I’m a historian of the Golden Age Who has drawn parallels between our current moment and? Late Nineteenth centurytwo periods known for big economic inequality and widespread technological change.

But much of the reporting on the murder of Brian Thompsonthe CEO of UnitedHealthcare, and Luigi Mangionethe person accused of killing him gave me pause.

According to many journalists and experts, each Thompson and Mangione appear to have migrated to the New York City borough of Manhattan for the reason that late Nineteenth century.

In her interpretation, the 2 Gilded Ages now not run parallel. They collided, mixing their occupants and luggage right into a chaotic mess.

When I and most other historians speak about parallels between the Golden Age and today, the comparisons are structural. They reflect general conditions that affect thousands and thousands of individuals. It's when experts Use specific examples from the past Problems arise in explaining the actions of people today.

We've never been here before

New York Times columnist Bret Stephens forged Thompson as a personality from a Horatio Alger novel: a working class hero who pulled himself up by his boot straps. Sociologist Zeynip Tufekci, who also writes within the New York Times, comes close to make Luigi Mangione a reincarnation from Alexander Berkmanthe anarchist who tried to murder Industrialist Henry Clay Frick. Over on the New Yorker, Dhruv Khullar suggests This was, in its arbitrariness and callousness, the prototype of the US health care system that angered Mangione in his manifestooriginated somewhere within the Golden Age.

Today's historians and journalists obviously imagine that the past has much to show their fellow residents. And their motives are sound: They need to beat back against the concept that the past is irrelevant, that every part necessary happened within the last quarter-hour — a view reflected in President-elect Donald Trump's favorite phrase to explain any current crisis to explain plagues the United States: “We've never seen anything like this before.”

Therefore, comparisons between two time periods can function a brake on hasty claims that every part has modified and that the present moment is unprecedented. But in my view, concrete comparisons are sometimes a categorical mistake. They replace the beliefs and judgments of individuals of the past with modern ones.

Immediately after the murder Tufekci wrote this “The currents we see are expressions of something more fundamental. We've been here before. And it wasn’t pretty.”

Wait, decelerate: “We” have never been here before. The biggest, most evident—and virtually all the time ignored—difference between the Golden Age and our time is that we didn't live in it. None of us lived within the late Nineteenth century. The individuals who lived back then didn't think like us and didn't act like us. Finding structural similarities doesn’t make writers Nostradamus, in a position to recognize the signs and predict the longer term.

It is all too easy to make use of the past as a tool to learn lessons from modern beliefs or ideologies. Without knowing much about Thompson or Mangione – let alone anarchists or Horatio Alger heroes – Mangione becomes the Nineteenth-century equivalent of a working-class avenger, while Thompson is a modern-day “Ragged tail“He got to his position through bravery and exertions.

Most popular and political appeals to history aren’t only superficial, also they are quite ahistorical. Nowhere is that this more evident than in court.

Jonathan Gienapp's latest and sensible book: “Against constitutional originalism“” exposes what he describes because the sloppiness, ahistoricism, and anachronism of conservative members of the U.S. Supreme Court, who often justify their decisions by invoking the intentions of the nation's founding fathers. According to Gienapp, their important sin is easy: they’re ventriloquists who put their modern ideas into the founders' mouths and claim that they’ve regained the unique meaning.

Emerge from the mire

This ahistorical considering runs across your complete political spectrum. It comes from asking the flawed questions and considering that structural similarities result in roughly equivalent results.

The two periods have more in common as rising inequality and massive technological changes. There have been attacks on racism and resurgent racism; mass immigration and backlash against it; frequent fluctuations in party control; economic booms and busts; an absence of daring leadership; failures in governance; and outbreaks of violence.

Both eras also experienced Shortening lifespans, environmental degradation that has affected health, and the efforts of the rich to insulate themselves from the illnesses of the less fortunate.

But often missed is the proven fact that the Golden Age faced these problems; it was also, paradoxically, a time of reform. From the tip of the Nineteenth century, life expectancy increased, child mortality fell, epidemics declined, and public health achieved remarkable results.

Now this trend has been reversed. Death and illness are at the guts of the murder of Brian Thompson, who was on his technique to a gathering with investors looking for to take advantage of an organization whose calculated decisions condemned some people to suffer for the advantage of others.

Useful questions might include: How did the Golden Age escape its crises? And why have solutions that looked as if it would have progressively improved the health and well-being of most individuals over generations stopped working? How did UnitedHealthcare, the individuals who profit from it, and people willing to speculate in it come about?

There's a story there.

SAN FRANCISCO – Since the 2019-20 season, just one player has made more 3-pointers than Stephen Curry: Buddy Hield.

While it took Hield over 100 more games and 200 more attempts, when it comes to sheer volume from deep within the regular season, Hield was ahead.

Therefore, it will be only natural for Hield to exchange Klay Thompson, the franchise icon who helped change the sport as a dangerous 3-point shooter with Curry within the backcourt.

Not quite. For the Splash Bros to turn into the Splash Buddies, Hield has to earn it.

“There is no pressure,” Hield said Thursday at San Francisco State University.

“I just come in and do my job. What Klay has done for this organization is incredible. I've loved watching him over the years, he's special. How he can get hot and how he can change the game, what a two-way player he is, what a championship player he is. So I don't see that as pressure, but I think it's just going to be fun to be in that role and see if I get the same attention that he does.”

Hield knows nobody can replicate what Thompson meant to the Bay Area or the Warriors. It could be ridiculous to attempt to emulate him in any way. The query for Hield, nevertheless, shall be whether he can replicate not less than among the high-profile 3-point shooting the Warriors lost when Thompson left.

The veteran said he hasn't spoken at length with the Warriors' coaching staff about his role in Golden State. Last season ended ingloriously in Philadelphia with a first-round exit and Hield was largely out of the rotation.

However, Hield appears to be a everlasting a part of the Warriors’ wing lineup.

Hield's uniquely structured contract pays him like a rotation player for 2 seasons ($18 million guaranteed) and offers the Warriors nearly complete autonomy ($3 million guaranteed within the third yr, then a partially guaranteed player option in 2027-28).

Its takeover guarantees high opportunities and low risk.

The Warriors acquired Hield in a sign-and-trade deal as a part of the six-team deal that also included Thompson. He is entering his ninth season and has a profession three-point percentage of 40% – 14th amongst players with not less than 3,000 attempts.

Although Hield was a comparatively one-dimensional player within the NBA, he’s one of the vital durable players within the league and Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. praised his off-ball defense.

This summer, Hield played for Warriors assistant coach Chris DeMarco on the Bahamian national team and narrowly missed qualifying for the Olympics.

Hield said he and Thompson recruited DeMarco to Team Bahamas to attempt to bring more legitimacy to the small island nation.

The experience with DeMarco could ease Hield's transition to the Warriors. While his skills fill Golden State's need for more cap space, his time with Philadelphia last yr after the trade deadline is a reminder that adjusting to a brand new team may be difficult.

“I think as far as throwing, Buddy really helps beat Klay,” Dunleavy said in Las Vegas earlier this month. “But beyond that, I think there's room for others to improve in terms of volume and accuracy.”

Aside from Curry, Hield is the one reliable 3-point shooter on the Warriors' roster.

Golden State hopes Brandin Podziemski becomes more comfortable shooting pull-up threes and is optimistic that Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga will improve, but neither will draw the eye of the defense like Thompson.

Especially in lineups with Draymond Green and Trayce Jackson-Davis within the frontcourt, spacing shall be a critical factor.

In these lineups, Hield will likely should share the court with someone who’s a greater shooter than him – something he has never done within the NBA.

“Steph, I've watched him my whole life,” Hield said. “Willing to learn, willing to watch him, see how he executes his shooting technique and his routine. I think it's going to be interesting to learn from him.”

Hield has watched the Warriors throughout their profession, but some internal players are more accustomed to Golden State's system than he’s, who’s battling for minutes on the wing. The lineup includes Kuminga, Moody, Andrew Wiggins and Gary Payton II, in addition to rookies Kyle Anderson, De'Anthony Melton and Hield.

Despite being eventually taken out of the starting lineup, Thompson averaged 29.7 minutes per game last season. After Kuminga and Wiggins, nobody from this group is prone to see as much playing time. Hield can have to interrupt away from the group to determine himself in Steve Kerr's rotation.

He doesn't have Thompson's championship DNA, so he's not going to be exempt. He's going to should shoot himself into the race.

“I know they’re happy to have me here and I’m happy to be here,” Hield said.

Originally published: July 18, 2024 at 2:50 p.m.

SAN FRANCISCO – Two of the Warriors’ three biggest offseason additions arrived at Chase Center on Monday, took the rostrum and introduced themselves as official latest members of the organization.

De'Anthony Melton, the defensive-minded guard, held up a No. 8 jersey – a number that might bring back memories of Monta Ellis. Kyle Anderson, who long admired the Warriors from afar (a minimum of when he wasn't playing against them), officially transferred to Golden State and can wear No. 1, as he did in Memphis.

Melton, 26, signed a one-year take care of the Warriors reportedly value $12.8 million that became official Monday, shortly after he took the rostrum. Anderson, a slender, extremely smart forward nicknamed “Slo-Mo,” joined the Warriors as a part of the six-team sign-and-trade deal that also involved Klay Thompson.

They make up two-thirds of the Warriors' significant signings this summer, which saw the club turn Thompson and Chris Paul into Anderson, Melton and sharpshooter Buddy Hield.

In a summer of dramatic change for Golden State, the trio of rotation-ready veterans are tasked with improving the team in its first season without the championship core of Thompson, Steph Curry and Draymond Green since 2011.

“When I understand what they've been through over the last 13 years together, the four championships they've won, I can't replace that emotionally and mentally,” Melton said.

“All I can do is go out there and play my game, play hard and show why other fans love me too. And everything I bring to the table. I love winning, I love my ability to find ways to win, and I think that's what this organization values ​​the most – finding ways to win no matter what.”

As a free agent, Melton was searching for a corporation with continuity and a powerful culture, he said, along with a medical staff he could trust. The guard missed most of last season as a consequence of a stress response that resulted in a fracture of his back. He said he has felt 100% for the past six weeks or so and he’s attempting to avoid further problems.

“I just understood that I was what they were looking for and that I brought everything that the organization may have been lacking in terms of defense, versatility and shooting over the last few years,” Melton said.

Both Melton and Anderson played against the Warriors within the 2022 playoffs after they were with the Grizzlies. Melton spent the intervening two years with the 76ers while Anderson played for the Timberwolves.

“The tradition has stayed here, the style of play,” said Anderson, 30. “It seems like Coach Kerr gives his guys a lot of freedom. There's a lot of high-IQ basketball here. I've always admired that from afar, of course, except when I played against them. They've always done everything right here. So it was a pretty easy decision for me.”

If Melton suits alongside Steph Curry a la Donte DiVincenzo as a hybrid on-ball and off-ball combo guard, Anderson's defensive versatility and passing ability should allow him to play as a frontcourt option in multiple lineups. He sees himself as a degree guard with a 6-foot-1 frame and has at all times been a high-assist, low-turnover player as a secondary playmaker.

Last postseason, Anderson was perhaps Minnesota's simplest defender against Mavericks star Luka Doncic. He will likely tackle similar defensive duties for the Warriors. Along with Green, Anderson should bolster Golden State's defense.

Anderson and Green have something else in common: a high-profile incident involving Rudy Gobert. At the top of the 2022-23 season, Anderson and teammate Gobert got right into a heated argument during a timeout that ended with Gobert punching his teammate within the chest.

Anderson said the incident was quickly resolved as he and Gobert worked things out. As a result, Minnesota's team chemistry grew stronger, he said, and he and Gobert remain close friends to this present day.

“We got home that night, he called me and we talked about it like grown men,” Anderson said. “We got it all worked out, 15 minutes after the call it was over. We get along, and we got along before that. It happens more often than people think or know, ours happened to be out there during a game. We both kind of embarrassed each other and it kind of got out of hand. But that happens all over the league, that's the way it is.”

In addition to Anderson and Melton, the Warriors have also signed Hield, who just accomplished Olympic qualification for the Bahamas. The Bahamian national team, coached by Warriors assistant coach Chris DeMarco, lost to Spain in Valencia and thus missed out on qualification.

While Melton and Anderson are each two-way players who excel on defense, Hield is more one-dimensional. As one in all the league's most eminent 3-point shooters, the Warriors hope Hield can provide the form of long-range shooting that Thompson used to supply.

Whether each of them can reach their full potential could determine how a lot better, if in any respect, the Warriors shall be.

“I hate thinking ahead about what we're going to do or what we need to do,” Anderson said. “It's really good to go into training camp with an open mind and a fresh start. Just ready to go to work, ready to learn, ready to get on the same page with everybody and go from there.”

As nearly 2,000 firefighters continued to battle the Thompson Fire near Oroville in Butte County on Thursday, there have been reports that a few of the 28,000 residents forced to evacuate could also be returning home.

The fire, the reason for which remains to be under investigation, had burned an estimated 3,500 acres of land as of Thursday, in line with Cal Fire, the state's most important firefighting agency, and only seven percent of the fireplace is currently under control.

In addition, around 12,180 buildings are threatened, 4 buildings have already been destroyed.

However, Cal Fire officials reportedly revised evacuation orders and warnings on Thursday, meaning some residents returned to their homes. The Oroville Church of the Nazarene and the Butte County Fairgrounds are also now getting used as emergency shelters.

According to Cal Fire, quite a few firefighting aircraft from across the state are flying firefighting missions to the world.

Cal Fire spokesman Chris Peterson said several fire trucks, bulldozers and other vehicles were deployed to help firefighters in continuing to fight the fireplace.

The Fourth of July Independence Day fireworks display in Oroville was canceled Thursday, and California State Parks expects area parks to stay closed through Friday, depending on weather conditions.

Peterson said there was no damage yet to the Oroville Dam, the tallest dam within the United States, but the fireplace has raged on each side of the dam.

“The dam is an important piece of infrastructure, so we make sure we have crews there. That way we can protect the infrastructure because we don't want a major incident to happen,” he said.

He also said Cal Fire is expecting a change in wind and continued low humidity on Thursday, so there’s a likelihood the fireplace could flare up again.

“We have crews out there working all around the fire (using water jetting),” Peterson said.

On Tuesday, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency over the Thompson Fire and announced that the state had received a hearth management assistance grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to offer firefighters with more resources to fight the blaze.

“We are using every tool available to fight this fire and will continue to work closely with our local and federal partners to support impacted communities,” Newsom said. “As we head into some of the most difficult months of the wildfire season, the state is better prepared than ever to protect vulnerable communities with new tools, technology and resources.”

He also said Cal Fire is expecting a change in wind today and humidity will remain low, so there’s a likelihood the fireplace could flare up again.

“We have crews out there working around the entire fire (hosing down),” Peterson said.

Peterson also said that Cal Fires is currently investigating what number of homes burned and what the reason for the fireplace was.

“We have (teams) that go into the field, and they go out and walk around every single house near the fire line to make sure … everything is documented,” he said.

Add Klay Thompson to the list of skilled athletes who not follow their very own team.

On Friday, Thompson unfollowed the Warriors on Instagram and deleted a lot of his team-related posts – a tactic not unusual in modern sports.

Just this spring, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk unfollowed the 49ers on IG, following Deebo Samuel's playbook.

Samuel Click the Unfollow tab. on the 49ers IG account a number of years ago.

Thompson's move comes just before the 34-year-old veteran enters free agency, an uncertain time for a player who has been instrumental in all 4 of Golden State's NBA championships over the past decade.

The accurate guard returned from two serious injuries (torn ACL and torn Achilles tendon) and helped the Warriors to their most up-to-date NBA title in 2022.

Thompson also removed posts from that championship run.

Klay Thompson unfollowed the Warriors and removed Warriors content from the 2022 championship on his IG pic.twitter.com/LddtUsEx9E

— BrickWrld (@BrickWrld_) June 14, 2024

He just accomplished the ultimate season of a five-year, $190 million contract and can officially change into a free agent on June 30.

Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report speculated that the Orlando Magic could give Thompson greater than the Warriors would likely pay. His Crystal ball suggested a three-year contract price $81.9 million.

Things have been quiet on the Warriors front for weeks, similar to all the opposite teams whose season ended with no playoff spot.

But not for long.

As the NBA Finals between the Celtics and the Mavericks heats up, so does the behind-the-scenes dealings. The essential dates are fast approaching, which implies there can be movement – first on the fringes after which toward the core.

Gary Payton II must determine whether to exercise his $9.1 million player option before June 19. The team must either re-sign Kevon Looney for $8 million or release him by June 24, saving $5 million. Chris Paul's non-guaranteed $30 million contract will kick in June 28 unless Golden State releases or trades him.

Most realistic outcomes: The Warriors and Payton restructure the contract and conform to a contract extension. This saves the Warriors taxpayer money and provides the oft-injured guard more guaranteed salary (two years, $12 million). Looney is released. Paul negotiates an extension of his contract until July, giving the Warriors more time to weigh transfers and reply to Klay Thompson's situation.

There can be lots of activity across the league surrounding the NBA Draft on June 26 and when Klay Thompson and other free agents officially hit the market on June 30.

So benefit from the finale, because things are getting serious in Warriorsland.

Decade of a dynasty, packed

This is the tenth final for the reason that Warriors' first championship title, and it has been an incredible run.

Golden State has won 4 titles within the last ten seasons and reached the Finals twice. They have led the league with six championship appearances since 2014.

What other teams have won no less than 4 Larry O'Brien Trophies and made it to no less than six Finals in 10 years? Bill Russell's Celtics (11 rings in 13 years), the Showtime Lakers, Jordan's Bulls and the Lakers of the early 2000s.

That's it.

Maintaining greatness is the toughest thing in sports. The Warriors have done it in addition to anyone. It may not look so pretty now, but 29 other franchises would trade their last 10 years with the Warriors in a heartbeat.

The picks of the second round

The Warriors brought 31 young players to Chase Center for pre-draft training – roughly hour-long sessions of shooting drills, live 3-on-3 games and live game simulations.

Of the 31, 25 have no less than 4 years of faculty experience. Fourteen have no less than five years of faculty experience and are making the most of relaxed NCAA rules on transfers and eligibility within the COVID yr.

The Warriors clearly have a sort.

Golden State, chosen 53rd overall, needs to seek out one other player at the top of the draft who can contribute immediately, just as general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. did last yr with Trayce Jackson-Davis. It's a difficult task, but it may well repay in an enormous way; the Warriors owe Jackson-Davis (chosen 57th last yr) just $6.5 million over the subsequent three seasons.

That's a bargain for a very good backup center, especially for a club within the Warriors' financial situation.

Jackson-Davis was also so successful because he had 4 years of faculty experience from Indiana to fall back on, and the Warriors are convinced that this can profit him.

What could have happened to Porzingis?

Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis crushed the Mavericks in the primary game of the finals. He returned after a 38-day break because of a calf strain. The 2.21-meter-tall center scored 20 points, six rebounds and three blocks in 21 minutes.

The Celtics' acquisition of Porzingis was a robbery. Here's how Brad Stevens and Co. did it:

Celtics receive:

–Kristaps Porzingis (via Wizards)

–No. 25 within the 2023 draft (via Grizzlies)

–First-round pick 2024 (top-4 protected, via Warriors)

Grizzlies receive:

–Marcus Smart (via Celtics)

Wizards receive:

–Tyus Jones (via Grizzlies)

–Danilo Gallinari (via Celtics)

–Mike Muscala (via Celtics)

-No. 35 within the 2023 draft (via Celtics)

The Celtics got Porzingis and two first-round picks for Marcus Smart, a second-round pick and a salary filler. Phew.

Washington released Porzingis, Bradley Beal and Chris Paul last yr. They wanted future assets for every of them – draft picks or young players with potential.

The Warriors could have made the Wizards a greater offer than Boston. But so could almost another team. Porzingis' value was low – he’s consistently injured and the team that signs him would should extend his contract for lots of money (just like the Celtics).

Golden State would have been significantly better off with Porzingis. He's the form of stretch-five they need alongside Draymond Green.

Transfer envy shouldn’t be entirely futile. Executives are judged by the transactions they make and those they don't make. Incidents just like the Porzingis deal should influence the Warriors moving forward. They can't pass up more beaten-down assets with star potential this summer – especially when the value is so low. They now not have the luxurious of being picky. They are not any higher than the likes of Zach LaVine or Brandon Ingram.

Porzingis would have been great. The Warriors – and several other other teams – are probably upset that they let Boston take him. Find the subsequent Porzingis.

SAN FRANCISCO – Brian Sabean's right hand wore one among his three championship rings from his tenure as general manager of the San Francisco Giants. On Monday evening, he marveled on the lineup in front of him.

Nearly 30 years after his arrival here, Sabean was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame alongside Patrick Marleau, John Taylor, Jenny Thompson and Chris Wondolowski.

“I had no idea such an honor would be waiting in the wings,” said Sabean, 67. “I'm very honored and flattered by my induction because Hall of Fames are basically for great players and I don't belong into this category.

“But I appreciate the recognition because we had a special group and a special operation in terms of the way our organization has done things over time,” Sabean added. “That led to three World Series in five years, and we were fortunate to go to four and win three.”

Sabean and the opposite inductees on Monday expressed their gratitude for the Bay Area as a welcoming host along the solution to their impressive careers.

Sabean now works as a consultant for the New York Yankees and lives in Bradenton, Florida. It was hard for him to assume how three many years have passed since he first joined the Giants, who promoted him to general manager in 1996. He said the next 1997 season was one among his two favorites; The other got here in 2010, when the Giants won their first of three World Series titles, the others got here in 2012 and 2014.

“We were able to get it done here with pitching first — (Matt) Cain first, then (Tim) Lincecum, (Madison) Bumgarner, some backups like (Sergio) Romo, (Brian) Wilson, etc.,” Sabean recalled. “Then we had the position player run with (Buster) Posey, (Brandon) Belt, (Joe) Panik, (Brandon) Crawford and (Pablo) Sandoval. That’s a mouthful.”

Earlier on Monday, the Giants were defeated in a four-game series in Philadelphia. What's it like being a general manager firstly of a season?

“You do not sleep. It’s not fun,” Sabean said. “You have to be good at crisis management. Every day you deal with something unexpected or pulled to the left when you need to go straight. You really have to know your way around.

“Our front office team was very, very good at that.”

As he prepared to enter a hotel ballroom for Monday night's induction, he praised the “great company” he joined. Here's what his fellow candidates said:

PATRICK MARLEAU

Six months after entering the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame – alongside Wondolowski – Marleau joined Owen Nolan (2014) as the only Sharks in the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame. Drafted No. 2 overall in 1997, Marleau's No. 12 jersey was retired last year by the Sharks, for whom he served three stints.

“Sometimes you have to pinch yourself,” Marleau said. “At the jersey (retirement) ceremony, after I watched the jersey being raised, I believed, 'Is this really happening?' Tonight isn’t any different here.”

Marleau's first Sharks tour took place from 1997 to 2017. He returned from Toronto in 2019 and finished his profession with San Jose in 2021 surpassing Gordie Howe in most regular-season NHL games played (1,779). Marleau is the Sharks' all-time leader in games, goals, points, power play goals and game-winning goals.

After Monday night's festivities, his attention turns to Tuesday's NHL draft lottery and the Sharks' potential to get the No. 1 overall pick for the primary time.

“It’s going to be a big draft for our club,” Marleau said. “Last year’s draft was also good. It’s going to be a great time to bring these young guys in, introduce them to the NHL game and help them develop and build this team around these young guys and hopefully bring the championship to San Jose.”

His advice to the highest pick and others: “Keep your eyes and ears open when you come into the locker room and just take it all in. That work ethic is the most important thing, and compete. “If you have those things and are willing to learn, you can stay in the locker room for a long time.”

CHRIS WONDOLOWSKI

Wondolowski, 41, is the primary San Jose Earthquakes player within the Hall of Fame. He can also be the one member of this yr's class to hail from and proceed to reside within the Bay Area (Danville).

“I remember my dad (John) telling me he should be there for Steve Young's recording (of BASHOF),” Wondolowski said. “That was always a really cool thing. Now he can come back, but for myself, which closes the circle.”

He retired from the Earthquakes two and a half years ago as MLS' all-time leading scorer (171 goals, 17 seasons) and stays loyal to the club, where he coordinates player development.

“I was kind of a late bloomer, so just being mentioned by some of these names is crazy to me,” Wondolowski added. “The heroes I had as a child are also here. It’s pretty amazing and I think it’s really special.”

JOHN TAYLOR

Taylor could also be best known for his last-minute touchdown catch on the Super Bowl-winning 49ers, but he won the Super Bowl thrice and made the Pro Bowl twice.

“I remember coming here my first year in 1986, walking through the airport and seeing this exhibit,” Taylor said of the BASHOF plaques at San Francisco International Airport. “I guess coming through the airport now I'll have to look for it myself. It's a great honor to join forces with the guys who are already here. It’s a beautiful honor.”

He was inducted into the 49ers' Edward J DeBartolo Hall of Fame in 2021 and still ranks atop the franchise record list: first in punt returns (149), eighth in receiving yards (5,598), ninth in touchdown catches (43; tied). with Freddie). Solomon) and tenth in receptions (347; tied with Michael Crabtree). One play without end secured Taylor's place in 49ers history: his 10-yard catch in the ultimate minute against the Bengals that secured the 49ers' third Lombardi Trophy.

“Remember I had one catch all day. That was the most important thing,” Taylor said. “It was something you dreamed about as a child. We all play on the road and say, ‘If you make the catch, if you make the throw, you’ll win the Super Bowl.’ I can honestly say I lived that, and it lasted me a while.”

Taylor, 62, grew up in Pennsauken, New Jersey, in a neighborhood that was home to 4 other players who played within the NFL concurrently him. “That’s what really stuck with me (in San Francisco): the Golden Gate Bridge — until I got here,” Taylor said. “Growing up you always hear 'Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Bridge,' so you imagine it has some kind of golden look to it. Then I came here and it was red. That was pretty much the biggest disappointment of all.”

JENNY THOMPSON

On the morning of her BASHOF orientation, Thompson returned to Stanford at 5:30 a.m. to swim. “It really felt like working your butt off and then seeing the sunrise and the beauty in it,” said Thompson, who won 19 individual and relay titles during her Stanford profession from 1991 to 1995 and went on to win 12 Olympic medals (eight gold).

“Being a part of the Stanford swimming team was probably the most special part of my swimming career,” Thompson added. “Being part of such a close-knit group of women, sisters really, we accept each other. We all have flaws and we all accept them. It's a great experience to be part of such a team. People say swimming is an individual sport, but in college it’s really a team sport and I love that aspect.”

She also loves the Bay Area a lot that she wishes she could live here again, regardless that she is happily raising her family in Charleston, South Carolina. They will accompany her to this summer's Olympic Games in Paris, with tickets for 4 evenings of swimming. “I kind of made it my goal back then to always go to the Olympics,” Thompson said. “I missed Rio and then COVID happened, so I’m excited to get back.”

Thompson reflected on her profession and shared what she thought was the very best advice she received:

“Have fun,” Thompson said. “Swim from your heart. Because if you think too much about being professional or being too serious, you will lose the joy you feel from your passion. When I competed in my fourth Olympics, I was studying medicine, my mother had cancer, and I was able to gain insight into what swimming meant to me. I lost all seriousness and remembered the true joy it brings me. Have fun; It is truly the most important thing in achieving your dreams.”