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I’ve had a great time watching the College World Series over the past week. As I write, Texas and LSU, two of the most tradition rich college baseball programs, are tied up in the top of the 10th, with LSU threatening. This is Game 1 of the Best-of-3 championship series and it has been everything you could want out of a championship game. Yet the top sports stories of the day involve a no-name wining the U.S. Open and the Yankees being sore losers.
I’ve always wondered why the College World Series plays such a minor role in the sports world. To me, it’s a better sporting event-more exciting sporting event (if you don’t believe that, look at what Texas has done this post-season)–than the Final Four, yet the national media flocks to the Final Four and you’re lucky to find a box score from the College World Series in your daily newspaper.
Why is that?
ESPN, the evil sport Svengali, controls the world of sports media or at least they think they do. They believe that the interests of the I-95 corridor represent the interests of the entire nation. College baseball is not very big in the I-95 corridor, so ESPN doesn’t think it will play well nationally. College baseball is big in the South, out West and in Middle America, places like Omaha, Nebraska–places that ESPN just does not understand.
What have you missed if you haven’t caught any of this year’s College World Series?
You’ve missed a college sport that, relatively speaking, is scandal free. When was the last time you saw a college baseball program involved in a dirty scandal like the Memphis basketball program or Florida State’s football program?
You’ve missed a bran of baseball where fundamentals are stressed. Yes, even clean-up hitters can, and do, bunt at this level.
You’ve missed a championship sporting event where the game remains the center of attention. While corporate sponsors control every aspect of the BCS and the Final Four, the College World Series has few commercial gimmicks and focuses on the game instead.
There’s still time to enjoy the excitement. Game 1 is now tied in the Top 11th and it looks like this one could last a while. Tomorrow night we have Game 2 and Game 3, if necessary, will be Wednesday night. If you’re like me and complain about the lack of summer sports excitement, this is your last chance before training camp starts later next month.
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Now playing: Counting Crows – Omaha
via FoxyTunes
2 comments
formerlyanonymous
June 23, 2009 at 4:43 am (UTC -6)
Tis sad the state of the CWS broadcasts. It doesn’t help how bad the ESPN product is. The announcers are more into how these guys shape up as big league prospects than they do the actual game in many cases. That or several innings will be full of side tracking stories about taco bell or ice cream (both of which happened last week). They need REAL college baseball announcers (like Kyle Peterson who they have relegated to the sideline). But yes, the CWS is awesome. I guess I do have a bias though, I do write for a Michigan blog focusing on their baseball team.
Loved the post.
geoausch
June 23, 2009 at 4:59 am (UTC -6)
Thanks for the kind words.
Personally, I like the broadcasts better when they were on CBS.