Everybody does the CWS Top 10 list....

…how about 5 or 6 things to avoid when visiting Omaha, and maybe what to do instead…

#1 Zesto’s – Yes, it is decent ice cream and they ALWAYS mention it on TV, but the wait is ridiculous and it is just plain ol’ soft serve. Instead, try Ted & Wally’s down in the Old Market. Homemade, with some crazy flavors. (Pabst Blue Ribbon Ice Cream!!) The wait can also be long, but at least it is inside, with AC.

#2. Pauli’s – Completely overrated. Pay $5 cover to stand in a parking lot and use Porta-Johns. I don’t even think the ESPN crew goes there anymore. The Crescent Moon on 36th and Farnam has many microbrews on tap and can lay claim as one of Warren Buffett’s favorite bars. He had both A-Rod and LeBron there for lunch. (Not at the same time, however.)

#3. Old Market restaurants – Most of the locals know to stay away during this weekend, but there is still a huge wait for most of the places down there. However, if you must, make sure you try the local, non-chain places. Upstream, Stokes, M’s Pub. Omaha Prime if you want to spend some $$$. But reasonable compared to Scottsdale!

#4. Henry Doorly Zoo – Don’t be ridiculous. It is a great zoo, most of the time. But everybody and their brother will try to go this week. No parking and wall-to-wall strollers. Couldn’t pay me enough.

#5. Tailgating at Rosenblatt – They have made it much harder this year, what with the border security fence and all. Just drink at one of the many beer gardens, there is even one with AC!

#6 Beach balls at the game. AARRRGGG!!!!! **fists shaken at General Admissions sections** C'mon people. These college games are slow enough as it is. No stoppage of play, please!!! If you are going to do that, make sure it is between innings, and put them away before the first pitch. (Damn kids, get off my lawn!!!) If you are well-behaved, maybe the free Twizzler dude in left field GA will share with you. And leave those vuvuzelas at home. That is a trend we DO NOT need to bring to the US.


File this under “several birds, one stone”… Rent a bike from Greenstreet Cycles, which is right across the street from the new stadium, ride it past the Qwest Center and over the Bob Kerrey bridge, (not much to see in Iowa – return quickly) and then have a good lunch at Goodnight Pizza when you return it. (get a workout, see new stadium, tour downtown, see bridge, eat… check, check, check and check)

-boo

Bye Bye 'Blatt

Or at least the College World Series at Rosenblatt. Here are a few things I'll miss about the ol' biddy:
- Zesto's, such delicious ice cream, with a beer garden in the back.
- The Church Bar, it's a bar in an old church across the street from the front gate....will never be duplicated. OK - which do you like better, the ice cream parlor beer garden, or the bar in a church?!?!?
- No cup holders - who needs 'em? Of course, they don't serve beer, so who really does need 'em.
- Sitting next to strangers and it's 95 degrees with a heat index of 105, clear blue sky, no breeze and it's only the second inning. nasty plastic seats, sweat dripping from behind your knees. Yuck.
- Sitting down in your seat and banging your knees against the back of the seat in front of you.
- Still no cup holders - the less you drink, the less bathroom breaks. Well, I'm getting a little parched, but I hate those long lines.....
- Either paying $20 to park in some guys front yard a couple blocks from the ball park, or finding a FREE spot on the street and it's within a few miles of the ball park. You will need the long walk to sober up after the Church bar.
- Compact concourses. Hot and air-less, as well.
- Bathrooms that were built with the park, in 1940.
- And last but not least no cup holders - I think I might pass out now from dehydration. I'm taking some Jesus water for the long walk back to the car....

-Star
-boo

Greatest Show on Dirt!!

Every year I struggle to pick a team to cheer for during the CWS, because that is what we are supposed to do up here in Omaha. With the exception of 91(Creighton) and 01, 02 and 05 (Nebraska), we just don't have anybody local to cheer for. So we pick a team, buy the cheesy shirt and sit in the hot GA bleachers to cheer on some kids that are actually trying to win.
That being said, I have to admit something upfront. There is only one team that I have been a fan of for as long as I can remember. The Husker football team. There. It is out there, my prejudice is exposed for the world to see.

So I view the CWS entrants through my football-shaped red-hued glasses. Therefore; here are my rankings.

#1 TCU - The Horned Frogs. They are newbies, which is always thrilling, The crowd will be behind them. Not to mention, they knocked out the Evil Empire (Texas) to get here. Feel good story of the year. Easy pick for the top. Not sweating the FB team. Their mascot looks so cute and cuddly.
#2 ASU - The opposite of TCU- the Sun Devils are regular visitors to Omaha. Never-the-less, they are a likable bunch. Ex-coach Pat Murphy generated a lot of good will, with him gone, not sure who the "go-to"quote maker will be. Also, their FB team has done nothing to bother me lately. Like win. They may melt in the humidity.
#3 South Carolina - They used to make it up to Omaha all the time, but haven't been here in a few years. They are a big favorite of the teenage boy fan group due to their mascot. For some reason, they like the Gamecock... They are harmless, and their FB team is struggling, even with the old ball coach. They rose above the others, simply because I like seeing Spurrier lose.

After this it gets a little murkier. The splits are much smaller in the remaining placings, with some being nearly imperceptible. I have two separate groupings, with one more disliked than the other.

#4-#5 - Oklahoma and UCLA - I know I should cheer for OU since they are in the same conference, and their shortstop is named Bushyhead, but since the ties have been severed, (and with a VERY sharp knife!) I don't feel the loyalty. However, I will place them above UCLA on the basis of their stripy old school socks. UCLA drops down due to the baby blue color scheme. The FB coaches alone could have placed this category. Got to respect Stoops, a class act, and we beat OU this year. (YEA!!) UCLA is coached by the guitar-playing, sweatervest-wearing "Skippy Neuheisel. Not a fan. At all. Oklahoma? You mean the University of Texas - Norman, I feel sorry for the spineless. And does UCLA plan on playing in flip flops and boardshorts?
#6-#8 - Clemson, FSU and Florida - OK, I don't like any of these guys. Clemson beat NU for their first (and only) National Championship way back in 81. I have yet to forgive them. They seem to think they are way better than they really are. Florida State beat NU for their first NC back in 93. At least they beat Miami in the Super Regional so we only have to deal with 2 FL teams. Which leads me to Florida. Why do I hate them, you ask? We kicked them up and down the field for our last NC back in 97, but I still don't like them. And you can't make me.

Enjoy the series, pick a team and cheer hard!!! (or at least drink a few.)
-boo
-Star

Road to Omaha... by boo

We are ready here in Omaha to welcome the 8 teams that will be playing for the NCAA National Championship next week. (read… drinking, puking and public urination along 13th Street and at Pauli’s… not me, the college kids…) There are two new teams to the group, along with some traditional favorites.

Here is a brief preview of each of the teams.

Arkansas – One of the two teams that will probably be “fan-favorites”, the Hogs have been up a few times recently. Their head coach, Dave Van Horn, revived the Husker baseball program back in the late 90’s and he will be getting a lot of the love from the locals. However, DVH has brought 3 teams to the CWS and is 0-fer the tourney. I don’t look for much from them this year, since they are the only team in the field that NU has a win over. However, their 2B has the best name in the tourney, Ben Tschepikow. Keep an eye on him...

Cal State Fullerton – My favorite to win this side of the bracket, the Titans (oddly, their mascot is an elephant) always bring a lot of fans up to Omaha, most famously, Kevin Costner. So I always hope they go far. Mostly, because they spend their money here, and, if they are around for the Championship series, Costner shows up!

LSU – A traditional power, the Tiger fans always show up in droves and paint the town purple and yellow. You can wander the parking lot and they will invite you to random tailgates. And those folks can cook. Their team is ok, too. Geaux Tigers!

Virginia – One of those first time teams, they will get a lot of local attention since their head coach is a local boy who played on Creighton’s 1991 CWS team. Don’t know much about them, but would expect a quick exit. Don’t have a reason, since a lot of first time teams have done well in the past couple years. But they are the Cavaliers. Don't know if that is good or bad, just ask LeBron.

North Carolina – Remarkably, this team is making its 4th trip in 4 years to Omaha. I hope they get kicked out early since they have basketball, they don’t need baseball, too. Sour grapes, perhaps. But that’s all I’ve got on the Tar Heels.

Southern Mississippi – The other new team to the field, I don’t know much about them except that they kept Florida from making it. Yea. No Florida, FSU or Miami this year. And only one from CA. Loaded up on the Deep South, however. Might be a scary crowd.

Arizona State – Another perennial visitor to the CWS. Funny coach. Really like Pat Murphy, and Dirtman has chosen them as his “adopted” college team. That is a concept I do not buy into. I cheer for only one team… forget about the rest…

Texas – Saved the worst for last. Really struggled to cheer for the hated Longhorns, but needed at least one Big XII team to make it. Can’t stand the team, the school, the coach or the nasty big white Spaceballs batting helmets. But that is neither here nor there. They came into the tourney as the #1 overall seed, but struggled throughout. So that means they will probably do well here in Omaha. Blech, burnt orange.

Dirtman will probably try to make it to all the games, so I’m sure I will get some brilliant insights from him. Not. He will watch the games, but will be unwilling to make any observations about physical characteristics of the players. What fun is that….