Kiss the Rings!!!

This is a products liability blog, but as a proud graduate of the University of South Carolina (undergrad, grad school, and law school....yeah, I liked college), I have to take a moment to say...


CONGRATULATIONS TO THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCK BASEBALL TEAM ON REPEATING AS NCAA BASEBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!

What a series.  South Carolina earned its first baseball national championship last year in the final game at legendary Rosenblatt Stadium (which I blogged about here) by defeating UCLA in the first two games of the final three-game series.

This was the first year in the magnificent $130 million TD Ameritrade Stadium, and our team again made history by (1) repeating as national champions, which I believe only six teams have been able to do (the last being Oregon State about four or five years ago), (2) having the longest College World Series winning streak (10 games), (3) having the longest tournament winning streak, at 16 games, and (4) being the first team to win in the new park.  We went 5-0 at the College World Series, defeating Texas A&M, Virginia (twice), and then defeating the Florida Gators in the first two games of a three game series, 2-1 and 5-3.

If you watched this year's team, and especially the games against Virginia and the first game against Florida, then you know that this team won through heart, grittiness, and stellar defense.  It wasn't a team of first round draft picks and "stars," but they had great team chemistry and never stopped believing they could win.  We overcame injuries to numerous players and just pieced together a line-up throughout the year to get it done.  The team's mantra became "Win Anyway" and "Battle."

I have never seen a team get out of so many bases loaded, one or two out "jams" as our team did in this tournament.  It was really fun to watch.

The headline, "Kiss the Rings," refers to a funny statement by our radio announcer earlier this year.  When we played Vanderbilt in a three game series, our starting ace Michael Roth faced off against Vandy's star, Sonny Gray.  The match-up became a game of "The Godfather" cliches..."Sonny" versus "Michael."  When we won the first game, our announcer said "Kiss the Ring!" (again... referring to The Godfather).  It became a fitting slogan for the team as we defended last year's championship and gutted out win after win to earn a second championship and second CWS ring.

Congratulations guys, you earned it!