College World Series

Out of everyone I know, I am probably the only one who keeps up with college baseball. And considering many of my friends are more addicted to sports than drugs, I'd say that's saying something. I asked my friend, "Moose", why he didn't like college baseball and he simply said because it was sloppy. Good players are already in the pros, and the quality of play isn't on par with even college softball. I'd agree that the quality of play isn't there, but there is still a passion for the game with these athletes. Winning matters to them. And that's something you can't say about the San Francisco Giants.
The past 3 years have been extremely exciting for me especially. I am a huge UNC fan, and they've made it to the CWS the past 3 years. What was even more exciting was actually knowing some of the players. It's always cool to say you knew somebody playing on national TV. And not only do I know them, I actually played baseball with them growing up. So not only am I watching my favorite school play, but they are doing it with people I can actually connect with.
Needless to say, their success meant way, way too much to me. And when they lost in the championship series, not once, but twice to Oregon State, it completely sucked. This year? Going into the CWS as the #2 team in the country with the best pitching staff in the nation, I actually felt good about our chances. But alas, the dream always dies. On Sunday, UNC was defeated by Fresno State 6-1. A team they had beaten the day before and probably should've beaten again. With success, comes disappointment. Only winning it all would've satisfied the team. Being one of the last teams to compete is always nice, but it leaves such a dissatisfying taste. In baseball, a weakly hit popup counts the same as a hard line drive to the left fielder. At the end of the journey we are always told that the most important part of it was the journey itself. In baseball, it's only the result that matters.
How do we apply this to our lives? By no means am I saying that results are the only thing we should worry about. Baseball has many events happen throughout the course of the game that will determine the outcome. But in the end the only thing people will remember is the final result. Our lives have many events always occurring that will determine the type of person or life we will have. The journey makes us who we are, but in the end the only thing people want to know is the end.
So as I contemplate the latest UNC loss, I ponder what next year brings. The hope of a new season. The hope of a new dream. The good news if it doesn't happen next year? There's always the next.