Okay stitch-heads. here’s the deal. I had a couple more of “Best Of the 2000s” lists I still wanted to run, but it’s now Thanksgiving weekend and I had planned to start working on my 2010 college baseball preview at this time. So I’m going to go ahead and drop down a potpourri of Best of the 2000s right here, right now. Hope you don’t mind.
Coach Gary Gilmore has pointed Coastal Carolina in the right direction during the first decade of the 2000s, as they have missed the NCAAs only twice.
So here you go. A few more top ten lists to keep you satiated during this off-season. Oh, but don’t be shocked if you see me chime in once in a while still before the season begins, especially if something like the Pat Murphy/ASU situation creeps on us all the sudden.
Until the 1st of February, here are the lists. Now I’m going to go into my cave and start my voluminous pre-season work that you’ll certainly love.
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TOP 10 MID-MAJOR PROGRAMS OF THE 2000S.
Every time you see that “One Shining Moment” Final Four video that follows the national championship game, there are always tear-jerking clips of small schools knocking off the Goliaths of the college basketball world. So, given that type of backdrop, here are the 10 best mid-major programs from the decade and their own “one shining moment” that should have tears welling up in your eyes as you read it.
10- KENT STATE
One Shining Moment: 30 win seasons. 10 straight years.
The Flashes are the high-standard program in the underrated MAC having never finished a season with less than 30 wins during the decade, including a high of 43 wins in 2009.
9- UNC-WILMINGTON
One Shining Moment: The victory lap
In 2003, the Seahawks made a run to the regional finals, losing to LSU 9-8 in 11 innings. The fans gave them a victory lap around Alex Box (although I think that had more to do with their being happy that UNCW beat Tulane the day before.).
8- ORAL ROBERTS
One Shining Moment: Pulling a George Mason.
Despite playing in a conference rated in the high 20s, the Eagles went to the Fayetteville Regional in 2006 and pulled out wins over the homestanding Hogs and Oklahoma State. ORU would lose out in the Supers at Clemson.
7- TCU
One Shining Moment: Taking on the in-state bullies.
The Frogs are a sleeping giant in the national scope as evidenced by their ending the 2009 season one game away from advancing to Omaha, losing to Texas in the Supers.
6- MINNESOTA
One Shining Moment: Lunching on Dairy Queen.
The Gophers host the annual Dairy Queen Classic in the Metrodome each year and, not surprisingly, beat a lot of nationally ranked teams. Partial list of victims: Georgia, Notre Dame, Arkansas, Alabama, Florida State, Ole Miss, Tulane and Pepperdine.
5- OHIO STATE
One Shining Moment: Showdown of the Mids.
After winning the regional at Auburn, the Buckeyes hosted the 2003 Super Regionals with Missouri State. They missed their first trip to Omaha since 1967 by losing two games to the Bears.
4- COASTAL CAROLINA
One Shining Moment: The No. 1 seeding
The Chanticleers pulled the rare feat of being a mid-major and a top seed for the Regionals in 2005. Problem was, it took place in Tempe, Arizona, where they lost to the Sun Devils.
3- NOTRE DAME
One Shining Moment: 45 years from Omaha.
In 2002, the Irish went back to the CWS for the first time since 1957, going 1-2. including a wicked white-knuckle win over Rice in an elimination game. That was one for the history books.
2- FRESNO STATE
One Shining Moment: The Ultimate.
Unless you’ve lived under a rock, you know the Bulldogs won the 2008 national title. But few people realize they also went to three other regional finals and six NCAA post-seasons overall in the 2000s.
1- WICHITA STATE
One Shining Moment: 461
Consistency. Consistency. Consistency. With 461 wins, no other mid-major teams even came close to winning as many games in the 2000s than the Shocks. All of which means that WSU keeps its crown as Best of the Mid-Majors for the second straight decade. The only bugaboo? The Black and Gold haven’t been back to Omaha since 1996.
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TOP 10 CWS GAMES OF THE 2000s
10- 2007
UC Irvine – 8
Arizona State – 7
The game that made the free-spirited Anteaters legendary and left the fans chanting “Ollie! Ollie! Ollie!”
9- 2006
North Carolina – 2
Oregon State – 3
In the first of two championship series showdowns in a row, this one was a manic thriller. Too bad it had to come down to a last fateful error.
8- 2005
Baylor – 3
Texas – 4
Chance Wheeless pulls a Kirk Gibson, parks game-winning homer into right field bleachers with one good shoulder.
7- 2002
Rice – 3
Notre Dame – 5
Paul Mainieri’s first CWS win is an elimination game thriller that sent the Owls packing in jog-off fashion.
6- 2008
Rice – 5
LSU – 6
Down 5-3, Tiger bats awoke in the 9th inning against one of the best pitchers of the decade in Cole St. Clair.
5- 2005
Tulane – 7
Baylor – 8
Bears score all eight runs in the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings to scratch back from a 7-0 deficit to win in sprint-off fashion on a Green Wave error.
4- 2000
Clemson – 4
Louisiana-Lafayette – 5
Cajuns give up four runs in the 7th, but rally with a pair of runs in the 9th, the final of which scored on a throwing error. Aye caramba!
3- 2000
Stanford – 5
LSU – 6
SU was four outs away from a title, up 5-2, before Tigers gained momentum and scored seemingly at will off All American Jason Young.
2- 2009
Arizona State – 3
Texas – 4
ASU took the lead in the top of 9th, only to see the light-hitting Horns score back-to-back home runs from Cameron Rupp and Connor Rowe to win it.
1- 2005
Nebraska – 7
Arizona State – 8 (11inns)
Haven’t felt this kind of drama in Rosenblatt before as the home team Huskers had the crowd louder than I’d ever heard it, taking a two-run lead into the bottom of the 9th. But Jeff Larish blasted his third home run of the day to tie the game in the 9th with two outs. Then, J.J. Sferra crushed the Husker hearts with an RBI single in the 11th.
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TEN WORST DAYS FOR COLLEGE BASEBALL IN THE 2000s:
10- January 7th, 2004. The HBP rule “emphasized.”
When umpires said that there would be an emphasis on preventing batters from leaning into pitches and not attempting to get out of the way, we all cheered. But it turned out to be bad news, because it still has yet to be emphasized. Just like the non-called high strike.
9- June 8, 2001. The President throws out the first pitch at the College World Series.
You might see it as a good thing, but to me, ALL politicians are corrupt crooks with mommy issues. And no, I don’t care what side you are on. So mixing college baseball and politicians is a bad thing. Wasn’t it that fat bastard William Taft that threw out the first pitch of a pro game? Just stop it PLEASE!
8- August 2005. Larry Templeton is named the chairman of the D-1 baseball committee.
Believe me, I’m not alone here, but when the Mississippi State A.D. was named the chairman, his coronation continued the NCAAs penchant for choosing a southern administrator from a major conference at the main seat. Thus, the knack for 9th-place SEC and Big 12 teams making the tournament field continued.
7- June 17, 2000. Jack Payne’s last day as CWS announcer.
Without Jack’s down home, corn-pone p.a. styling, the CWS lost not only an Omaha institution that began in 1963, but a lot of its personality too.
6-February 28, 2008. The day the new downtown stadium in Omaha was announced.
Sure, it will be a much better place to watch a baseball game, but the day the new park was announced was officially the beginning of the “corporationization” of the College World Series. In addition to entry No. 7 above, the CWS will now also lose its soul.
5- May 27, 2002. The day the NCAA selection committee really screwed the pooch.
This was the year that Texas A&M’s A.D. Wally Groff said the reason conference champions Minnesota and Northwestern State didn’t get into the NCAA tournament as at-large teams was because they didn’t win enough quality road games, even though UM beat ranked teams like Alabama and Nebraska (and John Manuel read Groff the riot act) and NSU swept UM. It was also the day that Navy was given a three-seed and Cal State Fullerton was given a four-seed, playing in the Palo Alto Regional that included fellow Big West rival Long Beach State.
4- January 16, 2008. The day CBS Vice President of television pulled the plug on the SoCal Media Day TV program.
Not only did they pull the plug on the SoCal pre-season show because of a spat over advertising dollars with Easton, but the CBS VP then sent me an Email claiming it was somehow MY fault. Awesome. LOVE it when captains of industry pick on the little guy. It also put the kaibosh on a rumored national college baseball pre-season show… never to see the light of day.
3- February 14, 2008. The day CBS “rebranded” CSTV.
CSTV was no longer. After uncaring corporate giant CBS bought the network with the thought that SEC football and the NCAA basketball tournament were the only college sports that mattered to them. Then, on the first Monday of the College World Series this same year, CBS College Sports told me that my “Extra Innings” columns would no longer be accessible to college baseball fans clicking on CSTV.com. GREAT timing guys!
2a- Scholarships stay at 11.7 per team.
This is actually a bad day of perpetuity for our sport, but you get the spirit in what I’m saying here, right? The rule began in 1991, and didn’t change at all during the 2000s.
2b- The RPI stayed intact.
Again, it’s a perpetuity thing. But that RPI…. c’mon, you know it really sucks… still.
1- March 2, 2007. The fatal bus crash of Bluffton College.
Sure there were plenty of horrible off-field accidents in our sport, like the one that nearly cost Fullerton catcher Jon Wilhite his life and the paralyzing accident of Georgia 2B Chance Veazey this past off-season, but this is the one that woke up college teams everywhere to the subject of travel safety. Every team travels by bus at several points during the season and a lot of times it occurs overnight, just like the Beavers did.
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TOP 10 NEW BASEBALL STADIUMS BUILT IN THE 2000s.
Lots of great new stadiums were constructed in college baseball during the decade. Here are the ones that made the biggest difference and were the best gems on the national scene.
10- San Diego State, Tony Gwynn Stadium
This high-class venue was actually named before Gwynn became head coach. USD hosted 2007 regionals there.
9- Missouri State, Hammons Field
Bring back Ryan Howard! The state-of-the-art 8,000-seat stadium usually looks cavernous with their 400 fans in attendance.
8- East Carolina, Clark-LeClair Stadium
An incredible shrine that a rabid fan base has long been waiting for. The Jungle in the outfield grass berm is legendary. Love the chocolate chip cookies in the press box too.
7- TCU, Lupton Stadium
Another of the lineage of nice stadiums in the Mountain West, this one has enabled the Frogs to jump to the top rung of the conference and into the national picture.
6- Cincinnati, Schott Stadium.
Too bad it was named after a crappy person. But this is one facility that just screams for a team worthy of its grandeur.
Where the Bearcats roam, Schott Stadium.
5- Penn State, Lubrano Park
Part of the big facility-wide upgrading of the Big 10 conference, massive Beaver Stadium looms as a cool backdrop beyond centerfield.
4- South Carolina, Carolina Stadium
No more light poles obstructing the views down the 1st and 3rd base lines. Great sight lines all around the stadium. Plus, you gotta love the big left field grandstand.
3- Nebraska, Haymarket Park
Finally, the Huskers used a little bit of that voluminous football money to put into the baseball program. And you could say it’s paid big dividends as the Huskers have made three CWS trips since.
2- LSU, Alex Box Stadium
A true shrine to the greatest fans in the country. Especially, since the old Alex Box was kind of a dump. Sorry, it had to be said.
1- BYU, Miller Park
The best stadium you’ve never seen. It’s a program with an underrated following that really supports their baseball. And this stadium treats them well with all the amenities, including all-stadium seating, good concessions and great sightlines. Plus, the white, spiked tensile roof resembles the nearby Wasatch Mountains which are usually snow-capped until May, creating the second-most picturesque setting in college baseball.
Sorry, this was the best pic I could get of Miller Park with the surrounding snow-capped mountains beyond the third-base line.
And just for the hell of it…
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THE TOP 10 MOVIES 2000s.
10- Prey For Rock-N-Roll, 2003
Two words: Gina. Gershon.
Two more words: Freakin’. Rules.
9- Almost Famous, 2000
A movie about the job I really wish I had, as writer for Rolling Stone. Too bad, I’m a hack for CollegeBaseballToday instead. Ah the fickle fate of life.
8- The Wrestler, 2009
Great comeback for Mickey Rourke, plus, what red-blooded American man can resist Marisa Tomei as a stripper? I’d like to shake the screenwriter’s hand for that one.
7- Donnie Darko, 2001
Bizarre movie, sure. But this proves, just like Jimmy Stewart in “Harvey” that everyone should listen to the 6-and-a-half foot tall rabbit in their lives that nobody else can see.
6- O Brother Where Art Thou, 2000
Another brilliant Coen Brothers flick. Based on Homer’s Odyssey but set in rural Mississippi in the 1920s, it also featured a wicked-good soundtrack.
5- Lost In Translation, 2003
Okay, maybe the Bill Murray-Scarlett Johanssen thing was a little eerie. But the cool marriage of the Jesus & Mary Chain song “Just Like Honey” with the final scene was freakin’ brilliant.
4- Inglourious Basterds, 2009
Tarantino shows his knack for brilliant dialogue and incredibly intense story-telling once again. And who couldn’t love a movie where they show Hitler getting gunned down? (Oops! Spoiler Alert… my bad.)
3- Old School, 2003
Pure ribald fun. And not only that, it hits on the message that all former football, basketball and baseball players miss the camaraderie of the locker room. Something put-upon, Oprah-watching wives and girlfriends never seem to understand.
2- No Country For Old Men, 2008
Sorry “Friendo”, you didn’t quite make this movie No. 1, but it’s still an intriguing story that’s well told. Based on a book by Cormac McCarthy, the same author who wrote “The Road.”
1- Summer Catch.
What, you thought I’d say something other than a movie about college baseball as the best here? Pfft, no! Besides, don’t you think this 4.7 seconds of Jessica Biel in a skimpy swimsuit is No. 1 worthy?
The multi-pictured sequence that made this college baseball movie great.
Comments (18)
Tiki Owl says:
Good stuff as always Eric. I know I am biased but how could you leave the second Rice vs Texas game in the 2003 Series off the list? Beating the defending champion for the second time in the Series on a walk off hit by Justin Ruchti in the bottom of the ninth off Houston Street this game had everything that a huge rival game should have (plus being on the big stage in Omaha) and included the infamous umpire cam shots of the OG (Owl fans nickname for Wayne Graham) arguing a blown call at second base.
Fat Sam says:
Hey Stitch, the worst part of President Bush’s appearance at the CWS was that they closed all the gates shortly before gametime to allow the presidential party to enter. That left thousands of fans locked out for the beginning of the game.
Is it my imagination, or are they ripping off all your columns over on the Yahoo Rivals website? It seems every time you have an article lately that about a week later they do one with the same theme. Or maybe you’re just all in cahoots and working together.
Stitch-head says:
You’re right Fat Sam. I’ve noticed those Yahoo guys have mirrored some of my stuff recently too. But as I mentioned a couple of columns ago, we’re all in this together in giving our sport as much coverage as we can. And besides, isn’t imitation the sincerest form of flattery? Well… okay, in the words of Johnny Rotten, sometimes it can be bloody annoying. But you get the spirit of what I’m saying.
Brian says:
Total nonsense with Kendall ripping off your articles/ideas. As a fan from CA, reading Kendall’s stuff makes me want to poke my eyes out with the Big12/ACC/SEC slobbering lovefest. I will stick to reading your blog for better coverage of teams west of the Mississippi. You would think that no other part of the country even plays baseball if you only read Kendall’s stuff.
Guy says:
“But as I mentioned a couple of columns ago, we’re all in this together in giving our sport as much coverage as we can.”
I’m with you on this Eric. I read everything I can find. Though I would like information about my school, my area and the teams I’m most familiar with, I enjoy a little education about college baseball happenings in the smaller schools, the far away places and history of the happenings before I started paying attention.
As for your lists: I don’t know how you do it. Either you have amazing memory retention, or you take damn good notes. I’m guessing the former as I’ve seen you camera-in-hand with minimal note taking materials in the other. Of course you could go right home and write it all up, but then that wouldn’t happen with all the partying that you also enjoy.
I do agree with Tiki. It’s hard to be mentioned twice on the losing end of games, without mentioning that win over UT with Street on the mound. When I saw him blow it during the postseason this year, it reminded me of the 2003 CWS. Oh yeah!
Stitch-head says:
Whoa, easy Brian. I hear ya’. But keep in mind, there will probably be plenty of people doing a “Best of 2000s” thing too. As Fat Sam pointed out, it’s just the same theme, in progression, has been repeated week by week. But who gives a rat’s ass… just read all of them. We’re all in this together. And just so you know, I’ve been accused of being a Rice homer, a North Carolina homer, a Big 10 homer, an SEC homer and even a Maine homer before, so everybody has their biases. Mine just happen to be all over the map.
And Guy, I totally dig what you and Tiki are saying. I thought I’d get more shit from you guys over leaving the Rice-Stanford ‘03 10-inning game off the list. Guess the win over Street and UT was pretty remarkable.
Chris Webb says:
Always weird hearing the biggest department of athletics in the nation referred to as a mid-major, but in appropriate context.
Anyhow, had a Michigan fan (he’ll probably comment after my post) take issue with the OSU being ahead of KSU and Minnesota.
My take, OSU having 2 Super Regional trips opposed to 0 for KSU, and never finishing outside of the Big Ten’s top 6 (unlike Minny in 2008) gives them a slight nod.
Agreed?
I know you have not made the trip their way, and very little publicity gets sent your way (minus you covering the B10 Tourney) but Michigan State’s McClain Baseball Stadium is very nice. Relative to what they were playing on before, the interest in the program and just level of program they have, their renovated field is leaps and bounds better and a big step in the right direction. Unfortunate that Grewe left to be the pitching coach at LSU (can’t blame him after their CWS ring) but I’ve always thought if the right guy gets there they can be potent. Boss seems like a step in that direction.
I digress, nice read as always.
jimlassiter says:
Ditto Tikiowl!!!!????
waltgreenberg says:
Actually, Tiki, wasn’t Ruchti’s walk-off single off Street in the 10th inning? No question that for Rice fans, at least, that game has the edge over the Stanford 10th inning victory (which happened to be the very next game the Owls played that year).
BTW, as much as I love Eric’s unique perspective and, unquestionably, the most entertaining writing style in all of college baseball, why do some feel necessary to bash Mark Etheridge and Kendall Rogers, and their respective sites? As Eric says, the more the merrier! And since when does Kendall not follow– and write about– West Coast baseball?
InsidePitch says:
Well I don’t think it matters much becase either way Stitch, your columns are always more original and unique than anyone elses out there. That’s why I read.
Sean says:
Great lists as always. The Templeton announcement as chair was another very disappointing decision. Eventually the NCAA committee may actually be comprised and lead by intelligent and well versed college baseball fanatics.
Another possibility for top game in the CWS is the 2003 Stanford vs. Cal State Fullerton third game. Stanford won 7-5 in extra innings. Trailing 5-3, Johnny Ash hit a two-run homer off of Chad Cordero to tie the game in the 7th inning. Then Danny Putnam hit a two-run homer in the 10th to push Stanford into the first championship series against Rice. Fullerton second baseman Justin Turner was hit in the face by a pitch late in the game, a sight everyone watching the game remembers. It has to be one of the most heartbreaking losses in the history of the Titan program (behind the 1992 national title game). The decisions and outcome of that game are still widely talked about by Titan fans due to the quality of that particular team.
Dboon322 says:
I’ve seen other writers stuff. There is nothing wrong with what you find on other sites. It’s good. But nobody looks like they’re having fun covering college baseball like you do. Keep up the good work.
Nice recognition for program – UNCW Baseball - Wilmington Star News - Wilmington, NC - Archive says:
[...] access it, go here. Share and [...]
K-ler8 says:
Hey E. Your originality speaks for itself. Keep up the good work. Looking forwar d to the season.
TurboMax says:
If only you could quit being such a SEC “homer” now!
Keep up the good work man. Top 10 movies, how could you miss Wedding Crashers?
SpaceCityBuzz says:
Eric:
you are often imitated, never replicated!
I see I have a lot of movies to catch up on too. Keep it coming. Feb. is a long way off.
LibbyTwo says:
Not a bad ‘Best of’ man. Thanks for the off-season reads. Football just depresses me, so it’s good to have this.
Southland Conference Pride says:
Eric – keep up the great work of covering all angles of the college baseball map. Please feel free to join our tailgaiting and watch the Southereastern Louisiana Lions play the Texas State Bobcats at Alumni Field in Hammond, LA the weekend of April 16-18. That same weekend LSU will be playing Alabama at “The Box” just 45 minutes west of Hammond. You could catch a great SEC matchup and an even greater SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE MATCHUP in the same weekend. Think about. LOL
Thanks for all your work!!