QT keeps dignity intact by rejecting helpful gift from U.S. Cellular umpire

The mysterious package arrived Friday afternoon, covered in purple birthday wrap and sporting a big purple bow.  QT was eager to open this 40th birthday present, even though she didn't understand why the purple gift was postmarked from U.S. Cellular Field instead of Wilmington High School.

QT tore off the wrap and ripped open the heavy box to unveil the strange object -- a dirty and dusty first base used in Major League Baseball.  Perplexed for a moment, QT soon realized there was a note scribbled on the underside of the base.  It included a list of NFL teams, but she refused to examine it.  "I somehow knew those had to be the winners for Week 7 of the Picks," QT said.  "I've heard about umpires in Chicago giving away first base to help people win, but it ain't going to happen here."

Although those picks might have given QT an undefeated record on Sunday, she threw the base into the trash and went with her own instincts.  She finished 10-2 with Blaine, staying within three games of her husband in the 2005 Sunday Football Picks.  Both are shocked and disappointed with the number of first bases being handed out this October by home plate umpires at U.S. Cellular Field.  Can't people be left to compete fair and square?  Is sportsmanship dead?

"When we win in the Picks, we do it straight up without help or cheating," Blaine said.  "It would be easy to cheat, just like it's easy for a baseball player to pretend he was hit by a pitch.  But around here nobody wants to win a title by getting breaks along the way, especially help that plays a direct role in someone else's demise."

Others are not so ashamed to accept charity in order to win at any cost.  The White Sox, for example, haven't lost a playoff game since taking bases they didn't earn.  A.J. Pierzynski struck out but surprisingly ended up at first base to help the Sox beat the Angels in a pivotal game of the American League Championship Series.  The umpires' generosity continued Sunday night in the World Series when Jermaine Dye somehow was awarded first base after fouling off an inside pitch.  The next pitch was hit for a grand slam, and the Sox have a 2-0 series lead over the Astros.

"Jermaine knew he wasn't hit by the pitch, but he started moving toward first base, so I figured what the heck, he's a nice guy," the home plate umpire said.  "He once bought me lunch in Oakland at an all-you-can-eat buffet."

Rest assured that sportsmanship lives on in the Sunday Football Picks, where Mark once changed his record for the worse after realizing a mistake was made; where D.J. avoided the afternoon scoreboard to make her Picks after work; and where Blaine embarrassingly placed last in 2003 when he had complete control to quietly alter his outcomes along the way.