Fill in the blank: The last time the Orioles had a winning season, I was...

[El Gordo]

51, Touring Asia in the SOUND OF MUSIC wth Marie Osmond. Go figure.

[isestrex]

13 just starting high school. I remember getting so angry about going 71-73 in 1995. I thought winning baseball and the possibility of playoffs would happen every year. This long drought has seriously sobered me as a sports fan and it makes the triumphs all the more sweet when the come.

I think Yankee and even Red Sox fans could use a dose of that to sober up.

[Austin]

I was a 9 year old little leaguer in 1997. Now I'm 24, two years out of college. It's been a long time coming.

[ConnO'sFan]

Nice thread, I was a disillusioned graphic designer getting into wine and spirits. Suffered thru many lousy O's seasons while enjoying good food and wine. 2012 has been

a very special year. Hedonism is much more fun when your favorite baseball team is playing meaningful Sept baseball. Wife- two sons. We LOVE food and O's baseball.

[jakeypp]

I was 24 had a head of black hair and only two daughters with my first wife. Now I have four daughters, gray hair, and have been remarried for 9 years on Tuesday!

[weams]

51, Touring Asia in the SOUND OF MUSIC wth Marie Osmond. Go figure.

39, Convinced we were headed to the World Series and I screamed my head off at Camden Yards in vain to make it come true.

[dtk9119]

27 and one year into marriage... still remember the Fernandez dinger like yesterday... Good grief married 16 years, 42 w/ an 11 and 8 year old now...

[crowmst3k!]

12, in 7th grade. My Grandmother was about to die of cancer, and I was about to move away from Lutherville with my family.

Now, i'm 27. Out of college, living in the city, selling beer wine and liquor as a retailer.

What a strange journey it's been.

[russ snyder]

I was 35 and single. I married during the first year of the losing streak and have an eleven year old son. I hope the Orioles having a winning year doesn't jinx my marriage.

[tennOsfan]

I had just passed the bar, and it was back when I had zero comprehension of what it was like to watch the Os on TV on a regular basis.

My daughter had just been born. I was staying at home taking care of her while I waited for a job. Now she's a sophomore in high school. Gets her drivers license in a few months.

[weams]

I was 35 and single. I married during the first year of the losing streak and have an eleven year old son. I hope the Orioles having a winning year doesn't jinx my marriage.

It's ok if it does though. We all have to make sacrifices.

[CHiPs]

Great thread. I was 17 and just starting college. I used to be cool too. Now I'm a boring accountant with a wife, son, and newborn twin girls. I don't get much sleep these days, but I always sleep much better after the O's win. Winning even makes changing diapers that much more bearable.

[russ snyder]

It's ok if it does though. We all have to make sacrifices.

You're right. I'd look at it more as a trade off than a sacrifice.

[Goop]

I remember that back them my family didn't have cable, so I had to follow the O's through the sports section or whenever they played on the Saturday game of the week on Fox. Now we have MASN and don't miss a game.

[eddie83]

I was 22 not making much money but had more spending money than I do now. Basically didn't have a care in the world. Now married with two kids. Back then I was married to the Orioles. Well maybe on some levels I still am.

I have lost three grandparents since then in the last 5 years and two of them were Orioles fans. I have been thinking about both of them lately and how much they would be enjoying this.