What's more All-American than a big underdog catching lightning in a bottle and beating the best of the best? Not much. And that's why the College World Series--or CWS for short--is nothing short of the term All-American at its best!
And that's just the beginning of the charm of collegiate baseball's national championship tournament that has the college sports scene to itself throughout this week. I've worked one before (2005), so I have first-hand knowledge of the atmosphere of wonder that is Omaha's Rosenblatt stadium--from the time one enters the park. There's the wonder of watching players play truly for the love of the game (and their scholarship--and some only get partial scholarships), to the fans who follow their team, to the people of Omaha who go to support the CWS--which is a testimony to how that city has embraced college baseball's crown jewel. But consider what's been seen more than once over the last four years and you'll understand what's even more All-American than the hubbub in the heartland this time of year: proof that the underdog not only can win, but does win!
All you have to do is look back at last year's CWS, when lightly regarded Fresno State, who sported 31-losses and entered its 4-team sub-regional as a 4-seed, caught lightning in a bottle, and stormed its way to the CWS title. And if that's not enough, how about Oregon State, with virtually no tradition, won back-to-back titles in 2006-07--and that 2007 title came after going 10-16 in Pac-10 Conference play. And how about one more? And, I was there for this one--in 2005, when Baylor stormed back from 6-runs down to topple top-national seed Tulane 8-7, only to be toppled themselves the next night by Texas, where 1b Chance Wheeless, with a bum shoulder, blasted a walk-off homer in the 9th--reminded some folks of Kirk Gibson's shot off Dennis Eckersley in the 1988 World Series. Texas went on to beat Florida twice to win that national championship.
How do you get any more charming than that?
"March Madness" has nothing on the College World Series, because come "Elite 8" time, the big boys with the big traditions usually rise to the top (North Carolina, Duke, Kansas, etc.. ). College baseball? You get a Fresno State and an Oregon State that proves as elite as often as a Texas or a Cal State-Fullerton.
And, consider two teams in the CWS this year: Southern Miss--in its first ever trip to the series, and Arkansas--who toppled number-7 national seed Oklahoma twice in Norman, and then flogged Florida State in the super regional in Tallahassee to earn its CWS berth, and the Hogs have already sent #2-national seed Cal State-Fullerton into the elimination bracket with a 10-6 victory.
See what I mean?
Anything can happen, and couple that with players and fans who both would rather be nowhere else than the CWS, and you have Americana at its best. And, that's why my eyes will be peeled on ESPN all week long, and if you're a sports fan--or just a fan of things all-American, yours should be too.
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I like this. There's a show on TBS called My Boys and it's a female sports writer and all of her guy friends. Anyway, she writes for a Chicago newspaper and follows the Cubs, that's her 'job.' You're piece reminded me about what she says about spring training and why you go. Man, the quote isn't on wikiquote.org yet, but it was a similar statement.
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