Think what you will of woke culture in major sporting leagues. That is your right. I share the disgust of many millions who just want to enjoy the game and drink a beer or four while not having to pay homage to every victim group established by the mainstream media. While this obnoxious trend may tarnish the brand of many long-lasting leagues, such as the National Football League, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, or Major League Baseball, it cannot tarnish the beauty and intricacy of each respective game.
To me, there is nothing like watching a battery (the baseball term for the pitcher and catcher combination) work together under an afternoon sky, hearing a fastball popping the mitt or the satisfying crack of the lumber (or in the case of college ball, the ping of the bat), and nerding out over each individual count of an at-bat and the statistical implications at hand. I will always love the tenacity of the college game, from the rivalries to the do-or-die attitude present through most of the season as teams jockey for position.
The greatest thing about the game is that the best team doesn’t always win (ask Tennessee). The best team in terms of talent often peaks too early, cleaning house while the law of averages eventually drags them down at the worst possible time. I have been part of many powerhouse teams, both in high school and in college, that were seemingly unbeatable until the hottest team caught up to them at the end of the season. The Ole Miss Rebel baseball teams of 2004, 2005, and 2006 fit that mold, as did many others following my departure from the program. Those teams were coached by Mike Bianco, who took the helm at Ole Miss in 2001 and remains there to this day, having just led Ole Miss to its first-ever national title in baseball.
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