The first RandBall post in recorded history came on Dec. 8, 2006. It made absolutely no sense, which is perfect. Since then, regular commenter and contributor Jon Marthaler has taken to writing a yearly "RandBall Blog Birthday" post. It's often a time to reflect on what has happened or let the best people take pot shots at us. Here is this year's effort from Jon, complete with giant photo of us because why not? (Please do enjoy the tags we dug out as well) -------

Every year in mid-December, we celebrate the birth of RandBall, our favorite blog on the internet, and this year the blog turns six. Think about that: if this blog were human, it'd be a kindergartner now -- presumably one that pestered all the girls in class and wouldn't lie still at nap time. (And every so often, its drunk uncle Clarence would show up at school, and security would have to be called.)

It is, I think, a testimony to the changes in both blogs and newspapers over the past six years that RandBall now feels like a natural extension of Page 2 of the paper. Six years ago, it was strange to see a constantly-updated column on startribune.com - now, the online portion of the paper gets at least as much attention as the print version. Six years ago, it would have been faintly ridiculous to see comments from readers in the newspaper anywhere but on the letters page; now, you can see them every day, standing at the edges of Page C2. In a way, one page of the sports section is now Dead Tree RandBall, and I for one couldn't be more pleased.

RandBall has given readers a voice, and a chance to interact with each other online, and a chance to make friends outside of the comments section, and for all three of these things I couldn't be more grateful. Thank you and congratulations, Rand - and happy birthday, RandBall. It's been a great six years, and here's hoping for 60 more.

Proprietor note: Monday (Where did we put our teeth?) edition: Wha' Happened?