Watch out, more baseball...

Well, reading last week's SI, I find out that the Unwritten Rules of Sport were, indeed, written down. By none other than their second-best magazine columnist, Rick Reilly. In 1995. Checking my watch, that is six years before certain events instigated by members the San Diego Padres occurred.

Looking back, 2001 was such a weird season. 73 home runs. 116 wins. Mr. November. A four-year old franchise becoming the champs. Potential contraction.

And the White Sox. Such comedy. Consider these events.

David Wells admitted to Bryant Gumbel he was hungover the day of his perfect game (which he denied years later upon the release of his book). Jeff Liefer (now of the 西武 Lions) and Jose Canseco (now of the Surreal Life) thought they were legitimate everybody players. (That summer, I witnessed Canseco's 199th steal firsthand. You'll have to pry that memory from my cold, dead hands.) Frank Thomas tearing his tricep while diving for a ball in his third game at first base. And best of all, the complete self-destruction of 90% of the pitching staff. Dusty Baker has nothing on the work of Jerry Manuel and Nardi Contreras. And they still won 83 games after a 14-29 start.