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Written by The Kid | Friday, 05 June 2009 07:50 | LSU News
As much as LSU fans thrive off Saturday nights in Death Valley, Sunday afternoons in Alex Box Stadium are just as exciting for many Tiger faithful.
It is important to note that 14 has been a magic number for LSU baseball--14 CWS appearances, 14 SEC regular season titles. LSU baseball fans have grown into the strongest support group in the nation. The purple and gold have led the country in attendance the past 14 seasons--there's that number again!
The unveiling of the new Alex Box Stadium energized the preseason #1team going into the 2009 season. The "crown jewel of college baseball" filled to capacity all year, housing a top team with an even more impressive fan base.
The amount of LSU baseball followers will never surpass the number of LSU football fanatics, but the dedication of the baseball fans is unrivaled. Tiger baseball fans are some of the most committed in the country. They know the ins and outs of the team, predicting the next game's starting pitcher and naming the lineup from heart even when Mainieri makes a last-minute roster change.
LSU baseball fans are the best because they develop relationships with the players. They know the stats and sometimes even life stories of the players. The proximity between the players and the fans lends itself to a more personal feeling. The athletes don't hide behind face masks and wear loads of pads. They are normal guys who wear a shirt and pants. They are a man's man, donning a baseball cap like an average Joe.
The Tiger fans make a lifestyle of supporting the team. Their life revolves around LSU's schedule. They travel from all across the state to root for their Tigers. LSU's winning tradition created the unparalleled fans. Five championships will do that to a program. Since the 1990s, no college baseball program has compared to the Tigers.
From 1991 to 1997, LSU baseball dominated under the leadership of coach Skip Bertman, taking four titles in a seven year span. Bertman transformed the program and set it apart from the rest of the pack. He elevated the team to an elite program, and Mainieri has kept the tradition alive. He has been the right guy to lead the squad after Smoke Laval's disappointing tenure. Mainieri rules with an iron fist, but at the same time, controls his team with respect and dignity.
It is hard to deal with the expectations that come with being the Tigers' skipper, but Mainieri has handled it with grace. LSU's 23-game winning streak and College World Series berth in 2008 was not a fluke but rather a sign of things to come.
With the Tigers roaring into the super regionals again, the tradition of LSU baseball lives on. There will not be a seat left in Alex Box this weekend. The dedicated, knowledgeable and enthusiastic fans will be in full force.
If the Tigers advance to the College World Series, Omaha will once again be decorated with purple and gold, and that's just where LSU baseball fans expect to be the second weekend in June.
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("The Kid." a.k.a., Michael Lambert, is a graduate of Archbishop Rummel and is entering his sophomore year at LSU. He is a sports contributor to the Daily Reveille)
