I Will Never Stop Growing The Game But I'd Rather Rot In Hell Than See Mississippi State Win The College World Series

There’s no justice in sports media world that’s for damn sure. I started going hard to promote college baseball at Barstool Sports in early April after the Final Four to raise awareness for the most underrated sport there is. I was hired last October to help expand Barstool’s SEC presence and college baseball was such an obvious fit for that. I was honestly shocked the market was still open and seized the opportunity to use my platform to grow the game.

I was on an island for 6 weeks until the NCAA Tournament started but was getting a good bit of support on Twitter ESP from the South. Dave Portnoy even called me out on The Rundown after my big South trip to Dudy Noble (Starkville) Swayze (Oxford) and Alex Box (LSU) saying he hoped the 8 people who liked college baseball were enjoying my coverage in early May.

All of that changed when the NCAA Tournament started. We launched these popular Barstool In Omaha shirts and more importantly the Barstool Sportsbook started carrying lines and futures odds for college baseball. 

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Since the tournament started, the popularity of college baseball has exploded. Dave Portnoy LOVES baseball and wanted me to start posting my picks for him to tail. I had a huge 1st weekend during Regionals even going 6-0 on Monday night to end it. Well as they say, pride goeth before the fall. And fall I did in one of the most spectacular ways possible.

I got DESTROYED Super Regionals weekend and Dave lost a bunch of money taking my picks. As expected, he was less than thrilled. I walked into work on a Monday to see this scene with Dave decked out in Arkansas gear that made Stool Scenes after I told him to take Arkansas at +700 to win the title.

Before the College World Series Dave took NC State at +1500 and I took the chalk Vandy at +350. I continued to get crushed at the College World Series and have gotten killed more on Twitter by him including even an emergency press conference calling me a moron when I was so desperate I tried to promote Fade Mintzy bets on the Barstool Sportsbook. 

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NC State won the first matchup with Vandy 1-0 in a pitching dual when I posted this now famous video mid game update in the 5th inning and Terrell Tatum hit a solo home run right behind my head to decide the game.

Vandy had a miracle comeback to beat Stanford 6-5 on Wed night to stay alive to set up a rematch on Friday. Then Covid hit the NC State Wolfpack hard. They had to play with only 13 players Friday and fought valiantly in 3-1 loss. Then the NCAA dropped this bombshell at 2:10 AM EST that the Wolfpack were disqualified.  

Everyone in college baseball world was rightfully so upset as this is a sports tragedy and these kids will never get over it. Dave Portnoy called out the NCAA on Twitter. I am heartbroken for the players and fans. No one deserves this and Vandy moved onto the championship series. Literally NO ONE will be rooting for the ‘Dores in the title game series because of how this went down.

To make matters worse, Brandon Walker came to Omaha after his alma mater Mississippi State made it. I was obviously happy to have him come to Omaha as we got to do Picks Central live everyday at DJ’s Dugout everyday. However, he decided to poach my narrative about growing the game and paraded around on Twitter all but proclaiming himself as a savior for college baseball.

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I definitely had the thought that it would be ironic if I grew college baseball only to have to cover Mississippi State with making a run to the national championship with Brandon Walker of all people. The Bulldogs beat Texas 2-1 behind Will Bednar’s 15 strikeouts on Sunday night to get the run started.

Mississippi State was down 4-0 in the 8th to Virginia in Game 2 and was being no hit. Then all hell broke loose in the 8th inning when State star Tanner Allen hit this 3 run homer off Virginia closer and Barstool favorite Stephen Schoch and State won 6-5.

Mississippi State had to face Texas in a rematch on Friday and the Longhorns broke open a 5-5 tie in the 9th with this Ivan Melendez 3 run homer to win 8-5 to force a do or die Saturday game to make the Title Series.

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Saturday night’s game had it all. Texas jumped out to a 2-0 lead early off this Cam Williams moon shot off Will Bednar who was pitching again for the Bulldogs. 

State fought back to tie the game at 3-3 in the 6th but squandered a huge opportunity to by leaving the bases loaded when they had them loaded with no outs. Bulldog closer Landon Sims entered the game in the 7th and allowed no runs in 2.2 innings despite a couple of long outs at the warning track. 

With the game tied at 3-3 in the bottom of the 9th, State backup SS Tanner Leggett hit this line drive to win the game for the Bulldogs and it was total pandemonium. Mississippi State moves on to the title series Monday night to play best 2 of 3 vs. Vanderbilt in an all SEC affair. 

Now I have to face head on my arch rival playing for a national championship and everyone hating Vandy for what happened to NC State. The last thing in the world I want to see is Mississippi State’s 1st national title but here we are. Even Dave Portnoy and Big Cat are saying Hail State….. it makes me want to hurl.

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Everyone in the world except for Vandy and Ole Miss fans are cheering for Mississippi State in the title series. I have taken more crap from people the last two weeks than in the rest of my entire life. Enough is enough! I hope everyone of you are crushed when Vandy hoists a 3rd title in a couple of days. It will be a cold day in hell when I pull for Mississippi State to win a championship!

ANCHOR DOWN!