Joe and I just got home from one very awesome and WET College World Series game. We had tickets to the 6:00 night game (Arizona State vs. Clemson). But due to rain & lots of lightning that game has been postponed until tomorrow. We sat and waited for several hours in the PlanIt Omaha pavillion tent where I felt like a little kid who just lost her dog. I was soo bummed. I actually wanted to cry. I wanted sooo very much for this stupid storm to blow over so we could watch some baseball already! I won't have time to go to an other games this year... But, after a while, I got to thinking, "this isn't so bad". The girls are home with Uncle Ja, we are eating free yummy food and enjoying free yummy adult beverages. Why are we complaining? We went out and frolicked in the rain for a while, exploring the atmosphere on 13th Street outside the stadium is part of the experience. As we were inside a T-Shirt vendor shop, we saw that the early afternoon game, the one that had several rain delays, had finally been able to the take the field once again.
(all of these pics were taken with my iPhone as I did not want to get my real camera wet)Don't we look lovely. It's raining on us...but who cares, we had a great time! This is shaping up to be a great Birthday and Father's Day afterall :-)
It was getting late, right around 9:30 or so.
Oklahoma takes on South Carolina to finish off the last few innings. The ticket-takers at the front gate allowed us to sneak past the entrance (as you can imagine the stadium was not exactly filled to capacity due to the severe thunderstorms going on all around us). very nice of them...Here we were, ticket-less in Rosenblatt stadium. We of course, chose to sit waaay up in the front. Kick ass seats! Now this is how you take in a baseball game.Check out this radar loop...crazy. 
As you can see, it looks like the Red Seas have parted just enough...God wanted to see this ballgame through to the finish. It was raining lightly with tons of spectacular lightning & thunder all around. Quite a show. Apparently the rule is that it has to be within 7 miles of the stadium to trigger the sensor which would then require everyone to leave the field.
It was surreal, but a very cool way to enjoy a baseball game accompanied by an impressive storm off in the distance.
This will probably be my last CWS game here at this very Rosenblatt stadium, so it was certainly bittersweet. Such a deep history. Many wonderful memories I have here. Lots of games and tailgating. I even worked here for a couple of years as a stadium usher. Yes. Worked. Can't believe they actually paid me to come and meet so many awesome sports fans from all over the country. People made offers to buy my usher shirts. Florida State's "Marshall McDougal" threw me his cap after a victory as I was standing on the dugout after the game (it was my job to do so), then he autographed it for me later. I didn't even ask, he just did it :-) He went on to be named the most outstanding player of that year's CWS. Sweet. I got to chit chat with USC's former baseball coach Rod Dedeaux, the most winningest coach in college baseball history (led USC to an amazing 11 national titles). He let me sign his infamous cane, which is made of a baseball bat. I was given many many beads from crazy and cookey LSU fans (the best in college baseball). Caught & destroyed many outfield bleacher beach balls. Recieved many boos for it (but hey I was just doing my job, give the girl a break). As a stadium usher we once had to evacuate the outfield General Admission bleacher's due to a tornado warning. That was NOT an easy task, those people did not want to give up their hard earned seats for nothing. Most had stayed over night to get in line early of enough to get these seats. I kept pleading"People, come on, there is a freaking TORNADO near by, seriously, get in the concourse area. Hurry, so that I can then get in the concourse area too. Idiots!" My best memory of working the CWS was probably when I was "The Bodyguard's" body guard. Yep, I got paid to stand directly behind Kevin Costner (and his super young Girlfriend I might add) for four innings with my intimidating stadium usher shirt on, advising curious fans and on-lookers to keep walking, keep the aisle clear, there's nothing to see here folks. Of course the ESPN camera crews had to get every angle of every one of each of Kevin Costner's reactions - which perturbed several fans who's views were obstructed as a result...waa. They kept asking me to tell them to move too...but pretty sure I can't tell ESPN what to do, sorry! Mr. Costner comes to many CWS games as he used to play for U.C. Fullerton, he is also appartently friends with Augie Garrido who coaches for Texas. I remember coach Gariddo reaching his arm around me to tap Mr. Costner on the shoulder. I was about to ask this rude gentleman to keep moving, but noticed he was dressed head to toe in a Texas Longhorn baseball uniform. I quickly stopped as he proceeded to invite my buddy Kevin to go watch batting practice before the next game. Who was I to stand in the way of that? Mr. Costner then smiled and winked at me. He touched my shoulder as he left his seat and uttered the words "thanks sweetie". haha! That's my one and only celebrity encounter story. tehe :-) I also recall the time President George W. Bush threw out the first pitch. All of us stadium personnel had to arrive to our "positions" 4 to 5 hours prior to the gates opening. It was very surreal to see all of the secret service agents standing post and searching each and every nook and cranny of the stadium. Many perched on the roof of the press boxes with weapons in hand. Definitely not anything I had ever seen before. It was neat to see the President throw that first pitch and then spot him sitting up in the press box. Probably the closest I'll ever get to meeting a president!
As you can see, it looks like the Red Seas have parted just enough...God wanted to see this ballgame through to the finish. It was raining lightly with tons of spectacular lightning & thunder all around. Quite a show. Apparently the rule is that it has to be within 7 miles of the stadium to trigger the sensor which would then require everyone to leave the field.
It was surreal, but a very cool way to enjoy a baseball game accompanied by an impressive storm off in the distance.
This will probably be my last CWS game here at this very Rosenblatt stadium, so it was certainly bittersweet. Such a deep history. Many wonderful memories I have here. Lots of games and tailgating. I even worked here for a couple of years as a stadium usher. Yes. Worked. Can't believe they actually paid me to come and meet so many awesome sports fans from all over the country. People made offers to buy my usher shirts. Florida State's "Marshall McDougal" threw me his cap after a victory as I was standing on the dugout after the game (it was my job to do so), then he autographed it for me later. I didn't even ask, he just did it :-) He went on to be named the most outstanding player of that year's CWS. Sweet. I got to chit chat with USC's former baseball coach Rod Dedeaux, the most winningest coach in college baseball history (led USC to an amazing 11 national titles). He let me sign his infamous cane, which is made of a baseball bat. I was given many many beads from crazy and cookey LSU fans (the best in college baseball). Caught & destroyed many outfield bleacher beach balls. Recieved many boos for it (but hey I was just doing my job, give the girl a break). As a stadium usher we once had to evacuate the outfield General Admission bleacher's due to a tornado warning. That was NOT an easy task, those people did not want to give up their hard earned seats for nothing. Most had stayed over night to get in line early of enough to get these seats. I kept pleading"People, come on, there is a freaking TORNADO near by, seriously, get in the concourse area. Hurry, so that I can then get in the concourse area too. Idiots!" My best memory of working the CWS was probably when I was "The Bodyguard's" body guard. Yep, I got paid to stand directly behind Kevin Costner (and his super young Girlfriend I might add) for four innings with my intimidating stadium usher shirt on, advising curious fans and on-lookers to keep walking, keep the aisle clear, there's nothing to see here folks. Of course the ESPN camera crews had to get every angle of every one of each of Kevin Costner's reactions - which perturbed several fans who's views were obstructed as a result...waa. They kept asking me to tell them to move too...but pretty sure I can't tell ESPN what to do, sorry! Mr. Costner comes to many CWS games as he used to play for U.C. Fullerton, he is also appartently friends with Augie Garrido who coaches for Texas. I remember coach Gariddo reaching his arm around me to tap Mr. Costner on the shoulder. I was about to ask this rude gentleman to keep moving, but noticed he was dressed head to toe in a Texas Longhorn baseball uniform. I quickly stopped as he proceeded to invite my buddy Kevin to go watch batting practice before the next game. Who was I to stand in the way of that? Mr. Costner then smiled and winked at me. He touched my shoulder as he left his seat and uttered the words "thanks sweetie". haha! That's my one and only celebrity encounter story. tehe :-) I also recall the time President George W. Bush threw out the first pitch. All of us stadium personnel had to arrive to our "positions" 4 to 5 hours prior to the gates opening. It was very surreal to see all of the secret service agents standing post and searching each and every nook and cranny of the stadium. Many perched on the roof of the press boxes with weapons in hand. Definitely not anything I had ever seen before. It was neat to see the President throw that first pitch and then spot him sitting up in the press box. Probably the closest I'll ever get to meeting a president!
Check out these videos below. You'll see some cool lightning in the background!I do look forward to the new downtown stadium, should be very very cool having it near the Old Market.
T.D. Ameritrade ballpark is really starting to take shape, and will be awesome! But I will shed a tear or two on the day that the Henry Doorly Zoo tears down Johnny Rosenblatt. :-(
T.D. Ameritrade ballpark is really starting to take shape, and will be awesome! But I will shed a tear or two on the day that the Henry Doorly Zoo tears down Johnny Rosenblatt. :-(
*********************I leave you with these pics of Rosenblatt Stadium in all it's glory :-)
Can't wait to take my baby girls to the CWS with me one of these days!! They'll LOVE it! :)
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