Welcome to The Opener, where every weekday morning you’ll get a fresh, topical column to start your day from one of SI.com’s MLB writers.
After three games, 30 innings and a whole lot of fun, the only suitable response to what took place at Petco Park this weekend are the immortal words of the renowned Australian philosopher Russell Crowe:
It’s very rare when hype and reality coalesce, but that’s what happened over three games between the defending champion Dodgers and their biggest threat to the throne, the Padres.