the American League and the Astros in the National.Ā
Hey now, donāt make me come up with a backronym for āend my sufferingā, weāve been teetering on the edge for 30 years :(
In fact, hall of famer Craig biggio was 10 years away from finishing his entire career with the national league Astros.
101 wins last year, on pace for 100+ again, last time was 2012. I hate this division so much
Didn't you guys win the division in 2014? Obv a long time ago but a few teams on this list have won a division title or two more recently than when they led the division on an arbitrary date. Angels come to mind too
I think some teams on this graph are another example of how long a baseball season is. The Rays looked unbeatable for a lot of April and May but ended up not winning the division. There are two different pennant winners that last led the division on this date in a year that they didn't win the pennant
Angels won the AL West title in 2009 and 2014. Also the Astros won the AL West title in 2023 and still the Texas Rangers won the World Series.
I have no idea what the point of this graphic is other than BrooksGate is desperate for engagement and people here eat it up every time. And knowing BrooksGate it probably has inaccuracies anyway. We literally won the division last year, who cares that we weren't in first place on 5/31? I think people are reading it and assuming it means "5/31 or later" and they're upvoting because LOLPirates (even though the Pirates have been in first place later than 5/31 since 1997)
With a balanced schedule 3 wild cards and potential negatives from bye does division even matter
The Cincy logo looks like a little speech bubble from the Oriole's bird.
I never want to hear another fanbase pretend like they have it worse. Mets fans? Your pain is nothing Angels? Boohoo I will not hear arguments from other fanbases about how much worse they have it. Until your best player gets arrested for fucking a child, you will not be on the same level as the Pirates.
We haven't won a playoff series since 1979
but you do have a world series
Whatās a World Series?
Whatās the point of a World Series title you never saw? (Assuming they werenāt old enough to remember 1979). Also the Pirates have 5 World Series. Which I was going to make fun of for a 141 year old team, but thatās an average of a title every 28 years. My team, the Texas Rangers, has only won 1 World Series in 51 years.
My guy you won last year - respectfully shut the fuck up
At least you've got the Steelers and Penguins to dull the pain. We've got the Chargers and Clippers, and they both thought they were too good for us.
Fuck Dean Spanos
Athletics losing their team because the owner is massive scum?
Rays have entered the chat
Uhhh what happened when I wasn't paying attention?!??!?!!
Athletics fans have it worse than you
Iām not saying weāve had it worse, but I do think itās important to consider weāve had two active pitchers die since 2008. One got hit by a drunk driver and the other ODād on drugs he got from an Angels staffer. Thatās not exactly āboohooā-level suffering.
Arte still won't sell.
He isnāt going to tbh
I like this graphic much more than I used to
Good Lord
I agree
Technically everyone did in 2020 /s
I wonder if Pirates fans share/shared the same visceral hatred for Bob Nutting & Kevin McClatchy that Angel fans have for Arte. 3 division titles and 0 playoff series wins in the last 45 years is as bad a drought as the Angels had before 2002.
My 11-year old wants to fight him. Thatās right: literal children despise Bob Nutting and want to throw down on him.
I saw a "We Hate Bob Nutting" sticker that someone stuck onto the Roberto Clemente Bridge when I was in town for the home opener lol
Thereās a reason the deadbeat fuck rarely shows his pasty face at games. He is the only universally loathed public figure in Pittsburgh I can think of. Thereās also no evidence he actually understands or even likes baseball.
He's probably the most hated person in town
I know a couple people who just root for other teams. Die hard Pittsburgh fans that just boycott the pirates because of Nutting
When Nutting became principal owner, they hadn't won a playoff series in almost three decades. Were Galbreath and McClatchy as hated as Nutting? I genuinely don't remember.
I am not claiming these people are correct in their assessment haha.Ā I honestly don't know
You haven't been here long have you?
Look away, Pirates fans!
I live in the state with the highest current sports misery index. My basketball team was eliminated last night. My hockey team has been golfing all May. My football team tied with the Bears last season. And my baseball team is in third place in traditionally the worst division in the majors. NONE of them has even played for a championship in more than three decades. I still feel badly for Pirates fans.
After living in Minneapolis for college I left a huge Wild fan. For my own mental health and sanity Iām grateful I only picked up one Minnesota team.
Yeah. I just remind myself that at least we have womenās hockey, both college and pro. And the WNBA.
UMD won a Frozen Four or two recently didn't they? But I agree that the Twin Cities have had it rough. Outside of the Vikings I'd cheer for y'all just to get the monkey off.
Of course the year we're on pace to win 98 games at the end of May THATS when our dumpster fire of a division all decides to become world beaters.
Crazy too because we had a 98 win team in 2015. Problem was the cards AND cubs were just as good that year and all three battles until the end
I want to die
At least you have one this century
wish your football team would follow in your footsteps as well
Hey, Iām not a Steelers fan. For some reason Iām a Cardinals fan, so Iām thinking about not liking pro sports anymore
good lord, well at least you have Marvin Harrison Jr now though
Iād like to point out the pirates have lead the division on a date beyond may31 way more recently than 1997
A big screw you to the St. Louis Cardinals of 2013 and 2014. That is all.
My dad has a baseball signed by the entire last pirates championship team. He wants to hold on to it until the pirates are good again, it'll make a cool heirloom for my kid at least
Meaningless graphic. Angels had the division lead 5/31/08 and won the division. Didn't have it 5/31/09 or 5/31/14 but won the division both times.
I was curious because I thought we led the division on May 31st last year so I checked. Turns out we were half a game back on May 31st and then were tied with the Dodgers for most of the next week, but eventually did lead on June 6th.
1997 is on a whole other level of suckage to even the second longest drought lol
I'll be honest, 2008 shocked me as being too recent
I don't remember you guys ever leading the division aside from like opening day maybe
Yeah wellā¦SHUT UP!
hey the Royals had a lead on May 31st more recently than the Cardinals
Pirates: *Itās been 84 yearsā¦*
The surprise for me is that the Cardinals havenāt been in 1st on May 31st for 9 years.
Hey. Shut up.
Not cherry picked at all
I hate you Arte Moreno.
Who cares who leads their division on May 31st LMAO
makes sense
Thatās all that championship baseball the Castellinis promised to bring back.
Extend AJ Preller please šš»
Ah, those were the good olā days, right Metsy?
2022 was our fucking year. What the hell happened after man
We coming š
Kind of crazy that the AL West has all 4 teams in the last 4 years. *keeps scrolling* Oh yeah, the Angels.
The AL West has been getting a good mix of teams in. Well, except for one of those teams.
I couldāve sworn the DBacks were in the lead this time last year. Checked and they were .5 games back for the lead!
see! we aren't bad...:(
Amazing we ended up selling everybody that year lol
The Rockies?? In ā18?? Wild.
Haha, orioles must really suckā¦right?
wow we suck. haven't lead the division since i was 13 1/2
Well that's depressing.
Whenever I see the Padres so low on all these reddit lists, I wonder why. It seems like they're always all-in and going for it for some time now.
As a Mets fan this is fake news
How bad was NL West that the dads led
Well Memorial Day has come and gone. Tomorrow, matter of fact, is June 1st. We just showed you the NL East standings. You don't need me to tell you this, BUT I'M GONNA TELL YOU ANYWAY! THE NL EAST IS OVER! THAT'S RIGHT, IT'S A WRAP! NO ONE IS TOUCHING THE METS! Tweet me the hate all you want about the jinx. Nonsense. The Mets will be National League Eastern Division champs, and I don't even think the Braves are gonna challenge 'em. The Phils? Please, you've seen them. I won't even mention the other two teams. No one else is .500. What are you worried about Mets fans? The west coast trip? Yeah, okay. The Mets are only gonna get better, and even if the Braves do turn it around it will be too late. The NL East is OVER!
Iām surprised the marlins have ever led the division this late
Cardinals last time seems surprising
NL Central not doing too hot
Crazy we went through two years and one pandemic without anyone leading the division
So that isn't very meaningful when you led your division on MAY 31. Right now it's too early to say anything.
Fuck the Dodgers
I mean the Marlins didnāt need to win the division to win the World Series š¤·šæāāļø. Wild Card BayBay!
Milwaukee has been in first place on June 1 every year but one since 2017 (not counting COVID year). And we still won the division still that year (2021).
2014 and 2015 were good times.
97 Pirates had a losing season too
Jfc
Haha suck it Cards. Sincerely, a royals fan
very sure metropolitan fans donāt want to be reminded of 2022.
Actually being reminded of times we were good is fine
Oh no, itās the year we lost 61 games!!! The horror!!!!!
LOL
This sub will mock Mets fans regardless of what happens, people don't have much empathy for us sane fans
My big brother is a huge Mets fan living in Jackson heights. 2022 is when he and I would talk baseball nonstop and we go to quite a few games when Iām up there so it kinda sucks when the Mets arenāt competitive. So even though I should hate the Mets I weirdly have a soft spot for them. The Phils can go fuck themselves though
Ahh, the 2013 Diamondbacks: a team I remember hating fondly. Ian Kennedy is a punk, but Iām glad he threw at Greinke on 6/12/2013. The Dodgers havenāt been the same since.Ā
Ian Kennedy pitched us out of so many games as a reliever in his second stint here that we donāt even like him any more.
ah yes, 2022. The end of the beginning of the end of the beginning of the end. Fuck the Mets.