I'm bored at work, and when all other channels of self-entertainment runs dry, I tend to seek out the activities that I think will help consume my time efficiently, at the same time making me appear busy to those who walk by my little box and have to engage in the nosy glance at what I'm doing.  So that means, writing.

I am in my late twenties, so most of this is going to be somewhat nostalgic for anyone who is similar, or older than I am.  But in this day and age, who's to say that not everyone is going to be able to relate to the nerdy-savant-ism that I express from time to time.

Some of you might disagree with my analogies, and that's fine.  Feel free to discuss - this IS something meant to be light-hearted and something to help us take our minds off of negative garbage, and to stop slamming the Braves, and more importantly, one another.

In 1988, the ABC network had Friday night programming, geared to aim towards families.  By 1989, it was anointed as "TGIF - Thank Goodness It's Funny"  I had a conversation with a friend of mine about how awesome 80-90s sitcoms were, and how they are non-existent today, and then it went towards TGIF, and being me, I somehow managed to segue the Braves, and which TGIF show they were, into this conversation.  I am extending this conversation, to you guys.

Full House is... Doyle Alexander

Despite how successful Full House was at really putting TGIF on the map, with their vaunted 8:00PM EST lead-off time slot, the show was such a hit, that they couldn't remain on Fridays.  Eventually, Full House was traded away to a different time slot, where the show flourished for six more seasons on various other time slots, mostly Tuesday or Thursday nights, where they could really capitalize on families being grounded at home, instead of the competitive Friday nights.  But the departure of Full House would eventually lead to the rise of one of the key components of the successful run of TGIF...

Family Matters is... Greg Maddux

Despite the fact that Family Matters was airing right after Full House, it wasn't until after Full House left, and in 1991, Family Matters was given the all-important 8:00PM EST lead-off time slot.  And for six years, Family Matters successfully led off TGIF with wholesome, loveable comedy, and in a suitable ironic twist, the craze known as Urkel-mania, with his brainy, nerdy appeal, much like the real Greg Maddux, endeared to fans all around the country.  Eventually, even Family Matters grew too big for TGIF, and had to move on, where it turned in one more fine season of wholesome family programming before retiring.

Step by Step is... Tom Glavine

Never quite as popular as Family Matters, Step by Step never once got the opportunity to be THE #1 program in the rotation, but let's face it - without Step by Step, the block would never have been as big as it grew without it.  To some degree, it filled the void left by Full House, by having a normal suburban home strewn upside down, by the zany but wholesome lovable antics of two single parents marrying and smashing two extended families together into one cohesive unit.  The show was underrated as a whole, and was evidenced by how often it was bumped around in its impressive seven-year tenure on TGIF.  But it went to show its versatility, as it was primarly an 8:30PM EST show, but had stints at the 9:00PM slot, and even once, a less-desirable 9:30PM slot.  But it got the credit it deserved in the end, when, along with Family Matters, grew too big for TGIF, and had to be moved off to greener pastures.

Boy Meets World is... John Smoltz

The last one to the party, but much like the real John Smoltz, he was the last one to really go.  Despite coming to fruition in the 1993-1994 season, Boy Meets World still rang off a similar seven seasons much like the two superstars above it did, and much like the real Smoltz, even had a stint where the show was clearly "injured," in 1997, and had to go to the back end of the rotation and close out TGIF at the 9:30PM EST time slot.  But it came back, and with Family Matters and Step By Step gone, Boy Meets World anchored down the 8:30PM time slot all the way until the very end of TGIF (not including the second-attempt at it in the early 2002-era)

Clearly, despite their sporadic timelines, TGIF's biggest success were between 1993 and 1996, much like the Atlanta Braves.  It should be of no surprise that all three shows, Family Matters, Step by Step, and Boy Meets World were all airing in that time period.  But do you want further proof?

Hangin' With Mr. Cooper is... Steve Avery

Mr. Cooper was literally only around between the 1993-1996 seasons, as mentioned above.  And as great as the Big Three most certainly were, the contributions of Mr. Cooper should not go unnoticed, in the 4th starter role.

I don't have the Nielsen ratings to back me up, but given the corresponding information I just shared with you, I'd be willing to bet that TGIF won the equivalent of a World Series in the world of television sitcoms in 1995, but with great admirable ratings and numbers also between 1993 and 1996, with streaky success without the victories in all the other years.

Enjoy your weeks everyone.  Feel free to discuss, but let's keep the vulgarities and personal attacks down just a smidge.