Maddon credits Michael Scott of 'The Office' as biggest influence

As one of the most eccentric and outside-the-box managers in MLB, it's hard to imagine a completely rational person influencing Joe Maddon.

So, when the Chicago Cubs skipper named Michael Scott - the daft but well-meaning Dunder Mifflin branch manager from the comedy series "The Office" - as his managerial inspiration Friday, everything suddenly made sense.

Portrayed by Steve Carrell in the NBC series, Scott's influence on Maddon could be seen during spring training, when Maddon opted for bizarre team-building events rather than textbook practice days. With his club in the World Series, it looks like Maddon was on to something.

And we probably have a good idea of Maddon's life checklist now:

(Video courtesy: MLB.com)