I know all you Bulldog fans remember the excitement, the celebration, the final out and the improbable run through the College World Series for the Fresno State baseball team. I got a chance to talk with the voice of the Bulldogs' baseball, a guy you hear on KMJ-580am Fresno, Paul Loeffler on his experience and on the 2009 team.
Todd Kaufmann: Take me back to the College World Series, was there ever a time where you said to yourself "this can't be real, is this team really doing what they're doing?"
Paul Loeffler: A time? How about dozens of times. I honestly wasn't sure they'd win the WAC Tournament. The way they were playing down the stretch of the season, their inability to win on the road throughout the year, all factors seemed to point to a wide open field in Ruston. They had some close calls there too against Sac St. and Nevada. Coach Batesole says the win over Long Beach was the defining moment for him. Even after that, they appeared to be toast so many times, but kept answering the bell over and over again. I recently finished writing a book about their season, and even after that, it STILL doesn't seem real. They went from an RPI of 89 going into the NCAA field and found a way to win it all. No one has ever done that before, in any sport, and I doubt it will ever be done again.
Todd Kaufmann: I talked to Andrew Marden of CBS 47 and he says the 2008 team "overachieved," is that a fair statement?
Paul Loeffler: For a good chunk of the year, the players and fans would have told you they underachieved. They knew going into the season that Omaha might be a possibility, but then they played themselves into a position where they needed to win the WAC tourney just to make the postseason. They certainly didn't have the talent or depth that ASU had, or the numbers that teams like Rice and UNC had, but they didn't go up against a single team that I thought could match their heart. I guess it's fair to say they underachieved and then overachieved, but the bottom line for me is that they demonstrated the power of trust.
Todd Kaufmann: In game 2, after Georgia had come from behind and beaten Fresno State, the Bulldogs were down 5-0, did you honestly think this team had what it took to put together the kind of rally they did?
Paul Loeffler: By that point I had learned not to count them out. If they could do what they did in Tempe, there was really no situation that was going to be more imposing. Again, the power of trust, the comfort and freedom that comes from believing in each other, not worrying who gets the credit, and just living in the moment.
Todd Kaufmann: Talk about Steve Detwiler and the guts it took to go out there and do what he did in the finale with a badly damaged thumb. Is this a performance that will be forever etched in College World Series lore?
Paul Loeffler: I think it has to be, not even so much for the injury - he'd been dealing with that for close to 2 months - but for what he had done before that in Omaha. He had been about the easiest out on the team going into that final game. I wondered if Mike Batesole would put Mendonca in the 6-hole, even though UGa was starting a lefty, but Bates said he had to stick with what got them there, and that was Detwiler batting 6th against LH starters. Trust epitomized again. Detwiler has something in his blood that most of us don't. He's all about energy, excitement, and adrenaline, and it's hard to imagine a day that will ever surpass that one for him in that regard.
Todd Kaufmann: I know some fans want their play-by-play guys to not be "homers," then there are those fans who love to hear the real emotion of their own guys. Take me through the final out and the emotion in the booth. Talk about what that was like for you personally?
Paul Loeffler: My philosophy is that, first and foremost, you have to be the 'eyes' for your audience. You have translate what you're seeing into words that paint a picture for the listeners at home, and the picture you paint better be an accurate representation of what's happening. If the other team makes a phenomenal play, a la UNC's Kyle Shelton sliding into the foul fence and making the catch, there needs to be some excitement in your call. A great play is a great play, no matter which team makes it, and a great player is a great player, no matter which uniform he wears. As Fresno State's announcer, I'm obviously going to be tailoring to a Bulldog fan's perspective, a Valley resident's perspective, but my hope is that someone listening will respect and appreciate the job I do, regardless of who he roots for. It was a great thrill to be there, and a tremendous privilege to try to capture the moment that so many Diamond Dog fans, alumni, ex-coaches, etc had been waiting for for such a long time.
Todd Kaufmann: That night, after the celebration on the field was over, when the players were back at the hotel, what was that like. I know most of them had to be up most of the night, was was the emotion like at the hotel?
Paul Loeffler: I didn't throw a pitch or swing a bat, but I was completely drained. It had been as long a stretch on the road as I've ever dealt with, and I realized I clearly had put a lot of energy into that championship game. I was a little dazed as I walked into the hotel, and one of the first things to greet me was a giant bear hug from Coach Batesole. I don't know if I was even coherent enough to properly congratulate him. I had to be at the airport before 6 the next day, so I crashed early, but I know the celebration did last a while. When I headed to the airport in the morning, Brandon Burke was still in the lobby chatting with Matt James of the Bee. I guess they slept on the plane.
Todd Kaufmann: If there were a few guys that Bulldog fans should keep their eye on when the 2009 season opens, who are those players and why?
Paul Loeffler: The first names that have to be mentioned are Mendonca and Ahmady. The Mendonca we saw in Omaha was the player we knew he always had the potential to be. If he can maintain that level of performance, that kind of success against lefties, and that ability to hit breaking pitches, he could be a legitimate player of the year candidate. The experience he gained in Omaha and on his world tour with Team USA will be extremely valuable. Ahmady can flat out hit, and is as clutch they come. We may see him used in different places and different roles in 2009. I look to Holden Sprague to set the tone for the pitching staff. He was the unsung hero of that staff in 2008, and has the mound makeup you wish everyone could take on. Muno will be solid again, Hedstrom built a lot of confidence, Detwiler should be more consistent and will continue to inject enthusiasm, Grubb learned a lot in 2008 and will be a leader, and we'll see which freshmen decide to step up, especially on the mound. It should be an exciting year.
Final note...great GREAT interview from Paul Loeffler. We all know the excitement Bulldog fans, and the city of Fresno, went through throughout the College World Series and the National Championship game, but it's always fun to hear the insight from the announcers and how they felt the entire way through. Big thanks to KMJ's Paul Loeffler for taking the time to do it. Check him out every Sunday afternoons at 4pm on KMJ-580am for his show Hometown Heroes.
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