The Red and Black

First a negative comment: the second game of the CWS should never have gone to Fresno State after UGA grabbed the lead. Like Bobby Cox so often does, Coach Perno waited WAY too long to pull the starting pitcher and it just went downhill from there. The third game is unexplainable - after playing so well it's as if the second game had the DAWGS in a "we can't win" mood. The negative comment having been said does NOT erase all the positives from this season. How many teams would have envied being considered the second best team in college baseball? Fresno State played up to the task; for some reason the DAWGS didn't. Coach Perno however guided them through what would have seemed to be a not so good season after 2007 and he deserves all that UGA can offer him. Until this he was last or near the bottom of payments to baseball coaches in the SEC. Hopefully the exit of some key players from this year's team will not lessen the chances of next season - Coach Perno obviously has the know how to get players to rise about what some would consider limitations. I hope UGA retains Coach Perno as long as he wants to be a coach in college baseball. He's found his calling and he's found the right place.
Now, another bit of negative - the language issue, in particular Matt Cerione's "label" that he put on the umpire after calling him out. I agree, there were some really TERRIBLE calls in this series, at least two of which ended what might easily have been a UGA rally - one called strike which left UGA bases loaded, a ball which Tiger Woods would have loved because it was that near the ground and way inside the plate, not even close. The other call was the "non-out" at first base, clearly clearly clearly wrong when seen on the replay and yet there was no recourse. Anyway, good season Coach, good season Dawgs and making it to the championship series of the CWS without suffering a loss until the second game is to be commended. Best wishes on the professional careers of those chosen.