We've noticed that high-performing Losers are subject to the same historical pressures as other mighty empires. Nothing is permanent. So we've arranged the preceding Years, 1-29, in Eras, in the table below.
Smith Era | 1 2 3 |
Hart Era | 4 5 6 7 8 |
Beland Era | 9 10 11 12 |
Beary Era | 13 |
Dopart Era | 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 |
Doyle Era | 21 22 23 24 |
Frankovich Era | 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 |
Some of these Eras are clear. Chuck Smith dominated in Years 1-3, but slipped to #6 in Year 4, and hasn't risen above 4th since. David Genser interrupted Jennifer Hart's Era in Year 5, but didn't repeat, and tailed off starting in Year 9. Russ Beland similarly ruled Years 9-12, despite stinking up the place in Year 10.
Then came Beary. He was Top-Grossing Loser in Year 13 and not again, but that was an astonishing Year, 179 blots of ink (since eclipsed), 45 ahead of the fading Russ Beland, and he finished with 119 in Year 14, so we accorded him a short Era, like Trump's.
Kevin Dopart has the longest Era, an unbroken arc in Years 14-20, finally giving way to Danielle Nowlin and Chris Doyle in Year 21. But Danielle never repeated, and Chris roared along until he, like Caligula, was taken down by Jesse Frankovich and three others in Year 25.
It appears now, at the dawn of Year 30, that the Frankovich Era continues. Duncan Stevens finished way out in front in Year 28 but was not able to hold off Jesse's comeback in Year 29. However, since Duncan interrupted the Frankovich Era with a first-place finish in Year 28, that may yet be seen as the first Year of the Stevens Era, interrupted by Frankovich in Year 29, if Duncan finishes first in both Year 30 and 31. We must wait and see.
Post-Elden update: Duncan did win Year 30, but Jesse came back yet again in Year 31. So until proven otherwise the Frankovich Era continues. Should Duncan win Years 32 and 33, the Stevens Era will have started in Year 30.
Meanwhile, dwindling numbers of the faithful await the Crockett Millennium.