Setting a Standard
Skip Bertman
 
Omaha has always been my field of dreams.

I've been fortunate enough to have been to Omaha nearly 20 times as I coached my teams on the biggest stage of college baseball — the Men's College World Series.

I never took a single one of those trips with my teams for granted, but make no mistake, taking my teams to the MCWS wasn't just an expectation.

It was a standard.

And I set that standard on the first practice every year when I was the head coach at LSU.

I had our players believing we'd make it to Omaha right out of the gate to start the year, and by around mid-April or so, I'd have them convinced we'd win it all.

Now, obviously, you're not going to win a championship every season. That's just not the reality of competitive sports at the DI level; however, placing that championship mindset and belief in my players is what contributed to the majority of the success I've had in my career.

While I certainly remember the five national championships the most, there are so many other wonderful memories and moments that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
 

The people make the place

There's an old saying that the people make the place, and that's undoubtedly true for the fabulous people of Omaha who attend the MCWS.

They're incredibly dedicated and supportive, and they create such a special atmosphere and environment to play in front of every single summer.

Another reason I've always had a soft spot for the people of Omaha is because of the unwavering support they've shown for LSU through the years.

The city's always gone out of its way to make it a second home for us whenever we had the chance to compete at the MCWS, which is more appreciated than I'll ever be able to fully express.

And I'd be remiss not to mention our own fans in Baton Rouge as well. I'm probably a little biased, but no one travels as well as our fans.

I know even during the years when LSU doesn't make the tournament, they still travel to Omaha because they enjoy the experience so much.

LSU loves Omaha, and I like to think that it's safe to say the feeling is mutual.
 

A championship feeling

My first trip to Omaha came in 1978 when I was an assistant coach for Miami. I was under the tutelage of my mentor and coaching legend Ron Fraser, to whom I owe much of my career.

It was a real thrill for me to be a part of a team with so much success and national relevance. I was still a young buck at the time, and I always wanted to know what it felt like to be in Omaha and win a national title.

A few years later, I got to experience just that when we won the national title at the 1982 Men's College World Series.

As thrilling as it felt to win a championship and share it with Ron and the rest of the team, there came a point in time when I believed I was ready to lead a team of my own.

Following the 1983 season, I left Miami to become the head coach at LSU, but I had my work cut out for me.

It seems almost impossible to fathom now, but back in those days, people didn't have a strong passion or much of an interest in LSU baseball.

My job was to make people invested in our program in Baton Rouge.
 

Home-field advantage

I don't care what sport you play or are a part of – home-field advantage is critical to your success.

If I wanted to have long-standing success, I knew I had to get people to come to the games and care. But in order to do that, I had to put a great product on the field.

So, I did everything in my power to recruit and get some of the best players in the country to come down to Baton Rouge and play some ball. Once I was able to do that, we started having record-high attendance numbers across the entire country.

Playing in front of large crowds not only helped us get to Omaha, but they helped prepare us for the atmosphere that was waiting for us once we got to the Men's College World Series.

I can say without question that the LSU faithful deserve as much credit as anybody for us winning those five national championships in my time as head coach.
 

An unforgettable home run

For any coach or player that's fortunate enough to win multiple titles, there's usually one that stands out over the other, and I'm no exception to that.

The 1996 title will always hold a special place in my heart.

The reason being for the dramatic fashion in which we won it.

I'll never forget it.

When Warren Morris came to the plate with a runner on third and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, I was just hoping he'd hit a single to tie it up.

But he had a better plan in place.

When that ball went over the wall and into the stands for a home run, I ran as fast as I could to home plate to push our guys back to make sure Warren touched the plate.

A walk-off home run to win the national championship; I still have goosebumps just thinking about it. (A Piece of History - Warren Morris)

It's funny, I was having lunch with one of the pitching coaches at LSU the other day, and he asked me if I had a different approach during those big moments and games.

My answer was an emphatic no.

Whether it was March or June, the goal was not only to win, but to always keep growing and improving in all aspects of the game.

We expected to win, and we were upset if we didn't, but we always bounced back and moved on.
 

No place like Omaha

Coaching at LSU was a dream come true for me. I was able to establish my goal of leading a winning program, with the aim to get to Omaha every year to compete for a national championship.

In doing so, I won my five titles and had the time of my life doing so.

What more could a person ask for?

Once I retired from coaching in 2001, I transitioned into an administrative role at LSU as the Athletic Director from 2001-2008.

This university has been a major blessing in my life, and it was my privilege to continue to play a role in serving an athletics department and university that have given so much to me.

I'm grateful for every player and coach who helped make LSU baseball a powerhouse and mainstay at the MCWS.

I hope my journey inspires other players and coaches to chase their dreams and strive for greatness in creating their own stories at the MCWS in Omaha.

Because believe me when I tell you, there's no place like it.