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College  | Story  | 6/10/2020

There’s nothing quite like it…

Mike Rooney     
Photo: (Vanderbilt Athletics)
This is the week that we should be headed to Omaha. Clearly there are bigger fish to fry right now, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to being a little bit sad to miss the College World Series. Instead of getting stuck in that disappointment though, I recommend that we begin our look forward to the 2021 CWS.  

So this begs the question, what are we looking forward to anyways? What makes this event something that all of us in College Baseball hold in such high esteem? Well, let’s talk about that.



For starters, College Baseball is unique in that our World Series includes eight teams. And while only one team will leave with a national championship, all of the teams who end their season in Omaha have accomplished something truly special. So I look forward to celebrating eight different programs and the journeys that led them here.  

The people of Nebraska deserve mention as well. They take tremendous pride in the CWS. It’s as if the entire city of Omaha shuts down during the two weeks of this event. Try to picture the passion of World Cup Soccer combined with the genuine friendliness of Nebraskans. It is something to behold. The bottom line is this: our Nebraskan friends are tremendous hosts and I can’t wait to see them again.

The concourse of TD Ameritrade Park has a buzz. It is the sound of a State Fair.  Or maybe a high school football game on a Friday night.  There are families everywhere. Kids are bopping around with their friends. You’ll also run into a bunch of guys on a buddies’ trip. I often see elderly couples as well. It’s Americana at its best. I’m looking forward to getting back on that concourse. That buzz encourages my soul.

There are countless great restaurants in Omaha but The Drover is my favorite.  The steaks are phenomenal and the salad bar is in a class of its own.  The ambience is historic and timeless.  And full disclosure, The Drover is on the comeback trail after enduring a fire in December of 2018.  I’m excited to support that business in its return.  Hoping that a great entity can return to its previous glory just feels right.  

While we’re on food, it would be if we failed to mention the world famous (my words) Zesto’s milkshakes. These milkshakes are a tradition that were walking distance from Rosenblatt and now are walking distance from TD Ameritrade Park. I cannot confirm that these delicacies are Keto-friendly but I can guarantee that on a hot summer day, a Vanilla Milkshake from Zesto’s will put a smile on your face.  

My wife Jenny and I have a tradition regarding the CWS: every year we purchase several t-shirts in the Omaha Baseball Village. This tented area houses a seemingly infinite number of vendors. The swag is diverse and it is good. Team Rooney is on that. Our annual purchases are budgeted and they are not to be rushed. We scout the merchandise over several days and our motto is “Browse Like A Champion Today”. We have never been disappointed. You can be certain that a high volume t-shirt purchase is locked in to the 2021 budget.  

The bar at The Omaha Hilton is another staple. Once the night game ends each day, that lobby bar becomes a College Baseball reunion. It is right across the street from TD Ameritrade Park and it is a place of great joy and laughter. You never know who you will bump into but there are no titles or pretenses in that bar. It’s really just a bunch of College Baseball fans coming to together to celebrate our sport. I cherish those good times.  

The College World Series is typically my longest trip of the year: ten days. That is a long time to be away from home.  And yet the trip flies by. It is a blur of fun and work and laughter and memories. Each June, when I look down and see an Omaha Boarding Pass on my phone, a feeling of giddiness overwhelms me. And when I head home, a feeling of gratitude comes over me. This trip is a privilege and that is never lost on yours truly.  

So I suppose that another year is in the books. Just writing that stirs my excitement for next year. Omaha never gets old and she always delivers. There’s no place I’d rather be next June.   
 
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