MH Final Thoughts from Omaha

I spent one night in Omaha over Two Weeks (Final message)

I am writing this as we are departing Omaha on a very muggy Thursday morning and heading back to Orange County. We have spent the last two weeks of our lives living an incredible journey, albeit mostly out of a suitcase. It all began in Ruston, Louisiana at the WAC tournament back in May where, by winning, they received an automatic bid to the NCAA Regional Tournament. That tournament was in Long Beach where we were one of four and the lowest seed. After spending 3 days in Long Beach, it was on to the Super Regional in the blistering heat of Tempe, Arizona. There for three days, we then moved on to the College World Series here in Bugaha, Nebraska. The odyssey here started on Thursday, June 12 making it 14 days ago that we arrived prepared for a few days in Omaha, not two weeks. You can prepare for a two week vacation, but not two weeks in Omaha. But for us, even more than the laundry, we weren’t prepared for the emotional marathon that is this College World Series. A few more final thoughts and impressions of our time over these last few days (thanks again for allowing me to journal these indelible memories):

TUESDAY began as groundhog / Bulldog days usually do, but everybody got up a little later after a long Monday night win 19-10 over the Georgia Bulldogs and a very late night Monday. My favorite line from this game was somebody’s “injury report” where our only problem was going to be our third base coach who wore out his arm waving so many guys home

We have come to live these past two weeks on a very different schedule, eating post-game meals at 11PM but still getting up early to try to stay up with work and all the emails from good friends and family – it has been a bit of an exhausting schedule and it may take some time to get back to a normal routine

We have developed such a bond with the families of Gavin’s teammates and they are special people – unique stories and backgrounds ---the Grubb family from Orange, the ever-happy Mendonca’s from Turlock, the Muno family from north San Diego, the popular Dave Wetzel, the Wilson’s who have been on the same four week journey we have, and the Ribera’s (a pastor in Fresno) to name just a few – all such wonderful people

With a late day, we had a late lunch with the boys at the sports bar just down the street from Hotel Bulldog – we felt sorry for this place and thought we would give them a little business. One of our really bad food decisions – but after eating away from home for over 40 meals, you are bound to throw one in the dirt

Gavin and the boys appeared in good spirits, a little tired maybe, but OK. I think they were more feeling that no matter what, today would be the last day they would play together

We encouraged Gavin to just take in the moment on the field, to remember the sights and the smells, and to just have fun today in the biggest game of their lives, the NCAA collegiate baseball championship – one game for it all. Oh sure, don’t worry about anything, don’t stress – easy for us to say

We went over to the stadium early to get in line for tickets early to be sure to have good seats – parked in the same backyard as we have for the last two weeks gladly giving the family $20 for each game and $35 for a whole day. Rosenblatt’s dirty little secret is that they close the parking around the stadium and force people to park in the yards of the neighbors around it giving those bugeaters some extra $$

Kenan was back with us and needed some entertaining so his Uncle Marty and Aunt Marla took him over to the zoo to see the gorillas, polar bear, and an albino alligator

We went over to the Fresno State hospitality tent for the second day, hosted by President John Welty who I met and had a nice chat with – just like we had done the day before – A NOTE ABOUT “ROUTINE” – I don’t call this superstition, because I am not, but we did try to have a “routine” of what we wore, who we sat next to, and where we went if it worked the previous day in producing a win – not superstition is it? Baseball does breed this kind of behavior and some are obsessive – not us of course

The weather Tuesday was the worst of the week -- it was 93 degrees and 90+% humidity and felt like Ruston Louisiana again – I was my own wet T-shirt contest from the time I arrived at the stadium at about 2:30 until we left at 11PM last night

Went into the stadium at about 4:30 to watch a little batting practice – took lots of pictures throughout the tourney and got some good ones here all the while realizing this would be the last BP of the year – guys were crushing the ball but that does not always predict what will happen in the game.

I was surprised at the relatively light crowd for this final game – seemed Fresno and Georgia had about the same amount of traveling fans and the rest of the crowd were just bugeaters, mostly wearing Univ. of Nebraska Cornhusker red and a hat with an “N” on it – that stands for “knowledge” here in Nebraska

One of the mildly entertaining things that goes on is in the outfield bleacher cheap seats where fans play with beach balls (generally annoying to me) and also yell back and forth at each other – “right field sucks” to which right field yells back “left field sucks”. No the most intelligent banter but Gavin spent 6 games in centerfield and said they were really friendly and that it was fun to be out there

Omaha locals prefer the underdog and most of them had or were becoming Fresno State fans

The game was epic and I will not replay it here, other than to say our starting pitcher (Justin Wilson) turned in his best performance ever, and Gavin’s roommate, Steve Detwiler took the entire team on his back and carried it in producing all 6 RBIs in the 6-1 win

Both Karen and had been pretty nervous before the game which is actually not normal for us and several people commented on it – I think it had hit us just how big this had gotten, not just for Gavin and us and team, but for the literally hundreds of friends, family, business associates, former coaches, all watching and hanging on to every pitch and swing – were they relying on us to make this magical ride happen? How would we explain an unfavorable outcome? We put this on ourselves of course……

The final out was greeted with great relief and an emotional explosion – I honestly would not allow myself to believe it was possible until the 3rd out in the bottom of the 9th – that came and the tears started flowing all around us. Lots of hugging and kissing with me still the frontrunner I the wet T-shirt contest. That initial celebration in the stands will be unforgettable and the shock was overwhelming. There was not one chant of “We’re #1”, even though we were.

The most heartwarming thing happened right after the dogpile celebration on the field – Gavin had the presence and heart, in the midst of his own emotion and joy and with pandemonium all around him, to run over to the dugout and motion to us to send Kenan down to the field. He hoisted him over the fence and Kenan joined all the boys in the middle of all that chaos. He got the same t-shirt and hat, celebrated with Gavin’s buddies who adore him, and actually walked up to the table with Gavin to get his award as his name was announced. This act of selflessness and family by Gavin was beyond anything I could imagine – what a wonderful thing to do and something they will both remember forever – I could never express my feelings and love for Gavin for doing this.

Eventually players’ parents were allowed on the field and we had a ball just hugging kids and coaches, other parents, security guards, just about everyone – and got some great pictures with the national championship trophy. We all hugged with Gavin as a family for minutes I am sure and everyone of us took turns laughing and crying

That field is really big when you are actually standing on it – WOW

We left to go back by the bus and waited for the guys to make their way through the throngs of people still there wanting autographs and pictures and then hightailed it over to the street vendors across from the stadium who were selling “National Champion” t-shirts

A party ensued at the hotel, mostly organized, and we had one last sit-down with our kids and other parents plus hundreds of fans before the boys (who had finally gotten their IDs back from the coaches who kept them to prevent any celebrating during the tournament)left for their own celebration but the bars close at 1AM in Bugaha so they had to bring the party back to Hotel Bulldog. We went to bed about 2AM ourselves but word is the boys stayed up all night and leave today on their charter at about 11 AM. – the “Fresno Lumber Company”, as my good friend Ken Scavo nicknamed our team for their prolific bats, may be a hurting bunch today! A big party and welcome home is planned at the team’s home, Beiden Field in Fresno, for today at 7 PM. Unclear if we will try to make it up there or not. Fresno is in sheer pandemonium and a crowd of as many as 5000 is expected.

To say that this had been a great day would of course be an understatement. Our lives would be changed forever and our boys experienced something that, no matter what good or bad happens in their future, can never be taken away. They are a wonderful group of fun-loving kids who love each other and have kept each other propped up through the good times and not so good times. It is hard to find a way to explain the success of this team or how they came so far, literally a journey that started from nowhere. They were ranked 99th in the nation before the regional tournament in Long Beach three weeks ago, and wake up this morning as #1 and the national champions. How can that be? Did this really happen and are they really the Wonderdogs Karen said they were? You better believe it.

A word about GAVIN – I have tried not to focus in all these messages on my son but rather on the experience this has been more generally. Please allow me to digress from that a bit. I have watched an honest young man grow up exponentially in this past year. Five months ago, we were not sure he was even going to get much playing time this year. His heart and desire determined that though, and he persevered through so much adversity and grew into a man who remains humble and grateful for the blessings he has in his life. He is courageous and caring, loving and fearless – I am so very proud of him but not for his success but rather for the way in which he handled the adversity. That is the measure of us all isn’t it?

Well that is it from Omaha – this thing is bigger than you can imagine and the coverage and attention that the Fresno State Bulldog baseball team has gotten will continue as a story for a long time I am sure. I want to say again how deeply touched we have been by the outpouring of support and affection we have experienced from friends and family. As Karen says, this is really bigger than just us and sharing it with everyone, including people who never watched baseball but watched every one of these games, has been a great joy. We can’t believe where the road has taken us but God was our GPS and he has Gavin exactly where he belongs.

IS THERE A DOG IN THE HOUSE?!?!? WOOOOF!!!