Red and White @ Silver

Twenty-five years ago today, the Class of 2001 began its final holiday break as students of the Norwich Free Academy. Among them was the affable Andrea Pedersen, a student who brought holiday cheer to all corners of the campus no matter the time of year. We were lucky to be classmates with Andrea, too; just to attend the best high school in the state, she traversed presumably hundreds of miles of...

It may come as a surprise to loyal “Red & White @ Silver” listeners, but we were not always the well-oiled machine you’ve come to know, love, and cherish. We made the decision to publish our episodes out of order, and so far you’ve heard only our organized and refined episodes. (Admittedly, we may be stretching those adjectives’ definitions.) What you’re about to hear, however, is our very fir...

On December 9, 2000, the Supreme Court told Florida to stop its recount of the Gore v. Bush election, but nothing could stop Yajaira Baez from continuing her senior year at the Norwich Free Academy. Nor could anything stop her after graduation! In this episode, the guys learn about Yajaira’s fascinating life bouncing between casinos dealing Black Jack, ultimately landing in Philadelphia and rising...

In a first and last for Red and White @ Silver , Ian, Jim, and Zack welcome an elected representative, four-term State Representative Brian Lanoue! Many of our classmates can attest that Brian has been a political junkie dating back to high school. In fact, in mid-November during our senior year, Brian Lanoue and fellow politico Ian sat in Ms. Binder’s Intro to Politics class, still waiting for th...

On November 25, 2000, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” kicked off the holiday season atop the box office; the Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments in the Bush v. Gore case in the STILL GOING election dispute; and Scott Sinay just kept swimming through his senior year at the Norwich Free Academy. And what a swimmer he was! But he was much more than a four-year swimmer for NFA. In this episode, we...

In mid-November 25 years ago, we still didn’t know who the next President was going to be, but we DID know Ali Wininger continued to brighten up the NFA Campus during her senior year. In this episode, we learn where she took her sunshine after graduation. Listen to find out how this Wildcat graduated early from college, her experiences as a counselor, and her important messages about mental health...

Welcome to Red and White @ Silver ’s “very special episode.” This week’s guest is co-host Jim Wheeler’s twin brother: Dave Wheeler! And ladies, wait until you get to know Connecticut’s most eligible bachelor. He’s a fit volleyball player, a fireman, a public servant, a savior of tree-topping cats, and if you show him a leaf he can tell you a story about it. His appearance on the podcast made Jim p...

In the first week of November 2000, Americans went to the polls to decide between Bush and Gore, and we’re still not sure what they said; astronomers discovered four new moons around Saturn, which was much more preferable than discovering four new Saturns around the Moon; and Jim Wheeler began the second quarter of his final year at the Norwich Free Academy. And now, after much demand from our gue...

As the month of October wound down in the year 2000, the Yankees finished off the Mets in the World Series; the International Space Station received its first residential crew; Christina Aguilera invited us to “Come On Over, Baby”; and Kelsey Iovino wrapped up the first quarter of her senior year at the Norwich Free Academy. Seemingly ingrained in every aspect of NFA culture, it was perhaps inevit...

As early October evolved into late October back in the year 2000, Al Gore and George W. Bush engaged in a series of presidential debates, much to the benefit of Saturday Night Live ’s Darrell Hammond and Will Ferrell; the Yankees and Mets engaged in their “Subway” World Series, complete with Roger Clemens throwing a broken bat at Mike Piazza for reasons beyond understanding; and Andrea Chappelle c...

Twenty-five years ago, the movie “Meet the Parents” owned the top spot at the box office thanks to a performance of the up-and-coming actor Robert DeNiro; NASA launched the 100th mission of the space shuttle program, one of many awesome things we don’t do anymore; and Andy Koniecko continued being one of the coolest seniors at the Norwich Free Academy. Do our fellow Wildcats remember what Senior S...

In the first week of October 25 years ago, the Sydney Olympics closed, marking the last time Americans thought about Australia; a revolution finally overthrew Yugoslavia’s Slobodan Milošević after years of him being just the worst; and Laurie Pasteryak kicked off the second month of her senior year at the Norwich Free Academy. In this episode, we learn how a lifetime of saying “Yes” to every adven...

As September 2000 came to a close, the 3 Doors Down hit “Kryptonite” bumped out Destiny Child’s “Jumpin’ Jumpin’” from the top of the American Top 40, effectively ending Beyoncé’s career; a plucky but doomed search engine called Google celebrated its second birthday; and Nikki Pensis wrapped up the first month of her final year at the Norwich Free Academy. In this episode, the guys learn which fel...

Twenty-five years ago this week, the cheerleading movie “Bring It On” climbed into the box office top spot before impossibly spawning six sequels; Team USA’s Vince Carter dunked over a 7’ 2” Frenchman at the 2000 Olympics in a soaring achievement the withering French press dubbed “ Le Dunk de la Mort ”; and the gregarious Josh Saari bounced around the Norwich Free Academy early in his senior year....

In mid-September, 25 years ago, the Sydney Olympics heated up; Madonna returned to the top of the charts with her vaguely titled album “Music”; and Kimberly Lee… was NOT at NFA yet! Tune in to find out what school she DID attend for her freshman year, and why for her sophomore year she transferred to the best school in the state. Full disclosure: for an all-too-brief few months, Kim and Ian were 8...

In September’s second week 25 years ago, Venus Williams won her first US Open, forever retaining bragging rights over her little sister; the musical “Cats” lapped up its last milk saucer; and Craig Demars continued his senior year at the Norwich Free Academy. The following June, diploma in hand, he left the school’s beautiful campus and ventured out into what became a beautiful life, one in which...

Twenty-five years ago, in the first week of September back in the year 2000, the Nokia 3310 mobile phone was released (and no phone has since bested it); Texas Governor George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore found themselves in a tight race for the presidency two months before Election Day swiftly resolved it; and most importantly a young woman named Emily Gauvin began her senior year at the No...

'Til the seas become abated...sing it with us! Join us each week as Ian Cheney, Zack Lamothe, and Jim Wheeler catch up with fellow members of the Class of 2001 during their 25th Reunion year.