It has become an obsession for NIU’s Adam Holdenrid.

Phantom Planet’s song “California” blaring behind scenes of surreal orange sunsets. The drama of being a teenager. Ryan, Marissa, Seth, and Summer.

Holdenrid’s not ashamed to say it-he can’t get enough of this season’s “The O.C.”

At 7 p.m. every Thursday, the freshman pitcher is glued to his television. If the phone rings, he doesn’t pick it up. If he’s on the road with the team, he tapes it. There is absolutely no way Holdenrid will miss an episode this season.

“I cannot miss it,” Holdenrid said. “I don’t care what other people think. It’s by far the best show.”

Along with teammates Mike Couwenhoven and Brad Heinz, Holdenrid spends one hour every week away from baseball. Other than that, it’s all business.

A red-shirt freshman from Mendota, Holdenrid came into his first season at NIU hoping to be a prominent member of the bullpen. He’s turned into the “Sunday guy,” as the No. 3 starter.

After a few opportunities from the bullpen early in the season, NIU coach Ed Mathey gave him a shot as a starter. As of this week, the left-hander is 93rd in Division I with a 2.25 ERA. He leads the team with a .259 opponent batting average and only two extra-base hits allowed.

But the idea of being a starter wasn’t exactly a new one to Holdenrid.

As a junior at Mendota High School, Holdenrid lost only one game as a starter. As a senior he didn’t fair as well: he lost two. The left hander ended his career with a 25-3 record and the IHSA’s third-longest streak with 12-straight strikeouts.

All of this added up to an easy decision for Mathey.

“[Holdenrid] has been really big for us this season,” the third-year coach said. “He’s been a consistent player for us and one that we can count on.”

But as much as the NIU baseball team can count on Holdenrid, he too can always count on seeing someone down the left-field line.

Dressed in a gray Texas Tech sweatshirt and purple shorts that read “Mendota” in gold, Kurt Holdenrid has watched from left field almost every start his son has made.

“That’s my position,” Kurt said. “Ever since his first start I have always watched from the left-field line because that’s where you could pull up a car at his high school field.”

And it doesn’t matter if it’s 100 degrees outside, that Texas Tech sweatshirt will always be at every game.

Though Holdenrid doesn’t think it effects him, Kurt feels it couldn’t hurt. Though he hates Texas Tech, Kurt wore that sweatshirt when his son won his first game in high school. He’s been wearing it ever since.

But what it comes down to isn’t the lefty’s obsession with “The O.C.” or Kurt’s sweatshirt. It’s Holdenrid’s left arm that will determine the kind of pitcher he will become.

And as long as Holdenrid stays healthy, Kurt knows that arm will do all the talking for his son.