OMAHA — Whether you’ve watched it on TV, or listened to it on the radio, until you’ve actually been here and experienced the atmosphere, you can’t fully appreciate all that is the College World Series.

So, for those not able to be here, and with apologies to David Letterman, here are the top 10 things to love about the CWS:

No. 10: Underdogs.

There has always been a certain amount of love for newcomers or teams that weren’t expected to be here, and the Tar Heels were no exception when they became a crowd favorite in 2006. Mike Fox is building something to last — three straight years here, and 162 wins over the past three seasons to top the nation. So, while we can’t call the Diamond Heels underdogs anymore, the locals love to cheer for them.

No. 9: The Elevator.

There is one elevator in this stadium leading to the press box, believed by many to be the slowest elevator ever created. Legend has it that it is so slow an enterprising young adult can meet a co-ed on the way up and be married by the time it reaches the top. On opening day, one writer tried something like that on Erin Andrews, an ESPN reporter who one might call easy-on-the-eyes. Sadly for him, no luck with getting a date, which meant an even longer elevator ride.

No. 8: Side dishes.

Along those same lines last year, former Tar Heel catcher and Atlanta Braves farmhand Benji Johnson proposed to a local girl whom he had met at the previous year’s College World Series. Interesting trivia like that pops up each year. Such as the last time Carolina’s upcoming opponent Fresno State opened with a win in the CWS; it was 1959, and legendary coach Augie Garrido was their starting left-fielder.

No. 7: Superstitions.

Baseball is a game of superstitions, and, lest one forget, the Series was where the tradition of the Rally Caps was born. Maybe some of this goes away in the professional game, but the CWS is a stage like no other, with players refusing to step on chalk lines, carrying out rituals before each at-bat and wearing the same unwashed undershirts they have worn since Regionals to keep a good string going. (Try not to get too close to those guys.)

No. 6: Outside.

There is no better tailgate party than outside the stadium at the College World Series. Go up to a Carolina tent, chat baseball and get offered a brat. Hit the next tent that is covered in purple and gold, or burnt orange, and have someone hand you a cold beverage. Heck, there are people that are here every year who come for the atmosphere, regardless of if their teams make it. A few Mississippi State and Texas tents this year come to mind. From music and playing horseshoes, to just sitting around and shooting the breeze, these diehard fans are the heart and soul of the Series.

No. 5: Anticipation.

One might remember when the later Star Wars movies came out years ago and the hype surrounding them. It was not uncommon to see fans who camped outside of movie theatres for days to try to get an opening night ticket, and not uncommon to think them a bit odd. (Come to think of it, the theater-goers dressed as Empire Stormtroopers were indeed odd.) Out here in Omaha, though, five days before the tournament started, people were staking out their tents getting ready for that tailgating. (See No. 6 discussed above.) No one could fault their enthusiasm over the start of this superb event … and they weren’t dressed up like Chewbacca or Darth Vader, either.

No. 4: The Kids.

A huge junior tournament is going on here to coincide with the CWS, bringing youth teams from around the country. It’s a pleasure watching coaches conduct teaching sessions as their teams watch the big boys practice. One can find kids filling their autograph sheets and shouting as they scramble to come up with a foul ball. It is obvious that for many of them, this is a trip of a lifetime.

No. 3: The Fans.

Rosenblatt is truly a melting pot. Represented in the crowd is a cross-section of America, and among the people one will find at least one cute, sleeping baby that ESPN is so fond of showing, as well as school faithful and local fans who have been coming here since the fences were wooden. No one has heard the crowd boo in the last five years, and fans will cheer a good play even if it is made by their opponent. Well, take that back. There is one instance of boos, and they are directed at the poor ball girl; if she makes the mistake of not catching a foul ball that rolls down the protective netting behind the plate, boos will pour down like a winter storm in Nebraska. Of course, they cheer just as loudly when she catches it.

No. 2: The Big Kids.

There is something about college athletics, and even more so about college baseball, where scholarship limitations and roster restrictions have most players on a half-scholarship at most. These are players who genuinely love the game. They will stand up all nine innings, arms hanging over the dugout rail, cheering their teammates. There is honest joy here. Sitting in near-empty stands during ’06, one could watch Carolina practice the day before the Series Finals opened. During down moments, now-former UNC infielder Josh Horton and pitcher Andrew Miller were tossing balls up on the screen, seeing if they had better luck than the ball girls did at catching the drops.

And the No. 1 thing to love about Omaha … The Blatt.

Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium. The Stadium on the Hill. The Blatt. It’s sparked a political firestorm in Omaha over the past year, and now a new stadium is official. In a few years Rosenblatt will be no more. Tradition is to be replaced by luxury boxes and in three short years, the site of many dreams and glories will be part of the Omaha Zoo. But for those who have been coming to this ballpark for many years, the memories will live on.

Allen Stoye is an Omaha resident who has covered the College World Series for years. He can be reached through chnsports@nando.com.