Saying bye to Rosenblatt Stadium

After 60 years, Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium will no longer be the home of the NCAA College Baseball World Series. The tournament will remain in Omaha, but will have a new stadium, which is located in the city's downtown area, to call home. When either Clemson, UCLA, TCU, Oklahoma or South Carolina is crowned the 2010 champions, it will mark the end of the long-time home of college baseball's top event, and one of the most underrated experiences in all of sports.

Actually, one of the first gifts my wife, Kris, gave me after we were engaged was tickets to the CWS. She knew my love of baseball and my in-laws live in nearby Papillion, Neb. It made for a perfect opportunity to avoid watching it on ESPN again.

Let's just say we were hooked that first CWS experience. We've been back regularly when we weren't caring for a newborn or infant or when illness prevented us from making the four-hour trip.

We've been privy to plenty of excellent feats and contests, but last night's elimination game between TCU and Florida State was right up there among the best. Even though it was odd that they honored a Big Ten team last night, given it's been more than a quarter-century since the conference had a rep at the CWS (Michigan 1984, I believe). It was the 50th anniversary of the University of Minnesota beating USC for the 1960 title.

We should have known we were in for an amazing game. When we finally got into the stadium after maneuvering our way through the thousands of people who shuffle along behind the stadium in the mass of humanity that is the general admission line, FSU hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning.

TCU, which came in as the tournament's overall No. 2 seed in the school's first trip to the CWS, looked like they would have to settle for some parting gifts, maybe some passes to the Henry Doorly Zoo and the ability to say they played in Rosenblatt for its last CWS.

The Horned Frogs trailed, 7-2, entering the seventh inning. The two middle-aged gentlemen who were FSU fans - one from Pensacola, Fla., and  the other from Alabama - sitting to our right were happy with the way the game had played out. The family from Omaha, who were to our left, were more caught up in the sing-alongs of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" and "Sweet Caroline" in the later innings. The dad was focused on the newspaper he was reading instead of the action.

That's part of the novelty of the CWS. You get a wide array of people in attendance. People from all over the country. Youngsters, senior citizens, 20-somethings, pre-middle-aged couples (like us), aspiring baseball players, co-eds, hard-core baseball fans, people looking to pass the time or just looking for the chance to say they were there.

But, even the young gentlemen who looked like they came straight from the skate park, had a story to tell about their experience last night.

TCU stormed back from the late deficit with a run in the seventh. It was in the eighth, however, that the Horned Frogs rocked Rosenblatt and made our FSU-fan chums to our right react like someone had just ran over their dog. TCU hung eight runs on the Seminoles, leaving them in an 11-7 deficit with two at-bats left.

The big blast, I mean BIG BLAST, came from Matt Curry, who sent a shot over the center field fence that landed near the picnic tables beyond the wall. I know people who hate aluminum bats and feel they ruin the game will shrug at it. I don't care what you use, but to launch a pitch like that is incredible. It gave TCU its first lead at 9-7, and that was extended when Jantzen Witte added a two-run shot to left field to make it a four-run lead.

FSU tried to answer, loading the bases in the bottom of the inning with its No. 2 and No. 3 batters up, but a strikeout and a weak flair to the second baseman ended the threat. FSU went down quietly in the ninth.

It was one of many memorable moments from the CWS at Rosenblatt.

Our first game was USC vs. Georgia in 2001. We watched USC's Mark Prior dominate the Bulldogs, except for a home run off the bat of Jeff Keppinger, who I believe is with the Houston Astros now, that just cleared the left field wall. That game we were introduced to the hot sun of Omaha, which burnt Kris and I  to a crisp after we got there insanely early to get good seats. That night witnessed a marathon game between Tennessee and eventual champs Miami (Fla.) that ended in a 21-13 Miami win. The teams are among the CWS leaders with 49 (Miami) and 48 (Tenneessee) runs scored in four games.

That year, despite losing two games to Stanford, including a 10-inning game by three runs, is when we adopted CS-Fullerton as our favorite team at the CWS. Mainly, thanks to right fielder Robert Guzman. Because of the close quarters, it allowed the players to be sociable with the fans, who always yelled encouragement for the players to acknowledge them with a tip of the cap. Guzman had a good repoire with the RF bleacher fans. So, we've worn Titan colors ever since. We didn't care to see them lose two tough ones to North Carolina in the 2006, one of which was an extra-inning affair.

That same year we were rushed to the inner area of Rosenblatt when severe weather brought a delay to the Oregon State vs. Miami (Fla.) first-round game. It was a nasty system that moved through and only a select few waited out the bad weather to continue watching the Hurricanes pummel Oregon State, 11-1. The big deal? Oregon State worked its way through the losers bracket to win the 2006 championship, taking two-of-three from UNC in the championship. Actually, they'd win two in a row, capturing the crown in 2007 and winning 11 of the Beavers'  next 12 CWS games after that nasty rain-delay loss. It was the 2006 trip that we found out we were expecting our second child. Sure that we were going to have a boy, I was poised to name it after OSU's Shea McFeely. Shea eventually gave way to Katelyn for obvious reasons.

More than the games themselves, it's the festivities around the CWS that makes for such a great time. Countless tents are set up, selling CWS merchandise from T-shirts to hats to beads, bats and baseballs. Mobs of people walk up and down the streets. I've seen countless LSU fans, even though the team has only made it once during the times I've been there. The parking lot has a fan zone with countless games and activities for all ages. Don't forget about Zestos, stationed across the street from the stadium, which is a fan favorite and CWS staple with its ice cream treats.

A few traditions are always fun to watch, like when the right field and left field bleacher fans challenge each other, by chanting that the other, well, let's say, "stinks". There's also the countless beachballs batted around the bleachers between innings and are popped by CWS personnel if they reach the field, and the cheer or boo of the person chasing foul balls, depending on whether they catch or drop it as it rolls down the net protecting the box seats behind home plate.

TCU advances to play UCLA. We'll be going back this evening for the South Carolina vs. Oklahoma game after a day at the Zoo right across the street from the stadium. I hope the Sooners and Gamecocks are ready to put on a show. They have their work cut out for them, following TCU/FSU and the aquarium, desert dome and rain forest at Henry Doorly.