Weird anniversary

Was watching ESPN and they referred to today (Wednesday, June 17) being the 15-year anniversary of the OJ Simpson in the back of the white Bronco chase.

It reminded me of where I was that day. I was a 25-year-old reporter at the Washington Times. I was covering the NFL and the Baltimore Orioles. When news came that OJ was missing, my editor called and asked me to call as many NFL people as I could to get reaction to OJ.

I called Buffalo Bills beat writer Vic Carucci to help me because I knew he'd have the phone numbers of a lot of people who knew OJ. Before we get off the phone, Vic says to me, "Oh, yeah, call Al Cowlings. He and OJ are pretty good friends. He may talk to you."

Of course, this is just hours before the whole nation would learn how close O.J. and Al Cowlings really were.Vic nor I knew that they were about to load into that white Bronco for the most famous police chase of the decade. So, I called Al. Got his voice mail and left a message.

Wonder if he ever listened to it.

Another thing about that day. The Orioles had a game in Baltimore that night and so I had to work. It was also Game 5 of the NBA finals between the Knicks and Rockets. I can remember sitting in the Camden Yards press box, watching the Orioles on the field and the Knicks-Rockets on the press box televisions. All of a sudden, they show the O.J. chase in the lower right hand corner of the Knicks-Rockets game.

Nobody in the press box could watch the game the field. We were all mesmerized by the TV. I know I missed several plays on the field and to this day, can't remember who the Orioles were playing or whether they won or lost the game.

Crazy day. Just crazy.