Bolt admires Huskers' calm demeanor
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BY CURT McKEEVER / Lincoln Journal Star
The calm confidence Will Bolt sees in Nebraska's 2005 baseball team almost makes him wish he could turn back the clock.
If only Bolt could have instilled in the 2001 and 2002 Huskers a bit more of that trait, perhaps their first two College World Series appearances would have had different endings.
"We all have kind of learned a few things from the first two times, between myself, coach (Mike) Anderson, coach (Rob) Childress," said Bolt, the captain of those teams who's now in his first season as NU's volunteer assistant. "I think we all just said, ‘Hey, let's slow everything down and let's enjoy being there.'
"Before, everything was just kind of a blur. We were being pulled in a hundred different directions; it just felt like we were there for an hour and then left. Especially the first year."
In 2001, Nebraska lost one-run decisions to Cal State Fullerton and Tulane.
"It was just a whirlwind for us. Everyone was so excited Nebraska finally made it," said Husker graduate manager John Cole, an All-American outfielder who hit .418 with 11 homers, 68 RBIs and stole 28 bases for the Huskers' first CWS team. "It was awesome, but I think we just kind of lost sight of what our ultimate goal was."
In 2002, the Huskers fell to Clemson and South Carolina in the only two games of the event decided on the final at-bat.
"One swing of the bat, one pitch here or there, we're 2-0 instead of 0-2," said Bolt, a four-year starting infielder. "So I don't think there's anything drastic (we could have done), besides to slow down and not let all the distractions pull you in different directions.
"It's different. You've got Harold Reynolds (of ESPN) in the cage behind you when you're taking BP. You've got the crowd, and then you come back and sign autographs for an hour. And then the game schedule, you play one and then have a day off.
"It's not like the super regional or regional, where you're playing day after day. You've just got to find a way to deal with it."
Nebraska has five players on its current roster — shortstop Joe Simokaitis, outfielder Daniel Bruce and pitchers Jeremy Becker, Brian Duensing and Phil Shirek — who played in the 2002 Series.
While Cole noted Simokaitis and Bruce "have a wide voice" in keeping their teammates focused, Bolt has a pretty good feeling the two seniors have had had an easy time of it.
"This team's a lot different. I just think they're a loose group," Bolt said. "They go about their business when they're on the field. They have fun. Not a whole lot bothers them either way, win or lose.
"I looked at them after they won the first (super regional) game (against Miami), and I felt like we just won a game against Western Illinois on Tuesday. Seriously. We've won the first game of the super regional and there's this high-five, ‘Good job, we'll get 'em tomorrow.' It wasn't, ‘One more, guys! Yeah!' It was just calm."
One day later, Bolt and Cole sat poised in the Nebraska dugout watching a care-free celebration unfold in front of them following the victory that sent the Huskers to the CWS.
"We were talking about how the emotions are just so much different as a coach," Bolt said. "We know how hard our guys have worked and how many hours we've put in with them, and to be able to celebrate like they did ... getting to see that moment was more emotional for me (than when I played)."
Imagine how he and Cole would feel if they got to witness another scene like that from their dugout perch next week.
"With this team, there's just a little different mentality," Cole said. "It's kind of like unfinished business, almost — like we've gone there twice and haven't won, so now ...
"This team is really focused on the end goal, which is the national championship. Omaha is not the final goal. The final goal is beyond it."
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@journalstar.com.
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