The College World Series was a mystery until I smelled Rosenblatt Stadium for the very first time. That first time feeling the hallowed surface beneath my feet — the same surface where so many baseball legends stood—is a moment I will never forget.
My team would eventually churn out the swan song to a 60-year run, bookending an era by winning the final National Championship held at the Stadium.
And we weren't even close to being finished.
Of everything that has ever happened between the lines on the baseball diamond, the most gratifying moment for me was having the late, great Sam Esposito as a mentor.
He was a legend and a former big-leaguer for the Chicago White Sox.
For me, however, he was simply someone I looked up to — someone that taught me how to be a better ball player, student-athlete, coach, and young man.
Not many people are blessed to get to go down the path that opened for me. I played Division I college baseball at North Carolina State before earning the head coaching job there at the age of 27.
Without Coach Esposito, that would have never happened.
Back in the days
Growing up, I was into all sorts of sports. It's what we did back in the day when the internet wasn't around yet.
You just played whatever sport was going on.
Football, baseball, basketball — you name it.
My parents never forced a sport on me, but they wanted me to stay active and allowed me to pretty much do what I wanted.
When it came time to decide which sport I would pursue past grade school, the answer was pretty simple — baseball.
It gave me the best chance to play in college.
So, I knew exactly what I had to do when opportunity came knocking at North Carolina State.
My dad and grandfather were baseball enthusiasts, and we followed the New York Yankees religiously. It seemed like a great fit and a chance to channel my passion for a sport I loved so dearly at the next level.
That decision ended up being one of the best ones I've ever made. And as mentioned earlier, getting a chance to learn under Coach Esposito was one of the main reasons.
It was such a special opportunity for me to work with a man that helped me forge my own path.
Reality turns to a new opportunity
As a freshman in college, I was of the mindset I'd become a big-leaguer at the end of my collegiate career. By the time junior year came around, that dream was snuffed out, however.
It was just one of those moments where I realized I probably don't have what it takes to compete at the highest level. It's the same harsh reality most student-athletes have to face at some point.
Once reality set in, I knew I either wanted to get into coaching or athletic administrative work. As a graduate assistant, I thought the administrative role would be the best opportunity because coaches weren't making very much money at that time, and there were few, if any, full-time jobs for coaching assistants.
Then Coach Esposito retired, and I was hired in his place at NC State. The opportunity to serve as the successor for someone I had such a deep admiration for was too good to pass up.
We never made it to the CWS, but we did regularly compete in the NCAA playoffs.
The mere chance to compete at the CWS is something players and coaches across the country think about on a daily basis. That was always on the radar. I vowed to never attend the CWS unless my team took me as a coach.
And I never did — until 2002, when I had taken the coaching job at the University of South Carolina.
We won a super-regional over Miami to go to the CWS.
And that was the first time I'd ever been.
A stroll at Rosenblatt
That first trip was filled with so many emotions.
We landed in Omaha, checked into the hotel, and I had a tremendous case of anxiety like you wouldn't believe. We were going to practice on the field the next day over at Rosenblatt, but I was too emotional to wait that long. After all of the years of waiting, I was just overcome with the fact that we were there.
So, I asked one of the guys working the front desk if he could jump shift and take me out to the Stadium. It was the early evening, and he thought the gates might be locked. I assured him that I could get over a fence if needed. I couldn't rest until I had a chance to see the iconic field for myself.
And so, he took me.
Fortunately, I didn't have to MacGyver my way over the fence. The gates were open with the staff preparing for the next day. I just walked around, took in some deep breaths, and I was okay.
I know the nice guy at the front desk probably thought I was crazy, but I made sure to tip him well.
Two wins for the history books
In 2010, we returned and closed out the final CWS at Rosenblatt with a win over UCLA in the finals. An all-around great defensive effort with some clutch at-bats really did it for us.
It was our time.
We faced Gerrit Cole in the first game of the National Championship. The last time I checked, he's still doing pretty good.
It was a very special game to close a stadium.
The next day, when we were on our way to the airport, we stopped at TD Ameritrade Park, which was still under construction at the time. I jokingly told the guys we'd win the first National Championship ever played at TD Ameritrade after winning the last one at Rosenblatt.
Who would have ever thought I'd speak a feat like that into existence?
We beat Florida to win the second consecutive year in the inaugural CWS at TD Ameritrade Park. I never was a braggadocios type of coach and never touted my team a lot, but it was an incredible accomplishment.
We won the last one, and the first one.
It is a very special accomplishment.
Paving a new future
After losing in the 2012 championship, I was offered the opportunity to become the Athletics Director at the University of South Carolina.
It just felt like the perfect timing for a new journey.
I loved living here, and I wanted to make a difference in the lives of student-athletes.
I wanted to be able to provide the resources and opportunities for young men and women to be able to excel at a high level by improving facilities and creating a winning culture, while also keeping education at the forefront.
We're constantly investing in our resources for student-athletes to provide a better experience.
You only get to do this for a few years. We want to provide the best of the best so they can have a lifelong experience, and that's exciting to me.
My playing and coaching days might be in the rearview, but I'm still very close to the action. I still get to live vicariously through our coaches and student-athletes competing.
I guess being a chip off the Esposito diamond has given me the chance to shine in more ways than one.
