Regardless of the outcome of Monday’s College World Series matchup with Southeastern Conference baseball superpower and tournament favorite Arkansas, Murray State fans were going to enjoy this experience to every last drop.

it started last week when Racer Nation began arriving from all over the nation to a place that has come to be known as everything from “Baseball Heaven” to home of the “Greatest Show on Dirt.” That was a few days ahead of Saturday’s grand CWS debut for the Murray State program with UCLA at a place that seems to take the same role as Emerald City in the famed movie classic “The Wizard of Oz.” This is where all college baseball fans want to go, at least one time.

They want to see what they have watched on TV for so many years. They want to see the places where so many great moments have created amazing memories. They also want to be part of the traditions — Jello shots at Rocco’s (yes, I participated and did my part for my alma mater, still second to 2023 winner and CWS champ Louisiana State at the time of this writing) and the smores nachos at the stadium.

They want to walk across the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge that spans the Missouri River between Omaha’s state of Nebraska and the Hawkeye State, Iowa, which is home to another idea that could fit this week — “The Field of Dreams,” the subject of one of the greatest baseball movies ever produced. Yes, Charles Schwab is a field of dreams. My beautiful wife, Leigh, and I are going to take that walk before we leave Omaha, holding hands.

This event traditionally starts on Father’s Day Weekend, the most appropriate starting time imaginable. After all, what you envision when you think of baseball? That’s right … dads and sons going on the journey together.

You see it here throughout Omaha. There is a fan experience area behind the outfield that offers several baseball-related games, from home run derbies to seeing how fast a ball could be thrown. It wasn’t only the kids playing. The dads – and, yes, a lot of moms and the daughters (yes, they should share in the tradition as well) — were participating as well a living, breathing example of “family activity.”

And the greatest thing? You hear a 7- or 8-year-old boy look at his dad after he succeeds in a hitting game with his eyes the size of large plates and a huge smile on his face and the dad yells, “There ya go!!!!!!!” Then, they high-five … or hug.

That’s why we’re here folks! That’s what makes Omaha rock. That’s why this is the REAL Field of Dreams or Emerald City … not one from a movie (not that there is anything wrong with those movies!). It’s kind of like Mom’s apple pie … it’s always better from scratch, as opposed to a box, right?).

That said, as I am writing this a storm is headed toward Omaha, so that means a rainbow may soon appear above the stadium.

That would complete the package.

On a personal note, this venture has also meant the world to yours truly. You see, when I was younger, I’d watch the CWS on ESPN every year, usually on family outings to northeast Texas. My late uncle, Wayne, and older cousins, Mike and Sandy, were all baseball fans and really loved college baseball. My dad, John Jr., yours truly (John III) and younger brother Scott also would watch. 

And I figure my mom (Barbara) and aunt (Betty) wouldn’t have minded tagging along because they like baseball too. 

A dream of mine was for all of us to go to Omaha for the CWS, start to finish, back when it was at the old Rosenblatt Stadium. 

It never happened, but maybe I got gained a little redemption from that, thanks to the Racers — my team — giving me the chance to not only cover the biggest sporting event of my career, but to watch it too.