CWS - Who takes home the hardware

Wow.....what can I say, but that's Woody. He always takes the time to smell the flowers. He's such a special young man and one that I am very, very proud of.

Hey Prep...can you give us updates from time to time...and most important, can you give us a "flavor" of the games?

 

Interesting question. They know GT well, but have never played Clemson. I think, with UNC's pitching, it would be better to play a team that have not faced their staff.

 

UNC has never played Clemson? Great game going on. Clemson is happy with this going into extra innings and burning the bullpens

 

Two great opening games....Clemson coming from behind and Carolina holding strong through a loooong game.

You have got to like Carolina....they were up against some very tough situations late last night....they didn't panic and pulled off the win. You gotta love it!!

 

that wont bother carolina..
1 1/2 days rest is ok for the bull pen..

that was 2 awesome games to watch...:229031_ha

 

A few CWS spectator impressions:

First of all, congratulations to the Clemson Tigers, who pulled off the biggest comeback in CWS history...against a Georgia Tech bullpen that had been especially good in the last month or so.

Almost everything I'd heard about the CWS has been true. It's a spectacle; from the opening night ceremony on Thursday night (teams parading into the stadium Olympic-style with highlights streaming on the Diamondvision screen and one of the best fireworks displays I've ever seen) to Rosenblatt's nearly-packed stands (seats 25,000) during the games. As you might expect, the stadium is surrounded by vendors of all types, and there's a real carnival-like atmosphere all around.

It's a magnet for college baseball fans from all parts of the country, and you're just about as likely to see a fan wearing the colors of a Texas or an LSU as you are one of this year's eight participants.

Meanwhile, the teams are treated as well as you can imagine. Each team's hotel literally rolls out the red carpet; and, as you might imagine, they attract each particular team's fans, souvenir hounds, and onlookers. After last night's game, UNC's players and their famlilies (as well as numerous representatives from the groups just mentioned) congregated in the team hotel's spacious public area; sitting around talking about the game until around 1:00 AM (The game had ended at 11 PM CDT.).

Almost everything is terrific. What's not so terrific...and this is a warning to everyone contemplating a visit here in the future...are some of the logistical aspects. Hotel rooms are at a premium. Not only is the CWS going on; but, there is a large, AAU-type baseball tournament taking place; one that's attracted teams from all over the country. The result is a strain on Omaha's hotels of gargantuan proportions.

The other major issue for us is that the parking around Rosenblatt Stadium is entirely inadequate. Only CWS season ticket holders are allowed to park in the stadium's adjoining lot; so, everyone else is left to fend for themselves in the densely congested residential area that surrounds it. Despite having arrived quite early for the opening ceremony, the space I found was at least 2 miles away. Yesterday, we countered by taking the bus shuttle from our hotel area.

Last night's experience at the UNC-Cal State Fullerton game was amazing...and, after our dramatic finish in Tuscaloosa last weekend, this fan would welcome a slightly less exciting conclusion to a future game (assuming the outcome's the same, of course!). Our fan base has travelled pretty well, which is really nice to see. Roy Williams, who is a huge baseball fan and comes to quite a few regular season games following basketball season, was among us; although I really felt sorry for the amount of time he had to spend responding to fans as he tried to watch the game.

Because UNC doesn't play again until tomorrow, the team is holding an hour-long practice this morning. Then, later this afternoon, the team and UNC fans are participating in a steak cookout "Omaha-style" and a riverboat cruise on the Missouri River, which separates Omaha from Council Bluffs, Iowa. Some of the diehards among us are carping mildly about the loss of the opportunity to watch today's first game; but, I imagine we'll survive without it.

 

I saw Mr. Bard on T.V. :bananalam

 

and Mrs. Bard...who is so much prettier

 

Thanks Prepster...keep the info coming. Great first post from Omaha!!!!!

 

Robert Woodard

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Big Time Player in a Big Time Game....this young man always produces when the pressure is on.

He is simply amazin'