From Sin City to the Bible Belt

Milledgeville might not be the “city of dreams” with its lack of neon lights and the 24-hour lifestyle that Georgia College & State University baseball players Johnny Caruso and Ronnie Burkey are used to seeing.

While North Columbia Street isn’t exactly “the Strip,” the Las Vegas natives are content with calling this charming, southern town “home,” at least for now.

Caruso, a senior criminal justice major in his second year with the Bobcats, wanted get away from the hectic lifestyle and chose the join GC&SU’s squad because of the appealing atmosphere of the university.

Burkey, a junior studying physical education, was influenced by Caruso to step back up to the plate after sitting out of baseball for over two years with a back injury.

“I am very appreciative of [Caruso] for recommending me to the team,” Burkey said. “This opportunity is more than I could have asked for two years ago, and it feels good to be a part of a team again.”

There are obvious differences in the lifestyles that these two student-athletes experience while in Milledgeville and when back at home. For starters, the night life is calmer here, to say the least.

To get an outsider’s view into the “entertainment capital of the world,” Caruso and Burkey agree that MTV’s The Real World: Las Vegas accurately depicts nightlife in Las Vegas for young adults.

“I definitely miss the 24-hour lifestyle,” Caruso said, but he insists that he doesn’t gamble.

Burkey misses that lifestyle, too, along with the traffic, but he jokingly admits that he has yet to find anyone in town that can top the burritos from his favorite shop in Las Vegas.

Caruso and Burkey both tend to be serious at times, but they are also able to lighten the mood not just on the field, but with their roommates as well.

Caruso wants to play professional baseball after college, and as a co-captain of the baseball team, he works hard to provide leadership to the Bobcats.

“John and Ronnie bring not only great ability but a strong passion for playing the game the right way to the park every day,” Head Coach Chris Calciano said. “They are both outstanding leaders on and off the field and more importantly, good students and good people.”

Away from the field, Caruso’s teammates get to see a less serious side of him, especially when fulfilling his duties as “house hairstylist.”

Burkey is described by teammate Greg Serafin as being “responsible”, and both Caruso and Burkey possess outgoing personalities and are “able to get along with everyone.”

The always-stylish Caruso and well-groomed Burkey have been friends for nearly 10 years and played together at the Community College of Southern Nevada. Caruso describes the Bobcat’s first baseman “Mr. Personality;” Burkey is fun and energetic.

Burkey says that Caruso, nicknamed “Johnny Vegas,” is a high-class guy with genuine character.

To Caruso and Burkey, the lifestyle here is simply “refreshing.” The two have gotten a sense of southern hospitality, but admit that the frenzied lifestyle of Las Vegas is easy to fall back into.

“Things are always changing back home,” Caruso said. “When I go home between semesters, there are new buildings, new restaurants, and even the rush hour traffic is different.”

Most people view Las Vegas as one of those cities that everyone needs to visit at least once, and of the 500, 000 people that permanently reside in the city, Caruso and Burkey are part of the small number of citizens that were actually born and raised in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas attracts millions of tourists each year with its incredible hotels and casinos, so it only seems fair that that Milledgeville was able to lure away two of the city’s premier baseball talents.

Caruso and Burkey will join the Bobcat’s in a 20-day stretch of 15 games beginning at home on Friday, Feb. 25 at 2 p.m. against West Georgia.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Feb 25 2005. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry