Thursday, June 22, 2006
Back to reality. After flying to Omaha on a charter jet,
most of the Titans bore Boarding Pass B's on Thursday afternoon and
crammed themselves into a Southwest Airlines 737 bound for Ontario
via Las Vegas. Reality hits hard. Another part of the group flew
another Southwest flight (delayed 1:40) via Phoenix and several
more took a United flight via Denver. Such is the life of the
eliminated. At least some of them got to visit with Cal Ripken,
Jr., in the Omaha airport.
The final night in Omaha turned into a celebration of sorts.
Certainly not a victory party, but a last "fling" with teammates
they will seldom see again. To a man, the Titans seemed content
with their fate... close but no trophy. They gave it their all and
seemingly have accepted the fact that only one team comes homes
from Omaha fully rewarded for their year-long efforts.
A team meeting at noon on Friday will wrap up the 2006 Titans.
Summer playing plans, housing switches, professional contract
negotiations and heart-to-heart talks about players' prospects for
2007 will replace Report Time, Stretching and Batting Practice on
the itinerary.
More reality. Goodwin Field is the summer home of the Fullerton
Flyers of the Golden League and has a different look than it does
when the Titans play. And the locker rooms in Titan Gym are under
renovation -- can you feel the viiiibraaaatiiiiiooooon from the
jackhammers, too?
Thanks to Omaha for another memorable trip. Thanks to Leroy
Sweatlund and the Omaha Rotary club for their great assistance.
Hauling all the luggage and equipment was a major chore in itself.
Thanks to the NCAA for the continued opportunity to host Regionals
and Super Regionals. And thanks to ESPN for giving Cal State
Fullerton its 15 minutes plus about 16 hours in the spotlight.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
If Kevin Costner was scripting the ninth inning
Wednesday, Danny Dorn would have hit the ball 10 feet less and
David Cooper would have driven it 10 feet further for a dramatic
game-winning 2-run home run.
But reality intervened and Dorn's liner carried to the
centerfielder and Cooper's ball was caught up against the wall. And
when pinch-hitter Bryan Harris grounded out against ace turned
closer Andrew Miller, the Titans' storybook run through the 2006
College World Series was over.
Four games, four nailbiters. The Titans scored 24 runs and gave up
24 runs. They won a 2-run game and lost a 2-run game. They won a
1-run game and lost a 1-run game. They got a fortuitous bounce on
Cory Vanderhook's chopper and an unlucky hop on Blake Davis' bunt.
Would the availability of All-American closer Vinnie Pestano have
made a difference? In his absence, the bullpen was masterful,
particularly Ryan Paul and Adam Jorgenson.
Coach George Horton got emotional addressing the team in the
locker room after the game. His sadness was not about the defeat
but about the loss of a roster - graduation and the professional
draft breaks up every college team come May or June. He knew his
team had not played a perfect series but a courageous one and he
exhorted the players to keep their heads up high as they exited the
stadium for the final time.
The most gnawing memories will revolve around two late-game
situations against North Carolina. On Friday night, the Titans had
the winning run on third base with one out in the eleventh inning
but couldn't score. On Wednesday night, they had the tying run on
third base with one out in the eighth but Davis' squeeze bunt took
a convenient hop for the pitcher and the run was cut down at the
plate.
The starting rotation that carried the Titans to Omaha was roughed
up for all 24 runs allowed, 22 of them in starter's roles.
Explanation? More quality hitters. Better lighting. Too many
mistakes. Better scouting reports because of extensive ESPN
post-season coverage. End of season fatigure. Playing from behind.
Wind usually blowing out. Combination of all of the above?
The bottom line is that Cal State Fullerton reached the Final
Four, eliminating a pair of BCS Atlantic Coast Conference schools
in the process. The Omaha experience was absorbed by 25 eligible
players and a few extras as well. Unless they reach the major
leagues, none of these players will ever perform on a more
inspiring stage. The agony of defeat will soon subside.
And the "Titan Nation" that assembled almost 2,000 miles from
campus gained a major boost of "Titan Pride."
* * * * * * * * *
Former Titan All-American and 1979 Golden Spikes Award winner Tim
Wallach was in the Rosenblatt Stadium crowd Wednesday night.
Typically, he stayed out of the limelight, sitting in the
left-field bleachers with his Little League team.
* * * * * * * * * *
The Titans' official travel party will arrive Thursday at 7:25
p.m. at Ontario Airport on Southwest Airlines flight No. 1764 from
Las Vegas. The extended travel party will come in via Phoenix at
5:30 p.m. on Southwest flight No. 1335.
* * * * * * * * * *
Freshman David Cooper joined some select company with his streak
of seven consecutive hits in the College World Series. The only
better mark is 8 in a row by Dave Magadan of Alabama and Barry
Bonds of Arizona State. The only other 7 at-bat streak was logged
by Terry Francona of Arizona.
* * * * * * * * * *
Amazing statistic: There have been 837 games played in the College
World Series through Wednesday night. The home team has won 419 of
them to 418 for the visitors. This year the Titans went 2-0 as the
visitors and 0-2 as the home team.
* * * * * * * * * *
Although average attendance has been down slightly, the total will
likely set a CWS record. The move to single sessions on Sunday and
Monday from doubleheaders in the past gave the CWS eight gates for
the first eight games instead of six. Do the math. Wednesday's
doubleheader session drew a record 30, 335 to a park that holds
23,170, thanks to general admission fans leaving after the first
game and the sale of some standing room only tickets. Reserved
tickets were up this year to $18 for the bracket play and $25 for
the Championship Series, a one dollar increase in both
categories.
* * * * * * * * *
The Omaha World-Herald ran a front-page story examining
the increased hotel room rates for the College World Series period.
Most travelers were resigned to good old capitalism - supply and
demand. It's normal lodging practice to bump up the rates for
special events such as bowl games, conventions, etc. Quoted in the
story were the parents of Titan pitcher Cory Arbiso, who spent
several nights in Lincoln, an hour's drive to the southwest, for
more competitive rates before finding an affordable alternative in
Omaha.
* * * * * * * * *
Did the laundry. At least we're coming home with mostly clean
clothes.
* * * * * * * * *
Until next time.
* * * * * * * * *
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Time to open up the Titan history books in preparation
for Wednesday's rematch with North Carolina in this 60th College
World Series. It's almost eerie the parallels developing as the
Titans try to fight back through the losers' bracket to gain the
Championship Series against either Rice or Oregon State.
To advance beyond the Final Four, the Titans will likely need a
special effort from righthanded pitcher Wes Roemer, who got the
final two outs Tuesday night for his first save of the season. For
inspiration, he can look to Dave Weatherman, another righthander.
In the 1979 College World Series, Weatherman started the next to
last game against Pepperdine. He lasted only one third of an inning
but the Titans rallied to eliminate the Waves, 8-5. Coach Augie
Garrido gave him another chance the very next night and Weatherman
pitched a complete-game 2-1 victory over Arkansas for the school's
first national championship.
In that win over Pepperdine, the Titans got five hits from
outfielder Mickey Palmer, who was in the lineup more for his
defensive prowess in then caverness Rosenblatt Stadium. Palmer went
5-for-6 and freshman David Cooper joined him last night as two of
the 15 players in CWS history to collect 5 or more hits in one
game.
* * * * * * * * * *
Barbecue Notes: John Estes' father pulled his barbecue trailer
from the Seattle area to Omaha for use at the Titan House. The
charcoal was donated and delivered by Jody Robinson, the former
Titan player and assistant coach who now lives in the Midwest. Add
superstitions: win or lose, the Titan players were scheduled to eat
at the Titan House after Sunday night's game vs. Georgia Tech.
Since they won, the plan was repeated for after the Clemson game.
Need I tell you what the plan is for Wednesday night's post-game
spread?
* * * * * * * * * *
Random statistics... the Titans have led for only 5 innings in
their three games and 31 innings of play so far... in allowing 18
runs in three games, the Titans allowed more than that only once
all season - in May, they gave up 5 runs at UC Santa Barbara, 6 at
USC and 9 at San Diego State in consecutive games...David Cooper is
7-for-11 in his first CWS... Justin Turner collected his 100th hit
of the season in the first inning... Adam Jorgenson has appeared in
all three games, pitching three innings with no runs and two hits
allowed. He has inherited five runners and none have scored. Ryan
Paul has pitched four scoreless innings over three appearances...
at 50-14, the Titans have logged the eighth 50-win season in the
program's Div. I history.
* * * * * * * * * *
Geography lesson for the day: When the CWS started, there were two
West Coast teams and four Atlantic Coast Conference teams. In the
Final Four, there still are two West Coast teams but only North
Carolina representing the ACC. The fourth team is from the WESTern
Athletic Conference -- Rice. Clemson has now been in more CWS
without reaching the finals than any other program.
* * * * * * * * * *
The Titans will be the home team, wear white and occupy the
third-base dugout on Wednesday evening.
* * * * * * * * * *
The Titans continue to make marks in the CWS record book. They now
are part of the second longest by time game in the CWS history and
the third longest by time 9-inning game. Way to extend that
national TV coverage guys!
* * * * * * * * * *
Time to do some laundry.
* * * * * * * * * *
Monday, June 19, 2006
Today was a day off for virtually everyone associated
with the Cal State Fullerton baseball program. The team got to
sleep in, had a light practice at Bellevue East High School and
then enjoyed free time in the evening with friends and family and,
in most cases, Omaha beef.
Photographer Matt Brown and baseball SID Mike Greenlee completed a
two-night test and they rate the T-bone steak at Casio's superior
to that of Johnny's Cafe. Those are the two most established
steakhouses in a town that has one on almost every corner. There's
plenty of new competiton arising out west where Omaha is seemingly
booming. Boys Town used to be in the fields at the west end of
Dodge Street. Now there are several more offramps behond it on what
has become the Highway 6 Freeway west of the 480.
My favorite establishment feturing beef -- the Pink Poodle, across
the river in Crescent, Iowa, is closed on Mondays. Bummer! And we
already did the catfish at Surfside on the Missouri River north of
town. That's overall No. 1 in my book.
The weather forecast for Tuesday is very hot and chances of
thunderstorms... again. So far, only the Saturday night game has
been affected by the weather and that was mostly because of
lightning.
Attendance is down sightly this year. Most folks attribute that to
the absence of perennial visitors Texas and LSU, who bring a lot of
traveling fans and also have won over a lot of Nebraskans. Clemson
and Rice T-shirts have been cited as the best sellers this
year.
With North Carolina and Rice the only unbeaten teams after four
days, they are the heavy favorites to meet in the Championship
Series. Both are loaded with highly rated professional pitching
prospects and both will be well rested against the elimination game
survivors. But count on the latter showing up anyway.
Political note: Former President Gerald Ford was born in Omaha and
there is a birthplace monument and rose garden on the site of his
family's home (the actual house burned down a couple of decades
ago). It was dedicated in the early 1980s and it looks like the
maintenance was stopped not long after. The site at 32nd Street and
Woolworth is an embarrassment to every American, no matter what
your political persuasion might be. To visit the museum you have to
do it by appointment. Obviously, funding is the problem. With
former President Ford in declining health, it will be interesting
to see what becomes of this historical site.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
"So close... oh, so close."
For more than three hours Sunday afternoon, it looked like that
would be the Titans' epitaph for the 2006 College World Series.
They had come so close to winning on Friday night vs. North
Carolina and they were looking at a 1-run eliminating loss to
Georgia Tech on Sunday.
Not much had gone their way. A fan may have interfered with Danny
Dorn on a go-ahead home run. Dorn came close to an RBI single in
what could have been a big fourth inning only to see it turned into
a double play. All the close calls by the umpires seemed to go
against Fullerton - a pickoff play at second and a foul tip
strikeout of Justin Turner in the eighth. Dustin Miller wasn't
missing the strike zone in the first inning by that much. A
comebacker by Evan McArthur went from an RBI single to a rundown of
Brandon Tripp by a matter of inches.
All that was forgotten when dame fortune smiled in Fullerton's
favor in the ninth inning. Cory Vanderhook's chopper eluded the
Georgia Tech infield and the Titans, who were down to their last
strike with Brett Pill at the plate, kept themselves away from
Eppley Field Airport for at least two more days.
* * * * * * * *
The omens were not aligning in Fullerton's favor. Only once before
in College World Series history had a player been a catcher and a
pitcher in the same game. The first time was on June 4, 1990, when
Gettys Glaze went from behind the plate to the mound as The Citadel
eliminated Fullerton, 8-7, in 12 innings. That was the last time
the Titans had gone 0-2 in Omaha.
(In case you are wondering, a Gettys Glaze shows up on an internet
search as an owner/broker of Sandpiper Real Estate Group in
Charleston, South Carolina. He was probably sitting on an open
house watching the game and seeing his name brought up probably for
the first time in 16 years.)
And George Horton had failed to park in his normal parking place
back at Byrnes Circle. Attempts to move the car also failed since
all the keys were with family members in Omaha. Should we call a
tow truck?
Countering that bad vibe was a security guard named Justin - he
had guarded the dugout of the winning team in each of the
Rosenblatt Stadium contests to date. Not that baseball coaches,
players and fans are superstitious, but a collection is being taken
to make sure he is in the Titans' dugout on Tuesday.
* * * * * * * * * *
Tough assignment for the sportswriters Sunday. So much to write
and too little space. The storylines were too plentiful. Redemption
-- Cory Vanderhook atoning for his baserunning blunder on Friday
and Brett Pill atoning for his rare fielding error that gave
Georgia Tech its fourth run. Clark Hardman singling home the
game-tying run on the first Father's Day since his father, Randy,
was diagnosed with leukemia. And Dustin Miller returning to Omaha
for the first time since 2003 and since surgeries that cost him two
collegiate seasons. Should Coach Rick Vanderhook have tried to
score Blake Davis on Pill's double? Did the ball really hit Justin
Turner's bat on his eighth-inning strikeout. Did the fan interfere
with Danny Dorn on the go-ahead GT home run? How good is Ryan Paul,
filling in for closer Vinnie Pestano? What's next for the Titan
pitching rotation, especially since Lauren Gagnier has been
weakened by a bout of food poisoning (that's the reason day-old
ground beef pizza is not on the training table).
* * * * * * * * * *
Fullerton is now only 3-10 in games this season in which it was
trailing going into the ninth inning. In each of those wins, Brett
Pill was in the middle of the rally. At UC Santa Barbara on May 7,
he had a two-out, two-run triple in a 3-run ninth for a 7-5 victory
(sound familiar?). On May 23 his two-out triple in the ninth tied a
game at USC that the Titans won in the 11th inning, 6-3. And then
Sunday, when he took the season down to the final strike before
slashing a drive into right center field.
* * * * * * * * * *
Saturday, June 17...
Most of the "day after" for the Tians was spent trying to
flush away the lingering memories of Friday night's frustrating
marathon. Dr. Ken Ravizza, the team's mental coach, was the focal
point for the team and the mental aspect was on the minds of the
media as well.
Coach George Horton spent most of his pre-game production meeting
with the ESPN folks not talking about how Dustin Miller would match
up against Georgia Tech or how he might tinker with his batting
order against a righthander. The questions were about the mental
state - how do you handle a devastating loss, how do you deal with
the prospect of an elimination game or how do you handle the
pressure applied by 23,000 fans and a national TV audience?
Soon after that conversation ended, reporters from the Los
Angeles Times and Orange County Register visited the
practice site at Bellevue East High School and asked basically the
same questions. Is there really a miniature toilet in the
dugout?
The importance of the mental game in the Fullerton program cannot
be overestimated. Coach Horton spent nearly half an hour talking to
the team even before they got off the bus for Saturday's practice.
Dr.Ravizza shared time in the presentation to try to clean
everyone's mind for the task at hand - send Georgia Tech home as
the Yellowjackets did to the Titans in 1994. Ravizza symbolically
wore a Titans' hat from the 1984 CWS, when the Titans came out of
the losers' bracket to win it all. Coach Horton emphasized that
responding to failure and getting back up when you are knocked down
are at the forefront of the philosophy of the program.
The casual visitor could not tell the Titans' season was in
jeopardy. The practice was all business but light and spirited.
Several of the shaggers in right field were busy between swings
re-enacting their reactions seen on TV to plays such as Jared
Clark's 3-run home run. The players watch the replays and hear from
friends on cell phones and know when they get TV time.
Capping the light nature of the session, the Titans' coaching
staff first let all of the pitchers take batting practice swings
and then challenged them to a contest in the bunting game. With Ted
Silva on the mound, Jason Gill at first baseand RickVanderhook
donning the "tools of ignorance" to go behind the plate, the
coaches challenged the players to a bunting competiton. The players
got a point when they successfully bunted and the coaches scored
when the bunt play went awry. Fortunately, the players won.
Even baseball SID Mike Greenlee got into the practice act. The
former Titans' righthander from 1996 and 1997 performed a set of
"three ways," fielding his position on the mound from a variety of
positions with practiced efficiency if not the old agility. He was
on the verge of tossing some batting practice before deciding that
his next slider might be his last.
The end to the practice session produced a scene typical of the
Nebraska hospitality. Bellevue resident Marilyn Ralston provided
the players with ice-cold Gatorade. "It's something I've been doing
for the teams here for about 10 years," she explained humbly while
taking advantage of the situation to get a ball autographed. "I'd
like to keep a low profile."
After practice the Titans hustled back to their westside Marriott
Hotel and then headed for a country club for a Bar B Q and golf
outing sponsored by the host Rotary Club.
Family and friends gained the dinner time focus for those who
chose not to attend the Miami-Oregon State game, which went to the
Hurricanes in an 11-1 rout. The erratic Omaha weather reared its
head and produced a lengthy delay.
Friday, June 16...
Thirteen was the Titans' lucky number in 2004, when they
won the College World Series title. 13th NCAA trip in a row, 13th
trip to Omaha, 13th win for Jason Windsor, etc. This season, those
digits have lived down to their evil reputation. Instead of
emerging with a 13-game winning streak, the Titans came out of
Rosenblatt Stadium Friday night with a 13-inning defeat.
Despite Fullerton's tremendous success in Omaha over the years,
extra innings have not been part of the formula. After Friday night
the Titans are now 0-5 in extra innings compared to 32-17 in
9-inning affairs.
The unfortunate trend began in 1990, the year Rich Gonzales hit
the outfield wall and the wall won. A lightly regarded The Citadel
team eliminated Fullerton with a 12-inning, 8-7 defeat. That's the
game that saw The Citadel's catcher move to the pitching mound to
hurl 3.1 innings of scoreless relief. I forget the specific
details, but as I recall the Titans squandered some good
opportunities to win that one.
Equally frustrating was the next extra-inning loss -- a 3-2
decision to Georgia Tech in 1994. Nomar Garciaparra put the
Yellowjackets ahead with a solo home run off reliever Ted Silva.
Dante Powell got to third base with no outs in the bottom half of
the inning but the Titans couldn't advance him another 90 feet.
Then came the Stanford heartbreakers. In 2001, Chad Cordero
pitched out of a ninth-inning jam only to surrender 3 runs in a 5-2
loss in 10 innings. Two years later Stanford haunted Cordero again.
Jonny Ash hit the first home run of his career to forge a
seventh-inning tie and Danny Putnam took Darric Merrill deep in the
tenth with a 2-run shot for a 7-5 (there's that score again)
Stanford win that sent the Titans home.
Erratic bunting and some careless base running negated some decent
pitching and excellent defense Friday night. It was a tired team
that nibbled at its spaghetti and pizza feed back at the Omaha
Marriott. We'll see what a day off on Saturday does to rejuvenate
the Titans.
* * * * * * * * * *
GPA. Simple anagram, right? Not so simple Thursday night. Titan
baseball was left somewhat embarrassed and chagrinned when
erroneous numbers were announced for the new academic awards added
to the Opening Ceremonies. Put an "E - Academic Services" up on the
scoreboard.
Reserve infielder Joe Scott was introduced to the crowd estimated
at 19,000 and saluted here as the Titans' leading baseball scholar.
Well, Joe does well, but he's only about tenth best on the team.
Bryan Harris should have been the honoree with his overall 3.57
grade point average. Clerical mistake that has been corrected, but
not before 19,000 fans.
And you wonder why people are dismayed at the complexity of NCAA
rules? GPAs and normal progress have been joined by graduation
rates and, more recently, Academic Performance Reports as
"catchwords" for academic integrity among intercollegiate
athletics. The intention is good and most of the rules were written
to prevent a reoccurrence of abuses perpetrated in the past. But
the more rules are written, the more the important ones are lost
among the minutiae.
Not related to academics, but try this interpretation: injured
pitcher Vinnie Pestano can legally serve as a color commentator on
the Titans' internet audio coverage. However, he cannot read
commercial copy since that could be construed as an endorsement.
He's allowed in the press box but parents are not allowed in press
boxes in any sport because it's a special privilege not afforded to
"normal" students or their parents. Titan fans were among those
reminded on the eve of NCAA Playoffs not to offer any kind of
assistance to the families of players, even, or especially, to
those who can't afford the trip to watch their son play on the
biggest stage of his life. Doesn't seem fair or right, does it?
* * * * * * * * * *
Saturday's schedule: Practice at 10 a.m. at Bellevue East High
School followed by BarBQ and golf contest outing with the
sponsoring Rotary Club. Then it's free time for the first time
since the airport busses rolled up to Goodwin Field on Wednesday
morning.
* * * * * * * * *
So much for the understandably hyped pitchers' duel between the
Titans' Wes Roemer and North Carolina's Andrew Miller. After two
innings, Roemer had given up twice as many runs as his earned run
average for a game as well as two home runs in the same contest for
the first time in his Titan career. And Miller allowed a long RBI
double by lefthanded batter Danny Dorn and only the second home run
of his season to Evan McArthur.
Roemer was the first to settle down, retiring nine in a row after
the 2-run homer in the second. Meanwhile, the Titans went out of
character - using a 3-run home run from Jared Clark (and only the
third off the future Detroit Tiger)-- to take the lead. From there
the pitchers' duel finally developed with the bullpens deciding the
contest.
* * * * * * * * *
Thursday, June 15...
Let's play ball!
After a non-stop day of meetings and press conferences and
autograph sessions and opening ceremonies and a little bit of
baseball practice mixed in, it's time for the 2006 College World
Series to begin.
Tickets, always hard to find, are extremely tough this year thanks
in part to the outstanding pitching matchup on Friday night between
Cal State Fullerton's Wes Roemer and North Carolina's Andrew
Miller. Some veteran college baseball writers are calling it the
marquee matchup of the decade. You know Roemer's feats --
co-national player of the year by Collegiate Baseball...
two gutty post-season wins... six walks all season... 13-1 record,
etc. Yet Miller is rated by many the best pitcher in the nation. He
was the sixth player taken in the professional draft (by Detroit)
and at 6-foot-6, the lefthander strikes an imposing presence on the
mound.
But knowing the unpredictability of baseball, don't be shocked if
the expected pitchers' duel doesn't develop. There are many
possibilities but the best one is the weather.. all day Friday the
wind was blowing out to left and left center field. That was after
the morning lightning show and subsequent squall that washed the
first two teams off the Rosenblatt Stadium practice schedule.
How big is the love affair between Omaha and the College World
Series? Thousands of fans showed up Thursday to watch six of the
teams take a 50-minute practice session and then sign autographs
for 45 minutes (all eight squads got to do the signing under the
grandstands for people who really don't know who these players
are!). Out of sight were the mandatory meetings with the FBI agents
(they weren't very difficult to identify in their dark suits and
white shirts on the humid afternoon) who graphically warn the
players and coaches about the realities of the gambling world.
Former Washngton Coach Rick Neuheisel's situation is this year's
example of trouble.
The real shocker of the day, other than the overwhelming sight of
ESPN's 75-man crew assembled in the press dining room, came after 5
p.m. local time when Miami completed the teams' practice sessions.
Even though the Opening Ceremonies would not start until after 8:30
p.m., the stadium never emptied. Hundreds of fans remained with
only the grounds crew to entertain them. Seriously, almost a
thousand people watched them mow the grass for more than an hour.
And then set up about 300 chairs and a giant replica of the NCAA
Trophy and a podium. That was about it for live entertainment. The
video board showed highlights including the greatest defensive
plays of f-the 1990 CWS (Rich Gonzales knocking himself out against
the left-field fence didn't make the cut. Of course, the concession
stands were open and the locals know their way around the Krispy
Kreme booth and the Frostie Malt machine and the popcorn and
traditional hot dogs. And parking is so difficult that it isn't
worth going home and returning. Even Omaha has a rush hour. But to
watch them mow the grass? That's entertainment, midwest style. How
could they ever take this event out of Omaha?
* * * * * * * * * *
Note to tourists. Have patience at CWS time in Omaha. Especially
if you need emergency motor vehicle service. AAA here in mid-June
stands for "almost always available." We found out the hard way.
Seems as if one of our party, who shall remain nameless but you can
hear him on the internet, left the courtesy car keys "somewhere in
somebody's room." After 45 minutes of futile searching this morning
it was time for Plan B and the use of someone else's car. Which set
off a chain of dominoes that affected the entire day.
"Anything locked up in the car you need?" No, just 250 media
guides and 250 post-season note packets plus the parking
passes.
"They must have a set of backup keys?" Yes, but they are in
Indianapolis.
"Where's the paperwork?" In the car, of course.
"Isn't there a press conference today at 2 p.m.?" Yes... but why
would we want to supply the media with accurate facts.. let them
make stuff up.
Bad idea. But so was calling for help. It took two hours for
someone to show up and then about two seconds to pop open the door
and trigger the trunk lid.
Meanwhile, ticket manager Jenn McGhen and her weekend assistant,
Dara Fielden, were due at the stadium for a 1 p.m. meeting and
ticket distribution. Problem? No, not with Omaha hospitality. Leroy
Sweatlund of the sponsoring Rotary Club drove to the rescue and
delivered the ticket ladies to the stadium and then drove Associate
Athletic Director Steve DiTolla to the airport to get a replacement
vehicle. Of course, that almost made Steve late for the 3:30 p.m.
mandatory competition meeting that followed the press
conference.
* * * * * * * * * *
By supper time everyone had caught up to schedule and was able to
enjoy the team Bar B Q dinner under the Big Top in Parking Lot 1
(maybe the space could be better utilized for parking?) Whatever
they feed the livestock around here should be trucked west. Brisket
and ribs and chicken and all the fixins and then tables of dessert
featuring strawberries and a chocolate fountain. Why eat hot dogs?
Somewhere outside the tent was a free concert for the locals by
Yellowcard (how did soccer get in the mix?). Ocean Avenue is their
hit song, so I'm told. Now if it was Oceanfront Property by George
Strait, I would be a little more enthused.
We digress. At last came the Opening Ceremonies with Olympic style
introduction of the eight teams accompanied by video highlights
from the Regionals and Super Regionals displayed on the new
$something million video board in left field. R. J. Vanderhook,
young son of the Titan coach Rick Vanderhook and cousin to catcher
Cory, led the Fullerton contingent in from the left field gate
(well, after photographer Matt Brown's back side) and down the
warning track to their seats on the first-base side. In between the
welcoming speeches and congratulatory wishes were awards to the
player with the best grade point average on each squad. Infielder
Joe Scott took honors for the Titans. The grand finale was a
Fireworks Show that outdoes Disneyland. But the real show is on
13th Street and the I-80 Freeway. People on 13th Street stopped in
traffic lanes to watch the sky light up. And motorists even pulled
off to the freeway shoulder to get a better view.
The main grandstand was full of local fans as well as the arriving
caravans from points east, south and west who proudly display
allegiance to the various teams. The tourists are easy to spot by
the new regional and super regional T-shirts and beads and
headbands and towels and anything else upon which the merchants of
13th Street can stencil, print or embroider the College World
Series logo or that of the eight schools.
Sadly, commercialism has blunted the exposure of this year's Titan
House, the rented rallying spot for Titan fans. The owner also
rented the front lawn to a vendor whose tent came in about double
the expected size and obliterated the blue and orange signs.
In the dugout the only news is that relief pitcher Vinnie Pestano
is here, but not on the 25-man playing roster. The Titans'
All-American closer was planning to be a color commentator on the
internet audio but for some reason jumped at the chance to be one
of the non-uniformed personnel in the dugout.
And always the weather concerns: ABC affiliate's forecast is 90
degrees and 20 percent chance of thunderstorms for the first game
(Clemson vs. Georgia Tech) and 83 degrees and 50 percent chance of
thunderstorms for the Titans and Tarheels. Where's that
umbrella?
* * * * * * * * * *
Wednesday, June 14...
Via the port side of ExtraAirways 737-400 Charter jet, the Titans
traveled from Fullerton to Omaha on Wednesday. It's the 14th trip
to the College World Series for the program but only the second
time via charter plane. In 2004, the Titans stopped in Tucson and
picked up the University of Arizona, which was in the other
bracket. This time, Oregon State had to show patience, as the
Beavers flew down from Oregon to Ontario, concentrated on the
starboard side of the aisle and waited about an hour while the
Titans past through minimal security and loaded a TON of baggage.
The Cincinnati-based plane got everyone and everything to Eppley
Field in Omaha, where it was 91 degrees and humid according to the
bus driver, Mike, who has been the Titans' seemingly private
chaffeur several trips in a row.
The Omaha Marriott, on the west side of town and a favorite of
past Titan teams -- both the 1984 and 1995 championship teams
stayed here -- welcomed a slightly travel weary party of 63
(counting a few fans) with open arms (and cash registers).
The College World Series is BIG business in Omaha, which is a
large corporate center for the Midwest, particularly in the
agricultural fields. (Is that a redundant statement -- agricultural
fields?). Banners and signs cover the metropolitan area of more
than half a million and the citizens bend over backwards to show
their midwestern hospitality. The restaurants and pubs of downtown
Omaha do brisk business these two weeks, but nothing like the
percentage of annual income the souvenir shops, concession stands
and memorabilia stores around Rosenblatt Stadium do. Seemingly
there is a new shipment of T-shirts on 13th Street every five
minutes -- bolder, brighter and more clever than the one you just
plunked down $25 to take home.
It's a whirlwind first day on Thursday for the teams. Here's the
Titans' schedule:
7:40 a.m. - wake up call
8:10 a.m. - team breakfast
9:05 a.m. - report time, ready to go
10:00 a.m. - team photo upon arrival at Rosenblatt Stadium and ESPN interviews
11:00 a.m. - practice on Rosenblatt diamond
Noon - gambling presentation by the FBI (serious business)
12:30 p.m. - autograph session for the local fans
1:15 p.m. - depart for hotel
2:00 p.m. - optional batting practice at remote site
6:15 p.m. - report time, ready to go back to stadium
7:00 p.m. - team BBQ dinner at Rosenblatt Stadium
8:30 p.m. - opening ceremonies, concert and fireworks
10:00 p.m. - get some rest and keep hydrated!
In addition, there's a sports information breakfast meeting, a
ticket managers' meeting, Coach George Horton has a 2 p.m. press
conference, there's a competition meeting for all eight teams'
administration. Oh yeah, and be sure to pick up your credentials at
a downtown hotel!
We'll try to keep you posted!