*****Josh Tobias(Southeast Guilford High School) and the Florida Gators will take on South Carolina on Saturday….*****Gators (47-18) with their CWS opener against South Carolina (45-17)….*****.
TODAY:
Florida State vs. Arizona
Omaha, Neb. (College World Series)
9:00 PM
TV: ESPN2/ESPN3
Match-up from Steve Phillips at The ACC.com……..
OMAHA, Neb. (www.theACC.com) – When Florida State opens play in the 66th College World Series against Arizona tonight, it will be more of than a meeting of two of college baseball’s storied programs.
Two long-time friends will be going head-to-head. Arizona head coach Andy Lopez makes no secret of his affection for Florida State counterpart Mike Martin. Lopez made no secret of it during his seven seasons as head coach of Florida from 1995 through 2001, much to chagrin of some Gator faithful.
“One time we got in trouble because someone called my radio show and said it was a ‘love fest,'” Lopez recalled. “We’d talk before the game, I’d give him a hug, (and) he would give me a hug. I’d ask about his wife. He’d ask about (Lopez’s wife) Linda, and I’d ask about his kids. Someone called up the radio and said, ‘It looks like a love fest out there.'”
Lopez knew all about the intensity of college rivalries, particularly one the magnitude of FSU-Florida State … but come on, he thought.
“I was like, ‘Gee, I didn’t know I had to hate the man,’ “Lopez said. “I’ve always admired Coach. He’s a phenomenal baseball coach, which is really pretty special. He’s a great human being. He has tremendous perspective on what we’re doing. What kind of significance do you make in young lives?”
Martin (1,721) and Lopez (917) have combined for over 2,600 Division I coaching wins. But one of Lopez’s fonder coaching moments is of a night in which he was ejected from a road game at Florida State.
Read more from Steve Phillips at The ACC.com when you CLICK HERE….