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Written by Michael Lambert | Wednesday, 24 June 2009 07:38 | LSU News
Besides housing the top two baseball teams in the country, Rosenblatt Stadium has featured two of the best programs in college sports since the dawn of the new millennium.
LSU and Texas have racked up
20 national championships in all sports this decade - with one more on
the way. The two teams vying for the College World Series crown have
been two of the best in college sports since 2000.
The Tiigers and Longhorns have seen success on the gridiron, taking three championships - 2003, 2005, 2007. They didn't let up on the diamond, claiming titles in 2000, 2002, 2005 and now another in 2009.
Texas also scored in the pool, winning swimming and diving championships from 2000-2002.
One of the biggest shining points for both schools in the ‘00s have been on the track. One of the schools won either an indoor or outdoor track and field championship every year besides 2007 and 2009.
Basketball is a third pony at both schools, but they have reached some prosperity on the court. The Tigers made it to the Final Four in 2006, while the Longhorns took the Big 12 regular season title in 2006 and 2008.
Both Universities are dedicated to winning. They invest time and money into their athletic programs. LSU unveiled the new Alex Box Stadium and a new basketball practice facility is under construction. Texas' Disch-Falk Field underwent an $18 million facelift before the 2009 season.
One of the reasons they continue to hang national championship flags is the hotbed of talent in those states. Louisiana and Texas have some of the best high school athletes in the country, and both programs do a good job at keeping those athletes in state.
Potential players are attracted to Baton Rouge and Austin. They are both true college cities with a college atmosphere. Recruits flock to theses college towns where the weather and food are great.
Texas has to fight off Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Oklahoma for potential players, but the cream of the talent crop typically rises to Austin. LSU usually gets its pick of the liter from Louisiana and will occasionally reach into the recruiting gold mine of Texas. In LSU's 2009 football recruiting class, 13 of 25 prospects came from the Pelican State, while four hailed from the Lone Star State.
The coaches at both schools have kept the programs at the top of the NCAA food chain. Mack Brown, Augie Garrido, Les Miles and Paul Mainieri can all make the case they are the best coach in their sport. They are certainly in the discussion, based on accomplishment.
Winning comes with the territory for the purple and gold and burnt orange and white. The fan support is also unrivaled.. It's tough to find two schools with larger fan bases. Death Valley and Memorial Stadium are always packed, and baseball attendance numbers are consistent, with LSU leading the nation every year.
The future looks promising for the two schools. Colt McCoy returns to a Texas squad that was one Michael Crabtree miracle catch away from the BCS title game. Jordan Jefferson and John Chavis give hope to an LSU team coming off five SEC losses. Both baseball programs will continue the steeped tradition under Mainieri and Garrido.
But only one program will get to add another championship to their storied history in Omaha. Even though both schools have enjoyed success this decade, right now there is only one thing on the minds of LSU and Texas faithful - leaving Omaha on top.
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(Michael Lambert is entering his sophomore year at LSU and is a graduate of Archbishop Rummel High School. Lambert is a sports contributor for the LSU Daily Reveille)
