I could tell you guys some absolutely HILARIOUS stories from Omaha in 2000 when I worked in SID as the baseball assistant... Those guys, that team, that post-season...It was like an other-worldly experience...Seeing Tallet yelling out each strikeout and out in the 9th inning of the SEC Tournament Championship game when they called him out of the bullie to mow them down in the last of the ninth...Just yelling at them, like, "It's all downhill from here..." Just a powerful period in my life...I found out a lot about what happens when people believe in a team, and a lot about what made Skip Bertman so damn successful...
definitely gotta go with Todd Walker as #1...he went to my HS and came back for the alumni games 2. Aaron Hill b/c of his leadership abilities 3. Ben McDonald b/c not only was he a great LSU player but he's now an excellent commentator for ESPN during the CWS 4. Warren Morris (obvious reasons) 5. Brad Cresse ...again great leadership...oh and that game winning texas leaguer
1. Adrian Antonini! I loved him with a passion...it was never the same after he was moved from catcher--what a rocket of an arm. 2. Todd Walker. Just an all-around great baseball player. 3. Chad Ogea. A nice guy and a great pitcher. 4. Russ Johnson. 5. Warren Morris.
Wally Blair Barbier- not many blair fans u gotta remember i believe he was captain his senior year and he hit a home run that started the rally in the 2000 CWS comeback Miracle Mike Miley- not many miley fans either Warren Morris Todd Walker
" Do You Believe" Wasn't that what he said to the team in the dugout late in the game before he hit the homer? A true believer that the Tigers could not be beat in the CWS.
Kurt Anisworth Brandon Larson Armando Rios ( I got him to sign a baseball after that 1993 championship) Eddie Yarnell (He was my group leader at a Skip Bertman baseball camp I went to. He was a funny guy.) Brad Hawpe I could go on and on.. I like so many. Rick Greene was really cool.
Position Players Jeff Reboulet Keith Osik Todd Walker Jeff Yurtin Mike Papajohn What can I say.....I like those guys that get dirty..... Pitchers Robbie Smith Clay Parker Big Ben Mark Guthrie Mestoupey
I saw that team up close when a buddy of mine and I took in a weekend series vs. UK in Lexington that year. There was a definite spirit that permeated the team, at least from where we sat. It was fun to watch Turtle Thomas who was constantly teaching all throughout the games. A UK guy would swing at a ball and miss and Turtle would suddenly hop up in front of the players, assume a batters stance and ask "Did you all see what he just did?" There really did seem to be a certain spark on that squad.
