Top Things Thursday

 POGS. If you grew up in the 90s, you KNOW what pogs are. Explaining what pogs are to people who were born on or after the year 2000 is like trying to explain to a 70 year old that myspace is not a porn website..or maybe it is?

 The easiest way to describe pogs and the game that surrounds them - Pogs are little circles with art or graphics on them that (at least the way I played) you would place face down on a stack. The amount you place was your wager. Each player has their own "slammer". A slammer is almost like your "weapon" in the game, they're usually made of heavy plastic, but if you were a true pog player, you'd have a metal one.. then the other kid would say that's cheating.. so you throw it in their face and make fun of their collection of barbie pogs. Anyway... You hold the slammer and throw it as hard as you could on top of the stacks. The pogs that turn over and show their graphic would become your pogs. A lot of people would argue that the ones still touching the stack wouldn't count.. but then you throw your slammer at them again and take everything.
 
 If you were a true pog player, you would be beyond taking other people's pogs.. hell no.. you'd MAKE YOUR OWN POGS. I was one of the lucky few to have my own pog making machine. 


 I'd cut out snippits of my Nintendo Power magazines and place them in the machine, press down on the clear container and BAM.. I'd have my own pog.. err.. sort of.. sometimes the damn machine would end up jamming and I'd waste a perfectly good picture of Kirby - because we all know Kirby is the best shape for pogs.


 Pogs hold a place in our hearts even though it was the first taste of raw gambling an 8 year old got. Now if you could excuse me, I have a trip to the Indian Casino to tend to.