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College World Series a jewel often overlooked

There’s a tournament that is known by many, but is overshadowed by other major college sports and tends to get lost in the shuffle.

It’s the College World Series, which takes place every year in Omaha, Nebraska.

If the ESPN cable sports network didn’t devote so much of its schedule – having multiple channels helps – I doubt most people would be aware it was going on the last few days.

That’s a shame because it’s fun to watch. One of the best parts of the CWS is that odds are most of these players will not play Major League Baseball or even make it into the minors.

You get to see a lot of guys give it their all, knowing that it may be their last chance to wear a baseball uniform and often the furthest they will get in their diamond careers.

It’s also infrequent to find a future superstar or “can’t miss” prospect at the CWS because of professional baseball’s extensive minor-league system.

That’s unlike football and basketball, where the colleges really are the minor leagues.

This brand of baseball just has a lot of talented guys who are simply hoping to end their careers on a high note and aren’t worried about draft status or what signing bonus they’ll receive.

That’s one thing that makes the CWS special.

Another reason it’s great is how much Omaha embraces the experience. How many times does the national media reference Omaha over the course of a year? Not many.

However, when it comes time for the CWS, it’s marketed as the Road to Omaha.

Even local fans who don’t like baseball seem to enjoy taking part in the festivities. The games almost always sell out and this year’s title game would’ve if it wasn’t for an awful decision by the NCAA to schedule the rained-out deciding game during the day. That was despite an offer by ESPN to move it into prime time.

Omaha just loves it, and for a few days, it’s in the national spotlight and it is fun to see a place from “fly-over country” shine on a stage.

One of the best moments is when the teams show up in Omaha each year. Most are from the Southeastern Conference, Pac 12 or from Texas, and that’s to be expected.

But there is usually one team from a small conference that most people couldn’t find on a map and becomes the fan favorite.

Sometimes, they end up winning it all like Rice and Fresno State. That underdog school oftentimes has a unique nickname that is fun to root for like the California-Irvine Anteaters.

This year’s Cinderella teams with a bizarre nickname included the UC-Santa Barbara Gauchos, a South American cattle rancher or cowboy. And of course the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, a rooster from the Nun’s Priest’s Tale in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales.

The Chanticleers won the school’s first national championship in any sport Thursday, upsetting three-time champ Arizona in the best-of-three finals. Unless you’re a rabid UA fan, how can you not be happy for a team called the Chanticleers?

I have friends who have attended the CWS in the past. All of them have said that it’s just a fantastic experience. I hope to make the trip out there myself someday.

Until that time comes, though, I’m happy to watch it on TV. Seeing a team achieve its ultimate goal and celebrate in a dog pile around the pitcher’s mound with the outfielders sprinting in to hop on is a great image.

If you haven’t watched it, I urge you to tune in next June. Once you do, you’ll be hooked for life.

Ryan Stieg can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 246. His email address is rstieg@miningjournal.net.

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