I have always dreamed of going to watch the College World Series in person. It's a thing that every little league player wants to play in but if you can't play there then at least go and watch. Last month I got to fulfil that dream of watching when I went and watched a semi-final game between Clemsen and South Carolina on a hot Saturday evening. I arrived at the game around a half hour early and then made my way to the gate. Before I reached the entrance a young man stopped me and asked if I had tickets. I told him I did, at that he asked me if I wanted to upgrade my tickets. Of course I am not condoning the practice of scalping tickets but I did want to get a little closer to the game and so I asked him if he had something closer then the tickets I had purchased. He told me he had front row seats and for a little extra cash I could have them. It was too good to pass up and so I found myself in the front row on the first base line. I was so close I could feel the dust from the field and could hear the players chattering at each other. I was in heaven I thought, with the exception of the heat and when I say heat I mean it was one hundred six degrees and very humid. Don't get me wrong I am not a fair weather fan I will go out and watch a football game in a blizzard so I don't think a little oven like heat will keep me away from a chance to watch a great game like a College World Series game. The game was great a back and forth battle that featured great pitching and even better fundamental baseball with some big hits during the game. I was more thrown back about the stadium. I think it is a shame that Rosenblatt Stadium is going to no longer be the home of the CWS. What a place, and the fans could never have a better place to watch the game. It is a real "Field Of Dreams." With it's dark blue exterior, multi colored seating sections, giant scoreboard and carefully groomed field it is everything and more for a serious baseball fan. The fans vantage point is great anywhere on the field. You literally can not find a bad seat in the place. I know what you are thinking, it easy for me to say when I was sitting in the first row but at the conclusion of the game I took a little walk around. I went to the corner bleachers in right field thinking that would be the worst place to watch a game but I was surprised to find that even there you could see the entire field with out missing any of the action. The people in Omaha and the entire Midwest have something to be very proud in the fact that the college baseball world converges to the prairie for a couple of weeks of great baseball. I feel lucky to be one of the small few that had a chance to watch a game form the Omaha Jewell that they call "The Best Show On Dirt." I only hope the fans will show up when they open the new field for the 2011 CWS. If you are planning to go down for the games next year I highly recommend that you take some time and go to the old market down town Omaha and see for yourself the best of Midwest hospitality. If you think about it get there Saturday morning and take in a great old fashioned farmers market. I could go on and on about my experience, but I will just say that now I can put a check by "See a great game in great place," on my bucket list. Next I plan on going to Target Field in Minneapolis for a Twins Game so I will report back about that experience as well. Until Next time then I encourage you to get out and watch some baseball weather it be your local Little League or a trip to a Major League field somewhere, just get out and see a game.
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