Hard to believe this is the sixth Father’s Day you haven’t been here.  I can’t just pick up the phone and chat with you for a few moments, see how life has been treating you, and wish you a very relaxing day.

How ironic that I find out through the great stats team at ESPN that it has been 20yrs since FSU has won an opening round game at the College World Series.  Thankfully that was a game we all got to share together as a family while celebrating your retirement from the US Air Force in 1999.

While I don’t remember the score, or even the opponent for that matter (I do believe we faced off against Texas A&M at some point that weekend) what I will never forget is being caught off guard seeing medical personnel in our area of the 1st base line.

Lauren, Mom, and I had gone to get something to eat/drink and were on our way back only to discover you took a hard foul ball to (if I remember right) your forearm.  I don’t remember which one.  Nothing was broken but you did have one heck of a bruise from it.

Okay the nerd in me had to look up the bracket from the tournament that year.  We DID beat A&M in the first round (7-3) before falling to Stanford then battling back in the tourney to face Miami in the finals.  There was no “best-of-3” format for the finals so the 6-5 loss to Miami kept Mike Martin from his elusive championship for another season.

I’m sure you’ve enjoyed their post-season run as much as I have.  Quite the Cinderella story, sort of.  A team that expects to make the NCAA Tourney with ease was part of the “Last 4 In” and had an impressive run through the Regionals and Super Regionals.  And after an impressive 1-0 win against the Hogs tonight they are looking rather sharp as they get ready to face Michigan on Monday.

Writing this may only be a one-sided conversation with you right now but it helps, even as I have to wipe the tears away every few moments.

Lots of big things have happened and I talk to you often on drives to work or whenever I have a few moments of quiet time.

Know that you are loved and missed dearly by so many.  Happy Father’s Day, Dad…love and miss you always!