The lead question of the 2021 CWS ...

@TPM posted:

Where are you that you dont get english on espn3?

TPM - I don't think it is a where question.  It is a who question.  My internet provider is Comcast/Xfiunity and when I click on the English button nothing happens.

All - How about that Grand Slam in the bottom of 7.  The Spanish commentators were going crazy.   Clutch.  I'm telling ya, UVA baseball are cockroaches.  They shouldn't even have qualified for the tournament, yet here they are on the verge of CWS.   Great defensive plays by both teams.

Weird Fenway. That's how I'm watching and it's in English.

@fenwaysouth posted:

TPM - I don't think it is a where question.  It is a who question.  My internet provider is Comcast/Xfiunity and when I click on the English button nothing happens.

All - How about that Grand Slam in the bottom of 7.  The Spanish commentators were going crazy.   Clutch.  I'm telling ya, UVA baseball are cockroaches.  They shouldn't even have qualified for the tournament, yet here they are on the verge of CWS.   Great defensive plays by both teams.

That's weird. Game on my comcast/xfinity is espnu . On other devices on ESPN 3 its in english. You need to change your battery or get a new remote.

When we went to Omaha, the Beavers won for the first time. No one could even figure out how they got there.  It's that time of the year when anything can happen.

@fenwaysouth posted:

TPM - I don't think it is a where question.  It is a who question.  My internet provider is Comcast/Xfiunity and when I click on the English button nothing happens.

All - How about that Grand Slam in the bottom of 7.  The Spanish commentators were going crazy.   Clutch.  I'm telling ya, UVA baseball are cockroaches.  They shouldn't even have qualified for the tournament, yet here they are on the verge of CWS.   Great defensive plays by both teams.

In reply to the “All” portion : it seems like there is a team like this every year - often California teams (like Fullerton, Fresno, UCSB) and they always seem to go a long way in Omaha.

TPM and PTWood,

So, I was watching on my computer (two screens) not on Smart TV.   When I watch ESPN3 (no ESPNU) on my computer, it asks for my Internet provider (Xfinity), registered email address and password.  Once I'm in I was prompted for English or Spanish.   I picked English and it just sat there for minutes.   I tried a number of times, and it wouldn't work.   So, Plan B was Spanish.  I actually found the Spanish announcers to be far less annoying than the English speaking ones when I had the volume on....I had to jump on a few business calls.  It turned out to be a pretty good game.

All,

I'm very interested to see how the 2 x 4 team brackets are broken out.   I can't find anything on how they do this.  Is this predetermined based on the Super Regional locational results (Ie. Columbia Super Regional winner is predetermined to play the Tuscon Super Regional winner) or do they wipe the slate clean and seed the CWS based on the previous Regional and Super Regional seedings?  Is this a State secret because I can't find this anywhere.

https://www.ncaa.com/brackets/baseball/d1/2021

Pre determined by region. So bracket one (let's call it the red bracket) has Stanford, Vandy, AZ and NC State. Bracket 2 (the orange bracket LOL) has TX, UVA, TN and Mississippi State or ND.

Yes, it’s predetermined. PT Wood knows that because she had the highest possible security clearance and therefore has access to that information

Thanks PTWood.   Sometimes I can't see the forest from the trees.....I recall seeing that chart when the tournament first started.

Based on the teams (whether MSU or Notre Dame wins) in their current brackets, it looks pretty balanced to me.  Both brackets are nightmares which makes it fair for everybody.

LOL @adbono. Just an unhealthy obsession with brackets going back to the 1990s. Nothing better than front row seats to one of the original men's basketball NCAA bracket busters! ;-) 

@fenwaysouth everyone's been saying this year would be something special...we are certainly seeing it play out. For the most part, the quality of play has been incredible.

@PTWood posted:

@fenwaysouth everyone's been saying this year would be something special...we are certainly seeing it play out. For the most part, the quality of play has been incredible.

My personal opinion is that this is not the end result NCAA folks were hoping for.

But....the best story of the week. Link Jarrett's son, JT, plays for NC State. Good thing they weren't in the same bracket!

Are these announcers at the ball park?  There have been some bad camera selections that didn't show the play on the field until instant replay, and the announcers are silent when this happens.  I've noticed this all weekend and in particular tonights ND vs MSU game.  Is it possible they are hanging out at home or a local studio and not at the ball park?

@Smitty28 posted:

Are these announcers at the ball park?  There have been some bad camera selections that didn't show the play on the field until instant replay, and the announcers are silent when this happens.  I've noticed this all weekend and in particular tonights ND vs MSU game.  Is it possible they are hanging out at home or a local studio and not at the ball park?

I do no not believe they are. This gives them ability to do multiple games in a day, especially Scott Peterson.

Well, regardless of tonights game, all teams going are P5 and big money programs. Just too much depth for mid D1 programs to win. They can get close but will always fall short of their goal.

@TPM posted:

I do no not believe they are. This gives them ability to do multiple games in a day, especially Scott Peterson.

You have your Peterson’s mixed up.

Scott Peterson killed his wife Laci and is in jail.

Kyle Peterson is the ex-player and current ESPN college baseball analyst that attempts to save every broadcast from being killed by Ben McDonald’s incoherent Cajun rants.

@TPM posted:

Well, regardless of tonights game, all teams going are P5 and big money programs. Just too much depth for mid D1 programs to win. They can get close but will always fall short of their goal.

Coastal, Fresno St and Fullerton have won titles in the last 17 years. 

@d-mac posted:

Coastal, Fresno St and Fullerton have won titles in the last 17 years.

Yeah, I like it better when there are a couple teams like those in Omaha. They are often fun teams to watch & pull for

@adbono posted:

You have your Peterson’s mixed up.

Scott Peterson killed his wife Laci and is in jail.

Kyle Peterson is the ex-player and current ESPN college baseball analyst that attempts to save every broadcast from being killed by Ben McDonald’s incoherent Cajun rants.

I am innocent!    I typed Kyle and Scott showed up!

@adbono posted:

Yeah, I like it better when there are a couple teams like those in Omaha. They are often fun teams to watch & pull for

I was hoping DBU would make it.  NC state plays 14 guys total in meaningful games. They are probably the best story of the teams left.

LOL!

Fenway "listening" in Spanish and Scott Peterson posing as Kyle from a remote location!

Who said the pandemic is over?!

HR by Notre Dame 1st baseman was one of farthest I’ve seen in a long time.

@Smitty28 posted:

Are these announcers at the ball park?  There have been some bad camera selections that didn't show the play on the field until instant replay, and the announcers are silent when this happens.  I've noticed this all weekend and in particular tonights ND vs MSU game.  Is it possible they are hanging out at home or a local studio and not at the ball park?

They’re not at the park. When the pairs are shown on the screen the backgrounds are different. They look like home backgrounds. I guess ESPN isn’t over Covid. It’s not allowing them to do more games. I looked up the announcers. There are eight announcing teams. One for each location.

It would be interesting to see how many players on the field for final 8 teams are transfers and how many were already there.  I would but on the road.  I know all of UT’s guys have been there and their pitchers.  They only have one grad transfer and he is backup catcher from Knoxville.  None others from transfer portal.  

@TPM posted:

I do no not believe they are. This gives them ability to do multiple games in a day, especially Scott Peterson.

That's lame.  I read an article that MLB announcers are doing this because they got used to a much easier lifestyle of less travel.  Fans deserve better.

The question I've been asking myself since Mississippi State recorded their last out last night is...

Can anybody take out Vanderbilt and their two starting pitchers?  The two best starting pitchers at the CWS are on the same team.  I sure hope so.  We'll find out soon enough as Stanford and NC State are both offensively built.

BTW...Congrats to all the teams and their supporters!

@fenwaysouth posted:

The question I've been asking myself since Mississippi State recorded their last out last night is...

Can anybody take out Vanderbilt and their two starting pitchers?  The two best starting pitchers at the CWS are on the same team.  I sure hope so.  We'll find out soon enough as Stanford and NC State are both offensively built.

BTW...Congrats to all the teams and their supporters!

Once past Rocker and Leiter their starting pitching looks a little light. The key is going to be getting to a game three. Every team that gets to Omaha is capable of getting to game three. I would guess if it comes down to it pitching would be an inning by inning proposition using as many as necessary.

Before getting to the championship round best of three if Rocker or Leiter get out pitched in one game early is Vanderbilt in trouble?

Rocker/Leiter are an amazing duo. They have not been invincible this year (they each lost 3 games). If Kumar isn't 100% locked in and the hitters are patient/don't chase the slider, he can be hit. Leiter is overall more efficient but has been a little vulnerable to the long ball. If the umps don't squeeze the batters, it's possible. The lost series to GA, FL and Ole Miss this year.

@PTWood posted:

Rocker/Leiter are an amazing duo. They have not been invincible this year (they each lost 3 games). If Kumar isn't 100% locked in and the hitters are patient/don't chase the slider, he can be hit. Leiter is overall more efficient but has been a little vulnerable to the long ball. If the umps don't squeeze the batters, it's possible. The lost series to GA, FL and Ole Miss this year.

Great scouting report.

A shame though that many of the pitchers on team sat more than they played while Jack and Kumar ate innings.

So, here we go.   I love this time of year.   CWS, Fathers Day, my anniversary....happy fathers day to all the Dad's out there.    Here are the most up to date odds (below) I could find without wasting a lot of time.  The first games are key every year but they are extremely important in 2021 based on the matchups and seedings.  After looking at the brackets (https://www.ncaa.com/brackets/baseball/d1/2021) and matchups a little longer, the first games...Vanderbilt vs Arizona and Texas vs Mississippi State is going to set the tone real quick.   Tennessee and Stanford get a nice draw in that they don't play a seed but it is still tough sledding against opportunistic ACC teams NC State and Virginia.   

I should be pulling for Virginia but I just can't do it even though I love wine and cheese.   My dark horse pick is Stanford....everybody loves a cute and cuddly....tree for a mascot.   I've only seen a few of their games, but they were impressive in every one.

Enjoy the CWS!

This is always a bittersweet time of year for us. FWIW, I am admitting that son was the losing pitcher that sent us, as the first team to go home. The road to Omaha is grueling. The  atmosphere electric. 

I had a text conversation with bacdorslider last weekend. This will be his son's SECOND trip to Omaha. I hope that he gets to pitch.

As an ACC ex parent, I have to go with either one of the teams.  But my gut tells me Vandy.

Fenway, thanks for the post. Enjoy and make sure you get the games in English, not Spanish!

Happy Father's Day!

TPM,

I understand your ACC backing...admirable.  My reluctance to root for Virginia is actually a positive for their team and chances.   In 2015, I bet my wife that if Virginia won the College World Series I would eat meatloaf.   I despise three foods...meatloaf, brussell sprouts and liver.   All three things I was forced to eat as a kid, and I'll just come out and say it....my Mom was no Julia Child.  Virginia's Cinderella run in 2015 was incredible.   They were lucky and opportunistic from the regionals all the way to the CWS.  After every game I would tell my wife how lucky they were, so we made a bet before the CWS.  Clearly she is the brains of the operation....   

Thankfully she served my "2015 UVA meatloaf" hot with lots of mashed potatoes and thin asparagus.

Enjoy the CWS!

We went in 2015 when PTWoodson was 12. Happened to be staying at the same hotel with the Vandy boys who were very sweet with our guys. Sons has a couple of HS teammates on UVA. But cowbells ring true so we gotta go with Hail State! We are actually trying to figure out if when can get out there for games…

NC State off to a very quick start!

Been 2 years, obvs, but don’t they usually have velo up?

@PTWood posted:

NC State off to a very quick start!

100% my fault.  I picked Stanford as my dark horse.

@fenwaysouth posted:

100% my fault.  I picked Stanford as my dark horse.

If you have that much influence on what happens to the teams you root for please pull for Texas.

@fenwaysouth posted:

100% my fault.  I picked Stanford as my dark horse.

Thanks Fenway!

It sounds like the Vanderbilt whistler is in Omaha so I'm going to have to root for Arizona tonight.

The Whistler is the worst thing about college baseball. 😂

• I’m with a couple of friends who aren’t college ball viewers. One played college ball.  They hated the Whistler by the second inning. I’ve hated him since the second inning of the first time I heard him years ago.