Let me tell you a story. In the summer of 1984, the Purdy family vehicle motored west from Ohio. After several days of interstate fast food and rest stops, we cut through the Sunol notch of Interstate 680 and emerged into the glorious wilds of Fremont before the road bent left to San Jose where we viewed . . . the future.
I was soon to begin a sports column gig at the San Jose Mercury News. I had no clue what I was getting myself into, although I pretended to do so for writing purposes. How was I to know that we were about to settle in the most interesting place on earth?