A Return to Glory

Wednesday, June 24, 2009 in Omaha, Nebraska. For LSU Tiger baseball fans this day is one we will never forget. The unhappy memories of the recent troubled past disappeared in nine innings of baseball in Rosenblatt Stadium. Coach Paul Mainieri and his Tigers won a sixth national title. Now emblazoned in College Baseball history are the images of Lewis Coleman throwing a final strike that signified LSU’s return to baseball glory.

Before the pitch, before the pile on the mound, before the flag was raised, college baseball’s greatest fans believed. It didn’t matter where you were in town, if you talked about LSU baseball the feeling was always the same. No one talked about if the Tigers would win another National Title; they all talked about when the Tigers would win another National Title.

When Paul Mainieri was hired as the head coach of the Tiger baseball team, he made a promise to the fans. “Make no mistake about it,” he said. “The goal is to return LSU to the pinnacle position in college baseball. I have all the confidence in the world that we can do that here.” In just three short years, Mainieri made good on his promise. The Tigers were able to finish the year exactly where they had started, ranked No.1.

For all of you that may not be avid LSU Baseball fans, let me explain something. Just like Alabama and football, Kentucky and basketball, LSU is synonymous with baseball. Yes, I know some of you are shaking your heads and saying, “Wait! Football is the number one sport at LSU.” I understand that fact and I am in no way disputing it, but coming in a very close second is LSU baseball. There is a reason why we have led the nation in total attendance for the last 14 straight seasons. We are college baseball’s greatest fans.

In the 1990’s, LSU changed the game of college baseball. Under legendary coach Skip Bertman, the Tigers were able to bring home five College World Series championships, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000 and were easily the team of the decade. LSU ascended into the elite class of college baseball programs. Our boys were bigger, faster and stronger than any other team and were able to dominate the baseball world. “Gorilla Ball” is a phrase that was created to talk about the big bats that LSU brought to every game. In 1997, the Tigers hit 188 homeruns, shattering the old record of 161 set by BYU in 1988. Hitting a homerun for an LSU baseball player was as common as houndstooth hats on game day in Tuscaloosa. Bertman won 870 games while leading LSU to 7 SEC titles and 11 CWS appearances. His teams averaged 48 wins per year, and only failed to make the postseason twice during his 18 year career.

With Bertman’s retirement after the 2001 season, LSU baseball lost some of its moxie. From 2002-2006 LSU played host to a regional, three super regionals, and made it to Omaha twice where they went 0-2 both trips. For average college baseball programs, this would have been acceptable. But this was LSU, and average was not enough. The Gorilla Ball we were known for had faded, and big wins over big teams were few and far between. The trip to Omaha which had become the norm and was expected quickly became a wish the team couldn’t deliver. Fans could feel the title of elite college program slipping away. Yet, through all this, attendance was still the highest in the nation proving the idea of being on top was in the back of every fan’s mind.

Paul Mainieri breathed life back into the LSU program. Suddenly we are elite again and Omaha is expected every year. Last season, the Tigers made their way to the Heartland of America with one goal: a return to glory. Fans arrived in droves bringing purple and gold beads, cold beer and good food with them. Signs stating “Gorilla Ball is Back!” could be seen all over Omaha. Beating Arkansas in the semi-finals, LSU moved on the face the Texas Longhorns in a best-of-three series for the championship. The Tigers won game one 8-7 in a dramatic comeback win in 11 innings. The Longhorns beat the Tigers in game two 5-1, to force a third and final game. The Tigers out-slugged the Longhorns 11-4 to win their 6th National Championship and first since 2000. The legendary program of LSU is back on top.

So we begin the 2010 season with LSU ranked No.2. This roster is arguably the best in country and many believe better than last year. So, what do Tiger fans expect? That’s easy, a trip to Omaha, the destination for so many but reached by so few. This year Rosenblatt Stadium will host its final championship series and I think it would be fitting if the Tigers took the field.

If you have never been a fan of LSU baseball this is a perfect time to jump on the bandwagon and join college baseball’s greatest fans. I promise you it will be a hell of a ride.

“…When you guys play to the best of your ability nobody in the country can beat you.” –LSU Coach Paul Mainieri, prior to the 1st game vs. Texas of the 2009 CWS Championship Series

This is Part I in a three part series about the return of three legendary SEC programs.