Thanks, Dad!

Tonight I cheered my Gamecocks on to victory as they won the College World Series. It was so exciting to see my team win, even if the game felt like it went on forever. Way to go Cocks!
What really got me thinking, though, was how the announcers kept talking about the fact that this could likely be (and in reality was) the final CWS game played in Rosenblatt Stadium. As I listened to them talk about this stadium that has become such an icon in the college sports world, I couldn't help but feel grateful that I was one of the lucky 7.5 million or so people who got to share in the Rosenblatt experience over the years.
So, thanks Dad, for giving Nick and me the opportunity to experience one of the most revered pilgrimages in college sports. I know that when I insisted on tagging along, that probably wasn't exactly what you had in mind. After all, it was less than a month after our wedding. I'm well aware that we likely butted in on what should have been a father-son bonding trip. The 12 hour car ride was more crowded, with more pit stops along the way thanks to me. You and Mark had to share hotel rooms (with 2 double beds) with two extra people, and you had to make special arrangements for game tickets since you only had access to a few of the team tickets. But hey, we got to do some pretty cool stuff since you did let us tag along. I'll never forget the insane ticket lottery process or the wicked sunburn I got waiting in line to get into the ballpark, and of course I'm glad to still be alive after that one restaurant excursion (you know which one I mean). And the most priceless memory of all, cheering on my Baylor Bears in-person at the College World Series in Omaha. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, one that is now extinct. So, for all that I just wanted to say thanks!