“With the 5th pick in the 1995 NBA Draft…the Minnesota Timberwolves select Kevin Garnett from Farragut Academy, Chicago, ILL.”…
At this time, no one other than Glen Taylor and Kevin McHale thought that this kid from Mauldin, SC was worth the risk. Although he was named High School player of the year and McDonalds All-American game MVP, with a draft filled with several proven collegiate players (i.e. Jerry Stackhouse, Joe Smith, Antonio McDyess, Rasheed Wallace) it seemed that with the 5th pick that the Wolves would/should have taken a player who had been through the college level. The Wolves took a huge risk in taking a player straight from high school, the first time it had happened since 1975. Who was that player? Darryl “Chocolate Thunder” Dawkins. Exactly 20 years later the Timberwolves take a chance on another 6’11” high school student with freak-ish abilities and with the exact same pick, coincidence?...I think not.
This was the legacy and mysticism that surrounded Garnett’s career from the beginning. Unfortunately, until he wins a title, he will only be remembered for one thing. From 1997 until 2004, the Timberwolves could not make it past the first round of the NBA playoffs. Every year, Garnett was criticized by the legends that he idolized the most. Who can forget when Magic Johnson was on TNT and more or less called out KG by saying that he was being too un-selfish. This killed Kevin to hear his idol say this. That summer, KG worked harder than he ever had. Unlike previous years, the Timberwolves had done some hard work as well. With the signings of veterans Latrell Sprewell and Sam Cassell, the Timberwolves had the most seasoned team since their conception in 1989. It proved a great move as the Wolves went 58-24 and made it to the Western Conference Finals but lost to the Lakers in 5. The 2004-2005 season started with the Wolves being an early favorite for the NBA title after keeping the core of their team. Unfortunately, the team fell apart. Cassell and Sprewell had contract disputes and longtime coach Flip Saunders was fired midseason to be replaced by Kevin McHale.
Since then, the story has been the same. Garnett gets older and the Wolves get younger. He has been in the league now for 13 years and even though he is only 31 years old, his prime years are coming and going quickly. With many trade rumors lately surrounding KG, the Timberwolves and Garnett NEED to part ways.
The Timberwolves and Garnett must face it, he is getting older and they aren’t getting better. With so many years of being beat on, working hard and having to carry the team, we must look at Garnett’s age in dog years. I believe you have to multiply by 6, this would make Garnett…about 186 years old. Now, obviously this is a bit of a stretch but you really have to put in perspective the stress that has been put upon Garnett since he’s been in the league. If the Timberwolves plan on winning in the future they need to get something in return. Teams around the league know that he is getting older and if the Wolves want any value for Garnett, now is the time. Statistically, with the exception of his 2004 MVP season, Garnett’s numbers have slid somewhat. Still one of the most consistent and dominant players in the league, you can’t help but notice that he is getting aged. The ’06-07 season saw Garnett’s shooting percentage dip to its lowest total since the ’01-02 season (.476/.470). The only statistic that has gotten better with time has been his rebounding average (averaging an even 13.0 RPG since 2004). Yes he has intangibles, but the statistics don’t lie. No team is going to trade away their young nucleus for an aging player with maybe 2 or 3 good years left in him. If this franchise feels it has any future in the NBA win column, now is the time to trade.
But the NBA also needs this to happen. Who are some players that come to mind when one thinks of greatness in the NBA. Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. What do these players all have in common? They all were part of championship teams. The NBA lives on the legacies of its greatest players. It would be a blow to the NBA to have a player as great as Garnett to have the career he has had and end it with no titles. Imagine Bird or Magic with no titles. No one would be talking about Magic’s great passing skills or Bird’s automatic shot without the sentence “He was one of the best who played without ever getting a title”. Unless Garnett is traded to a title contending team (i.e. NOT THE CELTICS), that phrase is all that we will here for years to come, “Kevin Garnett, he was one of the best who played without ever getting that title”. It will eat away at Garnett and it will hurt the NBA as well, to have a player of his caliber never hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy.
The Wolves also owe this to Kevin. Trading Garnett to a contender would be the utmost showing of respect that they could do. The amount of trust and respect that Garnett has put into Taylor and McHale is innumerable. I actually calculated what McHale and Taylor could give Garnett in return for the amount of respect he has put in them. Along with a trade (to a title contender) they would have to give him a lifetime supply of Chipotle (with the options of no beans), a chance at the Governorship of MN for 2011, a shot on American Idol and a stipulation that when he is retired he can be the new host of Price is Right. Throughout the 7 years of losing in the first round of the playoffs, Garnett was asked if he’d want to be traded. It was the same response every year, “I don’t just jump ship, and I’ve committed myself and here for the long haul.” Year in and year out, Garnett put faith into McHale and Taylor and they let him down. Out of the 12 years that he’s been with the Wolves, only one year have they respected him enough to put together a team that could get him the championship. They’ve abused Garnett’s loyalty. If the McHale and Taylor have any shred of dignity and respect for Garnett, 2006-2007 will have been Garnett’s last of a great career in Minnesota.
Many will argue, mostly in Minnesota, that Garnett should not be traded. I, just as much as the next person, want to see Garnett ride into the Minnesota sunset with the Larry O’Brien trophy in hand. Unfortunately, the sun may have already set for Garnett in Minnesota.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Saturday, June 23, 2007
NBA Lottery Mock
Well it’s that time of year again. Surrounded by the first day of summer, baseball games, sun burns, the annual burning of California and oh yeah…the NBA draft!!!
In Minnesota, we have come to know June 28th as “great…now the whole world thinks we’re idiots” day. For most teams, it is a day of hope and a new beginning. Some how, McHale usually puts that feeling in you like he kicked you in the gut and then stole your wallet to take your sister out on a date to never call her back again. Kevin McHale has made screwing up drafts a science. Let’s take a quick look at some first and second round draft blunders by McHale.
1996: Trades for Stephon Marbury…could have had Steve Nash, Jermaine O’Neal or could have kept Ray Allen
1999: Draft Louis Bullock in the second round at 42…Manu “can’t stay on my feet for more than thirty seconds” Ginobili goes 57th to the Spurs. Guess who made his respective team?
2003: First year since 1999 the Wolves have a first round pick. This is an exact conversation between McHale and Taylor… (Well…maybe not exact…but close I’m sure)
McHale: 26th pick?....I heard about this kid from London who only played High School Ball
Taylor: Kevin…we don’t need another High School-er…why not go for a seasoned collegiate player?
McHale: well sure…but he’s got great up-side…plus his vertical is 42 inches!!!
Taylor: Can he shoot, rebound, dribble…or even tie his shoes?
McHale: ……his vertical is 42 inches!
• Missed : Josh Howard (ACC player of the year, great fit on the Mavs now), Leo Barbosa, Kyle Korver
Here are my predictions for the 2007 draft (Due to the fact that the Wolves and Hawks are still in the NBA…my draft may not be completely accurate)
1. Portland : Greg Oden/C
• Has the potential to be one of the best big men in the history of the game. Blazers want another Bill Walton and Oden has the potential to be a force in the growing West.
2. Seattle : Kevin Durant/SF
• Resembles another Kevin Garnett. Versatile for his size and can play inside or outside. Not a big banger but will the strength coaches in the NBA, he will grow. Could save the Sonics franchise from moving and could turn things around.
3. Atlanta : Mike Conley/G
• Best guard in the draft. Showed that he could carry the load without Oden on the floor. He has to work on his shooting somewhat, but should make a great guard in the league. Hawks need a guard…but may be tempted to take Al Horford with this pick. It’s Atlanta…they might draft Courtney Paris (a href="http://sooner.nmn.speedera.net/pics5/0/VO/VOOCWJZCNRBQJYQ.20060315203800.jpg) if they have the chance.
4. Memphis : Al Horford/F-C
• Behind Durant and Oden, Horford is the most complete player in this year’s draft. The only reason that this doesn’t work is if Atlanta takes him with the third pick. In that case, taking Mike Conley should be a no brainer for the sad sad Grizzlies.
5. Boston : Corey Brewer/G-F
• Improved his lottery chances with great NCAA tournament play. A solid 2 or 3 that can shoot and slash to the inside. Good personality and a good head on his shoulders. This has the potential to change if Boston trades this pick to another team for a veteran. I see it happening, but for the sake of space and time, let’s just assume that no trade occurs.
6. Milwaukee : Brandan Wright/F
• Great up-side to Wright. Played at a big time school at a big time level this year. Size for his position is a concern but with the same thing going for Durant, he can bulk up. Only draw back is that Milwaukee needs size right away, and Wright is not it. This pick can go about 80 different ways.
7. Minnesota : Yi Janlian/C / Joakim Noah/F-C
• I see this pick going either way as well. It really depends on what Boston does. If Boston trades for KG like many are saying is going to happen, look for Yi to drop a little bit. If Boston keeps the pick, I see Brewer first but Yi is a close second. Minnesota brought in Noah for a workout and Noah has plenty of upside. Great energy and could help KG on the boards. Unfortunately, KG doesn’t need help on the boards. He needs help in the Win column and I don’t see Noah being that help.
8. Charlotte: Joakim Noah/F-C
• Would give good help down low to Okafor. For a franchise that has struggled greatly, Noah could help get fans in the seats.
9. Chicago : Spencer Hawes/C
• Energetic big man with a lot of energy. Fits in well with the Bulls right now; young, energetic and fills their big man needs. Wallace rebounds, but is only 6’9”. Hawes can rebound and be a force in the small east.
10. Sacramento : Tiago Splitter/C
• Kings need size and the big Brazilian bruiser could help immediately. The only way this pick doesn’t happen is if Artest steals the draft card and changes it to his name along with all of the artists on his music label.
11. Atlanta : Al Thornton/F
• With the Hawks getting their PG need at # 3, they look here for quickness and size. Thornton, at only 6’8” plays bigger and is a great inside/outside player. Will compliment Joe Johnson, Conley and Shelden Williams. Look for the Hawks to win at least 31 games this year (which only puts them 3 games out of an 8 spot in the playoffs)
12. Philadelphia : Julian Wright/ F-C
• Had a solid year at KU. One of the best and most versatile players in the Big 12, playing at a historical school. Only downside is that he played the role of Houdini too many times at KU. Needs to show up consistently in the NBA.
13. New Orleans : Jeff Green/ F
• Great year next to Julius “Dr.” Hibbert at Georgetown. A very nice compliment to a team on the rise in the West. Philly could take Green at 12, but NBA sources say that Philly likes Wright’s upside a little bit more than Green’s.
14. Clippers : Thaddeus Young/ F / Nick Young/ G / Acie Law IV/ G
• This can go with either of these three because the Clippers need everything but the kitchen sink right now. Reasons to draft all three…
Thaddeus Young : Great young talent. Almost too good to pass up at this spot. I expect the Clippers to take him at this spot.
Nick Young : One of the most athletic players in the draft and a great guard…this youtube clip ought to show you why... Nick Young on YouTube
Acie Law IV: Best player in the Big 12 this year not named Kevin Durant. After seeing him single-handedly beat KU this year (a great moment that did not go without its fair share of pinches from a certain someone) I was sold.
In Minnesota, we have come to know June 28th as “great…now the whole world thinks we’re idiots” day. For most teams, it is a day of hope and a new beginning. Some how, McHale usually puts that feeling in you like he kicked you in the gut and then stole your wallet to take your sister out on a date to never call her back again. Kevin McHale has made screwing up drafts a science. Let’s take a quick look at some first and second round draft blunders by McHale.
1996: Trades for Stephon Marbury…could have had Steve Nash, Jermaine O’Neal or could have kept Ray Allen
1999: Draft Louis Bullock in the second round at 42…Manu “can’t stay on my feet for more than thirty seconds” Ginobili goes 57th to the Spurs. Guess who made his respective team?
2003: First year since 1999 the Wolves have a first round pick. This is an exact conversation between McHale and Taylor… (Well…maybe not exact…but close I’m sure)
McHale: 26th pick?....I heard about this kid from London who only played High School Ball
Taylor: Kevin…we don’t need another High School-er…why not go for a seasoned collegiate player?
McHale: well sure…but he’s got great up-side…plus his vertical is 42 inches!!!
Taylor: Can he shoot, rebound, dribble…or even tie his shoes?
McHale: ……his vertical is 42 inches!
• Missed : Josh Howard (ACC player of the year, great fit on the Mavs now), Leo Barbosa, Kyle Korver
Here are my predictions for the 2007 draft (Due to the fact that the Wolves and Hawks are still in the NBA…my draft may not be completely accurate)
1. Portland : Greg Oden/C
• Has the potential to be one of the best big men in the history of the game. Blazers want another Bill Walton and Oden has the potential to be a force in the growing West.
2. Seattle : Kevin Durant/SF
• Resembles another Kevin Garnett. Versatile for his size and can play inside or outside. Not a big banger but will the strength coaches in the NBA, he will grow. Could save the Sonics franchise from moving and could turn things around.
3. Atlanta : Mike Conley/G
• Best guard in the draft. Showed that he could carry the load without Oden on the floor. He has to work on his shooting somewhat, but should make a great guard in the league. Hawks need a guard…but may be tempted to take Al Horford with this pick. It’s Atlanta…they might draft Courtney Paris (a href="http://sooner.nmn.speedera.net/pics5/0/VO/VOOCWJZCNRBQJYQ.20060315203800.jpg) if they have the chance.
4. Memphis : Al Horford/F-C
• Behind Durant and Oden, Horford is the most complete player in this year’s draft. The only reason that this doesn’t work is if Atlanta takes him with the third pick. In that case, taking Mike Conley should be a no brainer for the sad sad Grizzlies.
5. Boston : Corey Brewer/G-F
• Improved his lottery chances with great NCAA tournament play. A solid 2 or 3 that can shoot and slash to the inside. Good personality and a good head on his shoulders. This has the potential to change if Boston trades this pick to another team for a veteran. I see it happening, but for the sake of space and time, let’s just assume that no trade occurs.
6. Milwaukee : Brandan Wright/F
• Great up-side to Wright. Played at a big time school at a big time level this year. Size for his position is a concern but with the same thing going for Durant, he can bulk up. Only draw back is that Milwaukee needs size right away, and Wright is not it. This pick can go about 80 different ways.
7. Minnesota : Yi Janlian/C / Joakim Noah/F-C
• I see this pick going either way as well. It really depends on what Boston does. If Boston trades for KG like many are saying is going to happen, look for Yi to drop a little bit. If Boston keeps the pick, I see Brewer first but Yi is a close second. Minnesota brought in Noah for a workout and Noah has plenty of upside. Great energy and could help KG on the boards. Unfortunately, KG doesn’t need help on the boards. He needs help in the Win column and I don’t see Noah being that help.
8. Charlotte: Joakim Noah/F-C
• Would give good help down low to Okafor. For a franchise that has struggled greatly, Noah could help get fans in the seats.
9. Chicago : Spencer Hawes/C
• Energetic big man with a lot of energy. Fits in well with the Bulls right now; young, energetic and fills their big man needs. Wallace rebounds, but is only 6’9”. Hawes can rebound and be a force in the small east.
10. Sacramento : Tiago Splitter/C
• Kings need size and the big Brazilian bruiser could help immediately. The only way this pick doesn’t happen is if Artest steals the draft card and changes it to his name along with all of the artists on his music label.
11. Atlanta : Al Thornton/F
• With the Hawks getting their PG need at # 3, they look here for quickness and size. Thornton, at only 6’8” plays bigger and is a great inside/outside player. Will compliment Joe Johnson, Conley and Shelden Williams. Look for the Hawks to win at least 31 games this year (which only puts them 3 games out of an 8 spot in the playoffs)
12. Philadelphia : Julian Wright/ F-C
• Had a solid year at KU. One of the best and most versatile players in the Big 12, playing at a historical school. Only downside is that he played the role of Houdini too many times at KU. Needs to show up consistently in the NBA.
13. New Orleans : Jeff Green/ F
• Great year next to Julius “Dr.” Hibbert at Georgetown. A very nice compliment to a team on the rise in the West. Philly could take Green at 12, but NBA sources say that Philly likes Wright’s upside a little bit more than Green’s.
14. Clippers : Thaddeus Young/ F / Nick Young/ G / Acie Law IV/ G
• This can go with either of these three because the Clippers need everything but the kitchen sink right now. Reasons to draft all three…
Thaddeus Young : Great young talent. Almost too good to pass up at this spot. I expect the Clippers to take him at this spot.
Nick Young : One of the most athletic players in the draft and a great guard…this youtube clip ought to show you why... Nick Young on YouTube
Acie Law IV: Best player in the Big 12 this year not named Kevin Durant. After seeing him single-handedly beat KU this year (a great moment that did not go without its fair share of pinches from a certain someone) I was sold.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Three Reasons You Should Watch the College World Series
5 hours and 40 minutes….
Nope, that isn’t the amount of time I had to wait for a delayed plane to fly out to LAX. It also isn’t the amount of time it took for this years Academy Awards to finish.
5 hours and 40 minutes is the amount of time it may have taken for people around the nation to realize that the College World Series is one of the most exciting events on the yearly sporting calendar. Every year people flock to the 5th wonder of the world, Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Neb. for some of the best baseball in the world. This is the time for schools that aren’t very big in other sports to get on the athletic map. During the CWS, we can see Long Beach State, Cal State Fullerton, UC-Irvine and even the Rice Owls. We also see the schools that are just good at everything else as well; Florida State, UNC, Texas and the list goes on. This argument is made every year with college football and college basketball, with people arguing why college athletics are better than professional athletics.
I am here to make a statement, the College World Series NEEDS to be a bigger event nationally. I’m talking filling out brackets, watching in bars and maybe even throwing in Gus Johnson to announce the games.
I won’t make any exceptions. The CWS may in fact be one of the most underrated athletic events in the nation, maybe even the world (right next to Olympic curling…that is for a later article).
Here are my top reasons why EVERYONE should be watching the CWS…
1. Excitement
You can’t tell me that, if you watched SportsCenter or even saw the Cal-State Fullerton/UC Irvine game, you didn’t get goose bumps or think to yourself, “Wow, what an ending!” Just like a lot of the other collegiate athletics (namely March Madness and the ever popular BCS games) the College World Series is full of exciting moments. Other collegiate sports are often compared to their professional counterparts, i.e. the Major Leagues. In comparing College baseball to MLB baseball, both have their fair share of excitement. Let’s even compare the playoffs of both leagues. Last year, the World Series pulled its worst ratings since…well…the year before. A big reason for this drop off? The 1994 players strike. Since 1995, the World Series ratings have gone up and down…mostly down. The CWS has always been storied among college athletics pundits, but it is somewhat becoming more popular on a national level. There is a certain excitement of watching Rice play Texas that is missed watching the Yankees play the Devil Rays. The major leagues have their ever storied rivalries (Red Sox/Yanks….Twins/White Sox…Cubs/White Sox…A.J. Pierzynski/whatever teams he used to be on) but every game of the College World Series is a rivalry. Not due to geographical reasons or historical reasons, but the fact that every single kid on those teams doesn’t want to go back home empty handed. There are no shoe deals or contracts that guarantee reward even if they lose. All there is for reward is the national title or nothing at all.
2. History
The first College World Series was held at Hyames Field at Western Michigan in 1947. Yale took on Cal in a best of three series in Kalamazoo, MI. I know that the first question that comes to mind is, “Who was Yale’s first baseman?” Well, maybe not the first question. The young first baseman for the Yale Bulldogs was none other than our 40th President, George H.W. Bush. In an interview with ESPN.com, President Bush noted that
“We thought about it a lot and talked about it in the locker room. A lot of us on the team were veterans and we had come back from the war, so maybe that made it a little less apprehensive. On the other hand, it didn’t deduct from our enthusiasm and our desire to win…”
The CWS only lasted there for 1 more year (Wichita, KS for the ’48-49 season) after the Yale/Cal series. It was then moved to Omaha to Johnny Rosenblatt stadium. Other than Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park, there may not be another current baseball stadium that is as historical as Rosenblatt stadium. The MLB World Series is held at different parks pretty much every year, which gives it some variety. Yet the CWS has been held in the same place every year since 1950. This makes Omaha somewhat of a Mecca for baseball fans across the nation. It’s like going to the same sports bar with your buddies for every celebration or to Grandma’s house every Christmas. There is history oozing out of the stadium and every game that is played there. There are new baseball stadiums built every couple of years now and the history rarely travels with the new stadium. The one thing constant about the CWS is that every year, even with different teams, they all return to the Mecca of college baseball.
3. Emotions/Chill factor
There are many great story lines that surround this year’s CWS. My two favorites deal with UC-Irvine. The first is the fact that their season was nothing near dominating at all. They handled playing Cal-Fullerton mid-season by taking two out of three from them at Fullerton’s stadium but lost two out of three to Cal Poly the following weekend. Seeing this and putting them in the CWS against Texas and Wichita State would normally spell doom. The fact of the matter is that they swept Texas and Wichita State away from California and pushed their way into the CWS. They come off as one of those “teams of destiny” that we always hear about during any playoffs and any level. Their only loss in the CWS was to Arizona State and coincidently enough, as I write this the day after their exciting win against Fullerton, the Anteaters of Cal-Irvine just beat Arizona State and Ollie “Ollie-Oxen Free” Linton had the game winning single in the 10th to vault UC Irvine into an elimination game with Oregon State tomorrow night. The other story of the CWS was between the coaches of UC-Irvine and Cal-Fullerton. Irvine’s coach Dave Serrano used to pitch for Fullerton’s coach, George Horton at Cerritos College.
"The bad news is I had to say goodbye to my mentor, coach, friend, my second father, a guy I love a lot," Serrano said. "That's the toughest part about it, seeing his team eliminated. I wish our win hadn't been at their expense, but we went into this knowing one of us would be happy and one of us would be sad." – UC Irvine coach Dave Serrano (San Jose Mercury News)
There are always those “student becomes the teacher” storylines (often times in football and basketball) but in the CWS it is much more meaningful. So many games are played in a baseball season and emotional moments are extra emotional in the CWS. Serrano, after the game, told Horton that he loved him. HOW MANY SPORTS ARE YOU GOING TO HEAR THIS!? With all of the news about John Amaechi coming out of the closet and Tim Hardaway’s comments, such things may be a touchy subject. This game is so emotional that people don’t even think twice when they hear things like this. Watching the last inning of the UC Irvine/Fullerton game was an 8 on the chill factor scale. Each play was more intense than the next. The instant classic was started with Josh Fellhauer throwing out Taylor Holliday at home, preserving the game for one more batter. Then the .318 average Bryan Peterson came to bat, with the game on his shoulders. His single up the middle gave UC Irvine the win and put a cap on one of the most classic games of the 60 year CWS history.
5 Hours and 40 minutes….how much more do you need?
Nope, that isn’t the amount of time I had to wait for a delayed plane to fly out to LAX. It also isn’t the amount of time it took for this years Academy Awards to finish.
5 hours and 40 minutes is the amount of time it may have taken for people around the nation to realize that the College World Series is one of the most exciting events on the yearly sporting calendar. Every year people flock to the 5th wonder of the world, Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Neb. for some of the best baseball in the world. This is the time for schools that aren’t very big in other sports to get on the athletic map. During the CWS, we can see Long Beach State, Cal State Fullerton, UC-Irvine and even the Rice Owls. We also see the schools that are just good at everything else as well; Florida State, UNC, Texas and the list goes on. This argument is made every year with college football and college basketball, with people arguing why college athletics are better than professional athletics.
I am here to make a statement, the College World Series NEEDS to be a bigger event nationally. I’m talking filling out brackets, watching in bars and maybe even throwing in Gus Johnson to announce the games.
I won’t make any exceptions. The CWS may in fact be one of the most underrated athletic events in the nation, maybe even the world (right next to Olympic curling…that is for a later article).
Here are my top reasons why EVERYONE should be watching the CWS…
1. Excitement
You can’t tell me that, if you watched SportsCenter or even saw the Cal-State Fullerton/UC Irvine game, you didn’t get goose bumps or think to yourself, “Wow, what an ending!” Just like a lot of the other collegiate athletics (namely March Madness and the ever popular BCS games) the College World Series is full of exciting moments. Other collegiate sports are often compared to their professional counterparts, i.e. the Major Leagues. In comparing College baseball to MLB baseball, both have their fair share of excitement. Let’s even compare the playoffs of both leagues. Last year, the World Series pulled its worst ratings since…well…the year before. A big reason for this drop off? The 1994 players strike. Since 1995, the World Series ratings have gone up and down…mostly down. The CWS has always been storied among college athletics pundits, but it is somewhat becoming more popular on a national level. There is a certain excitement of watching Rice play Texas that is missed watching the Yankees play the Devil Rays. The major leagues have their ever storied rivalries (Red Sox/Yanks….Twins/White Sox…Cubs/White Sox…A.J. Pierzynski/whatever teams he used to be on) but every game of the College World Series is a rivalry. Not due to geographical reasons or historical reasons, but the fact that every single kid on those teams doesn’t want to go back home empty handed. There are no shoe deals or contracts that guarantee reward even if they lose. All there is for reward is the national title or nothing at all.
2. History
The first College World Series was held at Hyames Field at Western Michigan in 1947. Yale took on Cal in a best of three series in Kalamazoo, MI. I know that the first question that comes to mind is, “Who was Yale’s first baseman?” Well, maybe not the first question. The young first baseman for the Yale Bulldogs was none other than our 40th President, George H.W. Bush. In an interview with ESPN.com, President Bush noted that
“We thought about it a lot and talked about it in the locker room. A lot of us on the team were veterans and we had come back from the war, so maybe that made it a little less apprehensive. On the other hand, it didn’t deduct from our enthusiasm and our desire to win…”
The CWS only lasted there for 1 more year (Wichita, KS for the ’48-49 season) after the Yale/Cal series. It was then moved to Omaha to Johnny Rosenblatt stadium. Other than Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park, there may not be another current baseball stadium that is as historical as Rosenblatt stadium. The MLB World Series is held at different parks pretty much every year, which gives it some variety. Yet the CWS has been held in the same place every year since 1950. This makes Omaha somewhat of a Mecca for baseball fans across the nation. It’s like going to the same sports bar with your buddies for every celebration or to Grandma’s house every Christmas. There is history oozing out of the stadium and every game that is played there. There are new baseball stadiums built every couple of years now and the history rarely travels with the new stadium. The one thing constant about the CWS is that every year, even with different teams, they all return to the Mecca of college baseball.
3. Emotions/Chill factor
There are many great story lines that surround this year’s CWS. My two favorites deal with UC-Irvine. The first is the fact that their season was nothing near dominating at all. They handled playing Cal-Fullerton mid-season by taking two out of three from them at Fullerton’s stadium but lost two out of three to Cal Poly the following weekend. Seeing this and putting them in the CWS against Texas and Wichita State would normally spell doom. The fact of the matter is that they swept Texas and Wichita State away from California and pushed their way into the CWS. They come off as one of those “teams of destiny” that we always hear about during any playoffs and any level. Their only loss in the CWS was to Arizona State and coincidently enough, as I write this the day after their exciting win against Fullerton, the Anteaters of Cal-Irvine just beat Arizona State and Ollie “Ollie-Oxen Free” Linton had the game winning single in the 10th to vault UC Irvine into an elimination game with Oregon State tomorrow night. The other story of the CWS was between the coaches of UC-Irvine and Cal-Fullerton. Irvine’s coach Dave Serrano used to pitch for Fullerton’s coach, George Horton at Cerritos College.
"The bad news is I had to say goodbye to my mentor, coach, friend, my second father, a guy I love a lot," Serrano said. "That's the toughest part about it, seeing his team eliminated. I wish our win hadn't been at their expense, but we went into this knowing one of us would be happy and one of us would be sad." – UC Irvine coach Dave Serrano (San Jose Mercury News)
There are always those “student becomes the teacher” storylines (often times in football and basketball) but in the CWS it is much more meaningful. So many games are played in a baseball season and emotional moments are extra emotional in the CWS. Serrano, after the game, told Horton that he loved him. HOW MANY SPORTS ARE YOU GOING TO HEAR THIS!? With all of the news about John Amaechi coming out of the closet and Tim Hardaway’s comments, such things may be a touchy subject. This game is so emotional that people don’t even think twice when they hear things like this. Watching the last inning of the UC Irvine/Fullerton game was an 8 on the chill factor scale. Each play was more intense than the next. The instant classic was started with Josh Fellhauer throwing out Taylor Holliday at home, preserving the game for one more batter. Then the .318 average Bryan Peterson came to bat, with the game on his shoulders. His single up the middle gave UC Irvine the win and put a cap on one of the most classic games of the 60 year CWS history.
5 Hours and 40 minutes….how much more do you need?
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