A friend who watches too much television has an issue with ESPN’s coverage of the College World Series this year.
He says, “ESPN has treated it like a wake.’’
Meaning?
“All they talk about is the end of Rosenblatt Stadium and how sad it all is.’’
Well, cancel the services, please. And get the party started. The next 14 months should be a celebration of all things Rosenblatt, not a wake.
And that celebration starts tonight.
Can you feel it? Something big is going to happen this week. Something historic. The baseball gods are about to blow our minds.
LSU and Texas are playing best of three for the national championship. Blow up the format. I have a feeling that by Wednesday we’re going to want them to play best of seven.
Tigers coach Paul Mainieri put it best as he opened up Sunday’s press conference: “This is great. This is fun.’’
This is the best and sexiest CWS championship matchup since LSU-Miami in 1996. Historians and the kid who caught Warren Morris’ ninth-inning home run remember what happened that year.
Let’s take an inventory. This thing is combustible.
Tradition. Texas has won six national titles, LSU five. In fact, since USC has fallen off the college baseball map, these two programs have been the faces of the game. LSU was the team of the ’90s with five CWS titles from 1991 to 2000. Texas has been the team of the 2000s with two titles (2002 and 2005) in six appearances this decade.
In essence, you have an LSU program trying to regain its CWS mojo against a Texas program that replaced it as the standard of all things CWS.
Works for me.
There are colorful coaches. Mainieri is trying to establish his own legacy at LSU. A Tiger title would also keep Texas’ Augie Garrido from winning his sixth national championship, which would put him one ahead of LSU icon Skip Bertman. Oh, what a tangled web.
The stage is set for a thriller, with maybe a surprise ending.
These two look even. LSU has the big bats and Texas has the arms, but they both do everything well. The Tigers came into this season with the experience, but the young Horns skipped baseball puberty by winning in ways that will turn a coach’s hair gray.
There’s major league talent on both sides. There’s skilled role players everywhere you look.
And attitude. Call this the “Birthright Series.’’
Oregon State and Fresno State were playing with house money the past three years here. There was no pressure on them to win. That’s not the case this week.
“In Texas, second place doesn’t get it,’’ Garrido said. “It would be just another disaster.’’
“If you go back without the trophy,’’ LSU’s Micah Gibbs said, “it’s kind of hard to show your face.’’
Translation: These two don’t want to win so much as they can’t afford to lose. These might be the only two programs that feel that strongly about college baseball. That throws desperation into the mix of every game, inning and pitch.
Finally, there’s the karma factor. Mainieri says his players have an uncanny focus, “like they’re on a mission.’’ Texas’ path here of 25-inning victories and ninth-inning heroics has turned Garrido’s usually free-flowing zen on its ear.
“How they do it? Hell, I don’t know,’’ Garrido said. “I just walk over to my chair, put my seat belt on and try to stay in the chair.’’
Sounds like a plan this week. Who’s the next Warren Morris? Can’t wait to find out.
Contact the writer:
444-1025, tom.shatel@owh.com
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