<p>It's a classic case study for you. How did the boys from the swamp (which is most of Horry County and I grew up by a river) win a national championship?<br /> <br /> The coach said it best: "We're not the most talented team. We're just the national champions.&rdquo;<br /> <br /> So it had to be a simple belief, some alchemy. Maybe what the alchemists were looking for wasn't a solid metal but a spiritual mettle that turned lead into NCAA gold for Coastal Carolina.</p>
<p>The team faced elimination 5 times, once with only one out to go.&nbsp;One swing, one hope (the motto of South Carolina is: While I breathe, I hope).</p>
<p>Sure, they had good luck and a bad call (the Arizona kid was safe at home, so the game should have been tied).</p>
<p>My point is that champions want the chance, no matter the outcome. Kipling got it wrong: If you can treat triumph and disaster the same&hellip;.</p>
<p>No you cannot.</p>
<p>Winning is still far better than losing, otherwise sports are just idle pursuits.</p>