A championship Wild Things fans can enjoy

Coastal Carolina -- NCAA national champion

Coastal Carolina won the College World Series championship Thursday afternoon, defeating Arizona, 4-3, in the decisive game.

Why is that news on a blog about the Wild Things?

Well, you might recall that Coastal Carolina used to be the favorite feeder system for the Wild Things. That was back during the days of managers John Massarelli, Greg Jelks and even Mark Mason.

When I heard that Coastal had won the championship -- I didn't get to see today's telecast -- I couldn't help but think about two guys who were (maybe they still are) Wild Things season-ticket holders who sat in the upper bowl in the section in front of the press box. One day during the Massarelli era, I was walking from the clubhouse to the press box about 45 minutes before game time. In that day's edition of the Observer-Reporter, I had written a one-sentence note that the Wild Things signed a player the previous day who was fresh out of Coastal Carolina.

As I was walking up the upper bowl steps, I overheard one of the gentlemen say to the other, "I don't know why they keep signing guys from places like Coastal Carolina. What the Wild Things need is to sign players from places like USC."

I guess that's the USC in California that is currently a middle-of-the-pack team in the Pac-12.

There wasn't a bad player who ever came from Coastal Carolina and pulled on a Wild Things uniform. Outfielder Chris Carter is still involved in Coastal Carolina's program as its Director of Baseball Operations. You have to feel good for him because Chris is a first-class guy.

Those other Coastal Carolina-to-Washington players included guys like Brett Grandstrand, Randy McGarvey, Travis Risser, Chris Raber, Ryan McGraw, David Anderson (he played all of two games with Washington before being signed by the Baltimore Orioles) and Alex Buccilli. Matt Sutton even spent some time at Coastal Carolina before transferring to North Carolina-Wilmington. There probably were a few other Coastal players who have come through Washington but slipped my mind, All of those guys, however, should pour a few cold ones tonight and remember that they helped put down the foundation for a program that can be called national champion.