DENVER – A lot can happen in two decades. Just ask the Colorado Avalache, who will attempt to get their hands once again on Lord Stanley’s Cup since last doing so 21 years ago.
Want to take a trip down memory lane and compare what life was like then and how different it is now? Us too! Here are 13 interesting bits of history – from pop culture to technology – that will leave you longing (or maybe cringing?) for the days of yore.
MTV was still relevant then and when it came to music…
The No. 1 song in June 2001 was “Lady Marmalade” by Christina Aguilera.
Today, “As It Was” by Harry Styles takes the spot (so far) this month.
For the movie buffs…
The top grossing movie that month was “The Fast & The Furious” (eight more F&F movies have been released since and two more are still to come in the franchise. Will they finally be driving in space? Let us hope!).
Today, the top grossing movie is “Jurassic World Dominion” (the seventh Jurassic film to date – because Hollywood can’t seem to come up with original ideas anymore. Sigh.)
Talk tech-y to me…
The first iPod wouldn’t be invented for another four months (it’s official release was Oct. 2001) completely revolutionizing the music industry. Interestingly enough, a month ago Apple announced it was the end of an era for the beloved iPod.
Today, music has left the confines of these devices and pretty much lives in the Cloud now. Hopefully you have a good internet connection and a solid data plan because otherwise… 😬
For Microsoft nerds (I see you and salute you), a big upgrade in its operating system would launch four months later that year, with the release of Windows XP.
I don’t know about you, but I spent hours playing that pinball game (officially called 3D Pinball Space Cadet) when my family bought our first computer two years later. If you’re itching to play it again, you can download it from the internet and install it on your latest Windows OS.
Gamers, you’ll probably remember this…
Five months after the Avs won the Stanley Cup, Microsoft released the original Xbox game console. These days, the console has gone through three other generations and its latest release is the Xbox Series X.
That year, the highly acclaimed “Halo” franchise was released for Xbox, making it the most popular game at the time. Now, a game called “Elden Ring” is apparently the biggest Xbox game right now?
For 90s kids who are now having families of their own…
Gas prices were $1.44 in June of 2001 in Colorado, according to Federal Highway Association records. Now? Prepare to pay up to $5.01 at the pump.
When am I getting the flying car that works by bending gravitational fields which I was promised in the '90s would arrive by now?
The average home price in the Denver region at the time was $233,000, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Last month, the average home price in the Denver region was $825,000, according to the Denver Metro Association of Realtors.
When it comes to the population of our beautiful state: The population was just 4.4 million in 2001. Today, it’s grown to 5.9 million – a 38.6% increase in about 20 years!
For the sports fans…
Terrell Davis was still the running back for the Broncos, who were set to play their first season in the newly-built Invesco Field at Mile High.
Bo Byram was born four days after Colorado won the Stanley Cup in 2001 and Alex Newhook was five months old (look at him now!).
Two of Colorado’s oldest players – Jack Johnson and Darren Helm (both now 35) – were 14 years old the last time the Avalanche were in the Final.
Adam Foote was on both Avs Stanley Cup rosters ('96 and '01) and now his son, Cal, is on the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Current Avalanche Executive Vice President and General Manager Joe Sakic was the captain of the 2001 team that won the Stanley Cup, leading the team with 118 points that season and winning the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league’s MVP.
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