http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050727/NEWS/50727003/1062/SPORTS09

I was pleased to see Bob Padecky's column in the Press Democrat issuing a gracious "Mea Culpa" and giving Beane and the A's credit for proving most people wrong about their season. I especially please because I have been persistently the May columns of Padecky and Cohn. Cohn refused to reply and acknoledge the error of his ways. On the flipside, Bob replied graciously and agreed with me and agreed to do this kind of column at the appropriate time. I thanked him and said I only hoped his column did not jinx the A's. He replied that the only thing that could do that would be making the cover of SI.

Why Beane's A's succeed: No one has a recliner
Wednesday, July 27, 2005

By BOB PADECKY
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

OAKLAND

I'm channeling Mike Myers right now.

Billy Beane, I bow before you. I am not worthy.

Back in May I thought your A's were leftovers, your genius gone mad, the end of a nice run. See ya. Sorta like how I still feel about the Giants now.

But Billy, I am on my hands and knees now. I am not worthy. I didn't see this coming, the team winning 74 percent of its games over the past two months. I believe in miracles, sure, but a team that had won just four times in 24 games, I thought the franchise was entering the Ice Age.

I held the same level of optimism for Oakland's resurgence on May 29 as I did for Lance Armstrong winning seven consecutive Tours back when he announced he had cancer. But sports always has been the theater of the wonderfully absurd. It pushes the boundary of inspiration, making us go where no sane person otherwise dares.........

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