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Fair Warning: Parts of this article contain adult language.
Oregon State baseball fans will remember umpire Greg Street as one of the home plate umpires from the 2017 College World Series. Specifically, Street umpired OSU’s loss to LSU that eliminated the Beavs from the postseason. In that game, Street’s strike zone was one of the more questionable that fans saw in that tournament.
Strike zone from Greg Street was egregious. Goodness! That's on the outside of the chalk! How you supposed to touch that ball?!? @NCAACWS pic.twitter.com/zj4Ik3lbtH
— Andrew Doak (@AndrewDoak_WWL) June 24, 2017
Street apparently has a bit of a reputation for not being great behind the plate, and his habits followed him to Omaha that year.
The word from multiple people in SEC country is that Greg Street is a nice man and a very inconsistent home plate umpire. Just awful today.
— Aaron Fitt (@aaronfitt) June 24, 2017
That loss is going to stick in Beaver fans’ minds for a while. But for one Oregon State fan living in Norfolk, Virginia, the officiating in that game particularly stuck in his mind for the last year.
The fan, who has the Twitter handle @RichRodDoesPCP, noticed that Street was scheduled to umpire games at the ACC Tournament in Durham, North Carolina. Twitter indicated that Street was up to his old antics in those games.
The tourney was apparently close enough to his home that he felt the urge to drive the three-plus hours to the tournament with one goal in mind: let Street know that a lot of OSU fans are still angry about that game back in 2017.
I live 3 hours away from the ACC tournament. 100 likes and I'll drive there for the weekend with all Oregon state clothes on and yell at Greg Street the rest of the series for how garbage he is at umpiring. #Gobeavs https://t.co/PTrK0vHWQ0
— Oregon State Is Love (@RichRodDoesPCP) May 25, 2018
The guy was so committed to the idea that he literally canceled his Memorial Day weekend plans to make the journey.
The navy gave me a 4 day weekend for Memorial Day and I don't have duty so I have plenty of time to let him know that I'll see him in Omaha
— Oregon State Is Love (@RichRodDoesPCP) May 25, 2018
Aight I canceled my plans for the beach today and I'm packing up my orange and black clothes for the weekend pic.twitter.com/Cpgdhlwl7r
— Oregon State Is Love (@RichRodDoesPCP) May 25, 2018
I'm coming for you Greg Street! pic.twitter.com/bvIiUrmeyf
— Oregon State Is Love (@RichRodDoesPCP) May 25, 2018
When he arrived in Durham on Friday, the fan went to the evening game at Durham Bulls Athletic Park but was unpleasantly surprised to find Street wasn’t umpiring that night.
Bad news guys. Greg Street ISNT umpiring this evening game. Hopefully I'll see him tomorrow pic.twitter.com/vraeHSM2kh
— Oregon State Is Love (@RichRodDoesPCP) May 25, 2018
He got tickets for two Saturday games, however, and, after a brief scare, was rewarded for his efforts.
These are my seats for the game PLEASE GREG BE BEHIND THE PLATE!!! #GoBeavs pic.twitter.com/sqgF7Z53tD
— Oregon State Is Love (@RichRodDoesPCP) May 26, 2018
FUCKING FUCK!!! WHERES GREG STREET!?!? pic.twitter.com/Jmg7jFeo2q
— Oregon State Is Love (@RichRodDoesPCP) May 26, 2018
GREG FUCKING STREET LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!! He's the 2nd base ump sadly but still, my BEST FUCKING FRIEND made it to the game #GoBeavs pic.twitter.com/zkKpIgVjRW
— Oregon State Is Love (@RichRodDoesPCP) May 26, 2018
After moving seats, he had his first opportunity to chat with the umpire.
I was holding the phone to my against my chest so it wasn't too obvious I was recording him but I got some great audio he didn't like it so he walked away #GoBeavs pic.twitter.com/hA6dEfF9qK
— Oregon State Is Love (@RichRodDoesPCP) May 26, 2018
I yelled out "How open will your strike zone be? 8 inches off the plate? 10 inches? I need to know before I drive 20 hours to Omaha again!" Shockingly he didn't respond #GoBeavs
— Oregon State Is Love (@RichRodDoesPCP) May 27, 2018
YOOO it was dead silent for a moment so I yelled "GREG STREET, OREGON STATE WANTS TO KNOW HOW YOURE STILL EMPLOYED!" Again he isn't answering my questions. Bummer
— Oregon State Is Love (@RichRodDoesPCP) May 27, 2018
It would seem that whatever the fan said particularly bothered Street, as he changed his field position after the fact.
He's now migrating to shallow left field between innings to avoid me. He always hung out on the first base line prior to me yelling at him btw. It's like he's being bothered or something pic.twitter.com/nWOsWQPthe
— Oregon State Is Love (@RichRodDoesPCP) May 27, 2018
Satisfied with his efforts on Saturday, the fan set his sites a little bit higher for Sunday’s nationally televised championship game.
I'll wake up early tomorrow to print a 30 inch X 20 inch poster of this for the ACC championship. Also that game is on ESPN2 so if you watch the game, make sure your volume is up so you can hear me yell at Greg #GoBeavs https://t.co/fs0jJlNvAW
— Oregon State Is Love (@RichRodDoesPCP) May 27, 2018
Unfortunately for him, that plan was thwarted at the last second.
I'm sorry Beaver Nation but the Walmarts in NC don't print larger than 8x10 images, Walgreens doesn't print photos on Sundays and Staples doesn't open until 10am. It's a no go on the sign. I'll just have to yell more to make up for it #GoBeavs https://t.co/AmmlpbkXgm
— Oregon State Is Love (@RichRodDoesPCP) May 27, 2018
So, he stuck to what worked on Saturday.
The announcers are very kind to announce the umpires. I gave Greg Street a VERY warm welcome #GoBeavs pic.twitter.com/os4fxg89xp
— Oregon State Is Love (@RichRodDoesPCP) May 27, 2018
You have to admire the dedication and perseverance to the art of trolling. Hopefully, Oregon State and this fan are able to make it back to Omaha this year when the NCAA Tournament begins later this week.
With any luck, Street’s ticket to Omaha will get lost in the mail.
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