Technological marvel created by outspoken Houston Buffaloes fan Mo and ex-card player Slappy . The site lasts 23 years without a single hit, finally going offline in December of 1958 after Slappy's grim discovery that the World Wide Web does not yet exist. Rudimentary and politically incorrect by today's standards, the gauntlet had nevertheless been thrown down - however, it would be 39 years before the genius of Mo and Slappy would be resurrected and unleashed full force on an unsuspecting world. Interested in learning how to build a website, but having no idea what it should be about, Baton Rouge hardcore Astros fans Kevin and Scott develop a simple website where they can hype and vent about their favorite team. Future TZ-legends Michael N and Prince of Heck found the site soon thereafter, and the Internet would never quite be the same again.
More nonsense is added, and the hosts begin doing updates every day.
First in a long line of unprecedented original content, the Home Run Slang page is introduced, Michael N and Tom S co-develop the Minor Opinions farm report, and Kevin begins writing Pine Tar Rag as the site's flagship opinion column. The emergence of future TZ-legend Andyzipp and other strong talent enables Talk Zone to develop a small but rabid cult following throughout South Texas, and word spreads quickly about the renegade fan site. A surprise review by The Web magazine in September of 97 and other referrals brought more fans on board, and daily email increased dramatically. Astros Connection delivers the news of the Astros first division title clinch in 11 years before anyone else, and the site galvanizes its reputation as a prime news source in December, becoming the first on the web to announce the departure of pitcher Darryl Kile. Opening day 1998 drew a record 650 hits.