Last night was about as enjoyable a trip home as I have had this season. The Chico State baseball team had just clinched a berth in the post-season for an incredible 13th straight year. There was much joy for a team that has had to fight for a lot of their success this season. Part of the allure of this team is that they are not the perfect team. They have their issues, yet this club managed to scratch and claw their way to a spot in the post-season and top 15 ranking in the country.
While the Wildcats struggled against some of the top teams in the conference, they have decimated the also-rans in the CCAA. Chico State went an amazing 19-1 against San Bernardino, Pomona, Dominguez Hills, San Francisco State and Monterey Bay this year.
So, there was happiness, joy and a lot of pride for the Cats’ and it was well deserved. About half-way home from Southern California word trickled throughout the plane that the San Jose Sharks were playing an epic Game 6 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Dallas Stars. We were all trying to get any tidbit of info on the game. We heard about incredible saves by Evgeni Nabokov in the first OT, we heard about the incredible pressure the Sharks put on Marty Turco in the 2nd OT. And, we heard about how tired the players were in the third extra session.
By the time our bus pulled up to Nettleton Stadium just before midnight, we all realized that the Sharks were in the middle of the 4th Overtime in one of the greatest games in NHL history. So, as we hurriedly pulled our bags from the charter bus, you saw fatigued and tired athletes jogging or briskly walking to their cars to try and race home and catch the hockey game.
Sadly, the game ended before we could all arrive home. As our bus was pulling up to Nettleton Stadium, Brendan Morrow was beating Nabokov on a power play goal and the Sharks season was over.
That is sports for you. And, that is why we love it so……A day that started from the Clarion Hotel at 9:45am in San Bernardino with Chico State’s baseball life on the line…..ends just before midnight at Nettleton Stadium as we hear through text messages and phone calls about a San Jose Sharks playoff game.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose and sometimes you miss a sporting event that you will STILL never forget.
