There are two sides to every story. In most cases, it's either the truth, or what someone thinks is the truth. Not in the Valley of the Sun and not for the
Arizona State Sun Devils. It depends which way you think, if you follow your heart, your mind or tradition. Thoughts differ from fans, to former players and to those who are out there daily sporting the maroon and gold, playing for a program that has deserved their trip to the
College World Series this year.
It only took two games, both ending in 12 innings, to lift Arizona State over
Arkansas in the Super Regionals last weekend and for them to advance to their 22nd College World Series appearance. ASU was named the No. 1 overall seed in the 2010 NCAA tournament for the first time in school history. It is going to be the last year for
Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, NE, to host the College World Series.
After all, the 2010 trophy will be dripping with nostalgia, with the winner closing down a stadium synonymous with college baseball. A place where the best players in baseball, once stood, where the best coaches have taken their teams to victory, and where the ASU Sun Devils will embark this year without that one famous coach,
Pat Murphy.
"This is the year they're going to win a national championship," said Dustin Pedroia, former ASU star and current Red Sox slugger. "And Murph isn't going to be there. That's going to be tough. That would be bittersweet. That would leave a bad taste in a lot of people's mouths."
ASU's story looks like one right out of a prime time drama. After it's contentious split, after 15 years, with notorious coach Murphy, the team responded by starting their season 24-0 and ending it heading one last time to Rosenblatt. Former Sun Devil player and assistant head coach,
Tim Esmay, spent 10 years under the lead of Murphy and will now lead the Sun Devils to Rosenblatt as the head coach. If Esmay wins the championship that eluded Murphy for 15 years, it will also feel like instant confirmation, proof that the Sun Devils program can survive just about anything.
Esmay has been everything that this program needed. According to Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic, "Esmay has shown the perfect touch. He has deferred to his players. He makes sure the story isn't about him, or his improbable twist of fortune. He's brought calm and consistency to a group that had been weaned on drama and unpredictability. At times, he's been a refreshing change. And he's endeared himself to the passionate base of hardcore fans by stressing a fundamental lesson: No man, or manager, is bigger than the program."
"This is a Sun Devil brotherhood," Esmay said. "No matter who you play for, it's still Arizona State. At some point, somebody recruited by Bobby Winkles had to play for coach Brock. At some point, somebody recruited by Jim Brock had to play for Pat Murphy. And at some point, somebody recruited by Pat Murphy has to play for Tim Esmay. At the end of the day, what I want to convey is that the base is strong, and that base is an ASU brotherhood."
A very delicate ASU brotherhood.
This is where the different sides of every story come in to play. Whether you believe Murphy was the man the media portrayed, the "reckless renegade"or not, this much is true. "There's a new wave of former Sun Devils currently tearing up
Major League Baseball, from Pedroia and his MVP trophy to blossoming stars like
Andre Ethier,
Ike Davis and
Mike Leake. They shine a glorious spotlight on the program, and they are all Murph's guys." (Bickley)
"I watch all the games on television, I root for the guys and I want them to win," Pedroia said. "But I didn't go there for the tradition and all that BS. I went there because of Murph. Murph made me into the player I am today, and all the guys feel that way. He's very well-loved."
Murphy is currently working for the
San Diego Padres as a special assistant in baseball operations, and while he appreciates thought, he said that he will not watch the Sun Devils play baseball this year in Omaha.
"It's too emotional and too painful," Murphy said. "I've received hundreds of text messages from people telling me that it isn't fair, that this is really my team. And it's not. I'm very proud of everything I accomplished at ASU, but this is not my team."
And now, if the Sun Devils win their first baseball title since 1981, it wouldn't have been possible without Murphy.
"These are Murph's players," Pedroia said. "Murph recruited all of these guys, and now, I think they're the best team in the country."
All we can do now, is sit back and watch to see how the rest of this story unfolds, as the boys touched down in Omaha this morning, ready to take on Clemson.
The Sun Devils first game against Clemson on Sunday at 4 p.m. MST will be on ESPN2 and will be broadcast nationwide on SIRIUS channel 122 and XM channel 143. I'm supporting them and always have! GO DEVILS!
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