In what world is the cycle celebrated more then a no-hitter? I must have missed that trend.
It's a statistical anomaly. I think most people understand that. It's like a triple double in basketball, that players like to get because it's a bit of an accomplishment to them, though there's plenty of triple-double lines that can be completely unimpressive compared to what another player in the same game is putting up.
Difference is, in Basketball, some players have been known to manufacture a triple double from time to time, to the detriment of their team, a teammate, or the framework of the game. They generally catch a lot of flack for it. I don't know of any baseball players who hit a home run and stopped at 3rd base just so they could hit for a cycle. I imagine he would get ripped to shreds by anybody having anything to do with the game if he did (if it was even allowed).
BTW, good call on Karl Pilkington. First ran across him in the Ricky Gervais podcasts. I would watch him eat breakfast every morning just for the entertainment value alone.
