There was this kid in my High School physics class six years ago who was a huge Cubs fan. He was a recent immigrant to this country yet was quickly consumed by suburban Cubbie Kool-Aid. He had this thick Indian accent and we would always argue about the Cubs vs. Sox. In every argument, he had this one unforgettable line, "Kerry Vood is the future." Now, I'm sure he meant it differently, but that is true for the Cubs in so many ways.
For reference, in 1999 the Cubs started the season 32-23 and looked on their way to a second straight playoff appearance before a disappointing summer including a dismal 6-24 August ended their hopes and left them with a 67-95 record. A meteoric rise and fall that began with so much promise like the career of one Kerry 'Vood'.