Nothing Like Omaha In June

By Allen Bacon
BOSCO Fullerton

Fullerton may not have our team in Omaha for the College World Series this year but at least we have one Fullerton guy... Dominic Ficiciello (Fullerton High Class of 2010) there playing first base for the Arkansas Razorbacks.

I couldn't let this week go by without commenting on the NCAA College Baseball World Series in Omaha, Nebraska which opens Friday (June 14) at Ameritrade Ballpark at 2 PM PDT when UCLA takes on the surprising Stony Brook Sea Wolves. (ESPN2, ESPN3 and link through Bosco Radio Sports Channel)

For those of us that have been to Omaha in June, we know it's a very special place...It's like the equivalent of Woodstock for Baseball. 14 days of Peace, Love, and Baseball.

If you have a list of stuff that you want to do before you die, uh, your "Bucket List" and you are a baseball fan, you must go to Omaha for the College World Series. I went and it was something I will never forget.

I have to admit that I have been out to the new ballpark in downtown Omaha, which my friends told me is an absolute jewel, but I was very fortunate to see one of the last series at the legendary Rosenblatt Stadium on the outskirts of Omaha.

The first thing that strikes you around the Stadium (on game day especially) is the aroma of meat cooking on the open grill. The fans are out in the parking lot cooking it up on their 'cues and proudly displaying their school colors. A lot of them are not afraid to share their bounty especially if you bring the beer.

My team, Cal State Fullerton, (who got tripped up by Oregon and Indiana State in the Regionals and didn't make it this year) always would rent a place across from the stadium and it's a great place to hang out with the team and the fans. For the week, the house is known as "The Titan House".

I met Bob in Omaha my first day there. I was looking for a place to pick up the shuttle by my hotel and combining a morning walk when I came across a guy out for his walk too. He gave me some pointers and asked where I was staying. Turns out Bob was staying in the room right above me. He offered to give me a ride to the games. Turns out Bob was a standout player for Stanford in the 50's...a team that was one pitch away from making it to Omaha. Bob still reels from the prospect that he was so close, yet so far away.

Bob is from San Diego and he faithfully goes every year to Omaha whether his Stanford Cardinal are in the World Series or not. He must have had a great time this year...Stanford was back in the CWS. Anyway, it's great to have a buddy like Bob at the Word Series. Bob knew Gil who owned a "parking lot",uh, ok, it was a front lawn where he parked cars and we got a reduced rate on parking.

The thing I really loved was that one night after my Cal State Fullerton Titans lost I found myself at a restaurant admidst North Carolina Tarheel fans...the team that beat us that night. Didn't matter. You see, baseball is the language here and it transcends team loyalties. We stayed late talking about the game and about baseball. It was so cool.  Of course, I took some good natured ribbing that night.

This year it's going to be a fun and interesting College World Series.  In addition to having the old standbys... like Florida State, UCLA, Arkansas and Arizona there this year you have some fresh and new teams that haven't been to Omaha before. Like Stony Brook and Kent State.  I personally am pulling for the Arkansas Razorbacks because the first baseman, Dominic Ficociello, is from my hometown of Fullerton and went to my alma mater Fullerton High School.

And one more thing after the series was over...it was a bonus of sorts...I went to the downtown area. Turns out Omaha is a great place to spend an evening. It's revitalized and has a great deal of upscale shops and restaurants. I like what Warren Buffet and his friends have done with the place.