The talent can be replaced. It's part of the game - college baseball will mostly exist using three-year shelf lives of players, because usually, three seasons is all a coach is going to get from a player.
But what about the other?
Championship teams don't just have talent. They have the intangibles - some have a lucky token to place in the dugout, some have just the belief that they will not lose, some a steady veteran corps of leadership that takes charge in times of crisis.
And some that like to mimic fly-fishing or a kickline when there are two strikes or two outs.
"It's something that we've always done, but we've always had a different set throughout the year," South Carolina's Michael Roth said on Tuesday, as he completed his college career and prepared to start his minor-league career. "Guys do stupid stuff throughout the year, they have little idiosyncrasies about them, and you pick out and come up with something that matches them, that reflects who they are.
"I'm sure they'll keep it going. That's for sure. They have a lot of fun playing out there."
Roth became known as an All-American pitcher and screwball during the past three years, leading the Gamecocks on the mound and in dugout zaniness. The "Deuces Wild" actions that he led - two strikes or two outs from getting out the inning, or what-have-you - the USC dugout would come alive with antics.
The clip of several players standing at the rail, acting like they were paddling a kayak, was still on TD Ameritrade Park's College World Series highlight video this past year. The running-to-the-dugout-rail and leaning over as the pitch was delivered is a popular one. Pantomiming as if a bowling ball was in hand has been used.
It may have looked silly, but the Gamecocks laughed all the way to two national championships and three appearances in the CWS finals. Coach Ray Tanner, a self-described oldschool leader, released the leash on his players and let them do it, as long as it didn't get too out of line.
It hardly ever did, and Tanner learned that a relaxed approach to the game can work wonders. USC, with zaniness in tow, became a charismatic juggernaut from 2010-12.
Heading into 2013, though, Roth is gone. Ditto his roommate and partner-in-goof, Adam Matthews. USC has a lot of talent coming back in 2013, with more signed to replace what it's losing - but will the chemistry that Roth was the most visible example of be replaced?
"Well, I think the younger guys we have this year, Joey Pankake and Evan Beal, Joel Seddon, Grayson (Greiner), Tanner (English), it was a learning experience this year for them," Matthews said on Tuesday. "They'll continue with it. They'll play loose and be positive, continue to pick each other up. They'll be fine and carry on next year."
There will only be six members of the championship teams left in 2013, with only one of those (Tyler Webb) having pitched in each of the three CWS appearances. The others - Nolan Belcher, Brison Celek, Colby Holmes, Patrick Sullivan and Adam Westmoreland - may have been on the team or with the team in Omaha but didn't play due to injuries, redshirts, etc.
While Roth and Matthews stressed the need to stay loose in the dugout during games, and to treat the game for what it is, and feel that the younger players have harnessed that, the questions remain. Without Roth around to lead in the dugout, will it be the same?
"Tough to tell," Matthews said. "They don't have the four years that me and Michael had here. Somebody might have to tighten it to begin with, but I'm sure they're still going to make sure they play loose."
"It's kind of like what they had to learn, how they had to break in and see how we do things," Roth said. "That comes from doing things and learning from experience. It's like any workplace, where you have a norm. It may not be a stated rule, but it's the way we do things. They learned quickly how things go around here."
Now they have to keep it going. Roth never came to USC intending to do the off-the-mound activities that he did, they were just a branch of his personality. The other players followed suit.
With Roth out of the picture, there may not be players who treat the game like Roth did. A lot of them have played baseball so often that the joy of the game is sometimes not at the forefront. While Roth and Matthews have each stressed the need to stay loose, it may be hard to remember to act loose in a tight situation.
Tanner may have the same loose leash he had for his veterans, but he also may feel the need to enforce a little more business in the dugout. The Gamecocks will be very young next year, and while the sophomores logged a lot of games as freshmen, there are only a few that logged most of those games.
"He's just a lot looser with guys than he used to be. Maybe that's a tribute to us," Roth said. "Those younger guys got to experience this year, and it worked. They have some stripes on their sleeves now, as coach Tanner always refers to it. If they step up and be accountable, it will definitely give a little more leeway."
Roth and Matthews each realized the importance of the relaxed atmosphere during their time, the way the Gamecocks never seemed to get flustered. Learning how to stay loose is something that can only truly be learned during a game.
"Baseball can get stressful and business-like," Matthews said. "You don't want the game to get that way. You want that positive energy. That's what we strive for. In tight situations or in the playoffs or Omaha, the game's on the line, but big-time situation, succeed or fail, it's a game. Might as well have fun with it regardless."
The Gamecocks had fun and won so many games over the years that the program is at an all-time high. Roth and Matthews were two of the players that got it there.
To keep it there, their spirit has to be passed on to the younger guys. While that won't be judged until February when the new season starts, Roth and Matthews feel they've stressed the importance of it so that it won't soon be forgotten.
"Well, I think it's a trickle-down type of thing," Roth said. "We were lucky enough that we had guys like that for a long time. We had (Christian) Walker and (Evan) Marzilli and (Matt) Price, we learned and grew with great respect for each other's games. So, I think the young guys saw how much we appreciated each other and they understand that."
link: http://southcarolina.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1382295
But what about the other?
Championship teams don't just have talent. They have the intangibles - some have a lucky token to place in the dugout, some have just the belief that they will not lose, some a steady veteran corps of leadership that takes charge in times of crisis.
And some that like to mimic fly-fishing or a kickline when there are two strikes or two outs.
"It's something that we've always done, but we've always had a different set throughout the year," South Carolina's Michael Roth said on Tuesday, as he completed his college career and prepared to start his minor-league career. "Guys do stupid stuff throughout the year, they have little idiosyncrasies about them, and you pick out and come up with something that matches them, that reflects who they are.
"I'm sure they'll keep it going. That's for sure. They have a lot of fun playing out there."
Roth became known as an All-American pitcher and screwball during the past three years, leading the Gamecocks on the mound and in dugout zaniness. The "Deuces Wild" actions that he led - two strikes or two outs from getting out the inning, or what-have-you - the USC dugout would come alive with antics.
The clip of several players standing at the rail, acting like they were paddling a kayak, was still on TD Ameritrade Park's College World Series highlight video this past year. The running-to-the-dugout-rail and leaning over as the pitch was delivered is a popular one. Pantomiming as if a bowling ball was in hand has been used.
It may have looked silly, but the Gamecocks laughed all the way to two national championships and three appearances in the CWS finals. Coach Ray Tanner, a self-described oldschool leader, released the leash on his players and let them do it, as long as it didn't get too out of line.
It hardly ever did, and Tanner learned that a relaxed approach to the game can work wonders. USC, with zaniness in tow, became a charismatic juggernaut from 2010-12.
Heading into 2013, though, Roth is gone. Ditto his roommate and partner-in-goof, Adam Matthews. USC has a lot of talent coming back in 2013, with more signed to replace what it's losing - but will the chemistry that Roth was the most visible example of be replaced?
"Well, I think the younger guys we have this year, Joey Pankake and Evan Beal, Joel Seddon, Grayson (Greiner), Tanner (English), it was a learning experience this year for them," Matthews said on Tuesday. "They'll continue with it. They'll play loose and be positive, continue to pick each other up. They'll be fine and carry on next year."
There will only be six members of the championship teams left in 2013, with only one of those (Tyler Webb) having pitched in each of the three CWS appearances. The others - Nolan Belcher, Brison Celek, Colby Holmes, Patrick Sullivan and Adam Westmoreland - may have been on the team or with the team in Omaha but didn't play due to injuries, redshirts, etc.
While Roth and Matthews stressed the need to stay loose in the dugout during games, and to treat the game for what it is, and feel that the younger players have harnessed that, the questions remain. Without Roth around to lead in the dugout, will it be the same?
"Tough to tell," Matthews said. "They don't have the four years that me and Michael had here. Somebody might have to tighten it to begin with, but I'm sure they're still going to make sure they play loose."
"It's kind of like what they had to learn, how they had to break in and see how we do things," Roth said. "That comes from doing things and learning from experience. It's like any workplace, where you have a norm. It may not be a stated rule, but it's the way we do things. They learned quickly how things go around here."
Now they have to keep it going. Roth never came to USC intending to do the off-the-mound activities that he did, they were just a branch of his personality. The other players followed suit.
With Roth out of the picture, there may not be players who treat the game like Roth did. A lot of them have played baseball so often that the joy of the game is sometimes not at the forefront. While Roth and Matthews have each stressed the need to stay loose, it may be hard to remember to act loose in a tight situation.
Tanner may have the same loose leash he had for his veterans, but he also may feel the need to enforce a little more business in the dugout. The Gamecocks will be very young next year, and while the sophomores logged a lot of games as freshmen, there are only a few that logged most of those games.
"He's just a lot looser with guys than he used to be. Maybe that's a tribute to us," Roth said. "Those younger guys got to experience this year, and it worked. They have some stripes on their sleeves now, as coach Tanner always refers to it. If they step up and be accountable, it will definitely give a little more leeway."
Roth and Matthews each realized the importance of the relaxed atmosphere during their time, the way the Gamecocks never seemed to get flustered. Learning how to stay loose is something that can only truly be learned during a game.
"Baseball can get stressful and business-like," Matthews said. "You don't want the game to get that way. You want that positive energy. That's what we strive for. In tight situations or in the playoffs or Omaha, the game's on the line, but big-time situation, succeed or fail, it's a game. Might as well have fun with it regardless."
The Gamecocks had fun and won so many games over the years that the program is at an all-time high. Roth and Matthews were two of the players that got it there.
To keep it there, their spirit has to be passed on to the younger guys. While that won't be judged until February when the new season starts, Roth and Matthews feel they've stressed the importance of it so that it won't soon be forgotten.
"Well, I think it's a trickle-down type of thing," Roth said. "We were lucky enough that we had guys like that for a long time. We had (Christian) Walker and (Evan) Marzilli and (Matt) Price, we learned and grew with great respect for each other's games. So, I think the young guys saw how much we appreciated each other and they understand that."
link: http://southcarolina.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1382295