Have you heard the news? The Pirates are above 500 and are playing good ball. Moreover they currently sit 3 games behind the Brewers (if only we could win at Miller Park). The team is doing it with  Long time Pirates fans can attest that it's been a long time since we had something to be excited about in June.

According to a very informative website I recently discover called wikipedia the summer solstice occurs on Tuesday the 21st. So if the Pirates can win one more game before then, we'll be at or above .500 in the summer for the first time since I could drive a car (I'm 28 now). The last time the bucs were at .500 this late in the season, Tom Murphy was mayor, Luke Ravenstahl wasn't old enough to drink and Heinz Field wasn't yet built for him to drunkenly brake into.

We've been through a lot since then and I figured I'd start this sentimental post so we can all get a chance to mention things that have happened since then. So let's get all of this out of our systems and try to get used to watching winning baseball. The team of 99 couldn't overcome a major injury to Kendall, or having a rotation that at times included Chris Peters, Pete Schourek and Jose Silva. The current incarnation has been playing great defense, pitching well, winning on the road and hitting in the games in which the pitching isn't as sharp as it should be.

What were you doing when the Pirates were last at/above 500 in the summer of 99?

UPDATE: Tim at Pirates Propects has a fun list of things he's done since 99..