Some were inevitably cursing, ranting, raving, maybe even throwing a few things, during UNC's train wreck of a game against Arizona State on Thursday in the College World Series.

The Sun Devils defeated North Carolina 12-5, and eliminated the team from the hunt for an NCAA title, thanks in large part to seven different pitchers' inability to keep the ball inside the strike zone or out of the dirt or from hitting batters.

Why would this anger be a good thing? Because, people care.

The fact that so many now tense with red-hot anger about the way UNC loses and, in turn, hurl blame at players or coaches, is a sign that the fan base UNC administrators want is, in fact, growing.

Carolina is a school blessed with a collection of elite sports teams, but many win or lose in relative anonymity. There is no need to name any particular sport or to degrade those people involved, but the fact that baseball is not among them now is truly a good sign for that program.

Back up to the days before this run of four consecutive trips to Omaha, Neb., and the series began. Carolina fans became accustomed to the team winning throughout the regular season and then falling short of the NCAA Tournament.

In those days, the College World Series was a stage Tar Heels visited every couple of decades ... maybe.

Fans usually grow accustomed to such patterns and just wave off the sport without much thought. Even now, baseball doesn't get Carolina fans' full attention until the NCAA baseball tournament arrives.

So, fast-forward to Thursday night. The disappointment that spread through Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha and in so many living rooms is a genuine sign of the baseball program's growth.

People care.

More are now living vicariously through the success of the baseball team the way they do for football and men's basketball. They've taken pride in the heroics of this program in the past four seasons.

This is the true nature of popular sports programs, regardless of whether it is on the collegiate level, the high-school level or at the professional level. Passion sells tickets and increases television ratings.

After Thursday's loss, some people may claim they will not invest themselves in the outcome of Carolina baseball again any time in the near future. But, as soon as next spring rolls around, if the Tar Heels can somehow make it a fifth trip to the CWS, the interest will be back there again, even for those who might swear off now.

As for Thursday's game itself, the wreckage piled up in the seventh inning. Fox seemed to go through nearly everyone in the bullpen in search of one person who could just get an out. Arizona State used Carolina's generosity of walks, hit batters and wild pitches to score eight runs in the seventh inning.

Combined with the four runs earlier from a grand slam by ASU left-fielder Kole Calhoun, this outburst shattered UNC's hopes of living another day to get starters Alex White and Adam Warren on the mound against Texas.

"It was just one of those innings," Fox said. "You don't want to have those innings -- anywhere, any time, the first game of the year. You certainly don't want to have it the last game of the year.

"We couldn't find the strike zone, none of the relievers could. It happens. I feel so bad for all those kids. They were trying. They were trying as hard as they can, but it just didn't go right for us that inning."

No, but what Fox and his kids now want is for the people, the ones who have grown to care about UNC baseball, to stick with it and not give up the faith.

Carolina has a quality program, operated by coaches who know their business and by kids who play with pride.

Carolina will be back. There are no guarantees they will return to Omaha in 2010, but the Tar Heels almost certainly will return someday soon, as long as Fox is running the show.

And the good news is that when they do, the bandwagon will have a much larger load than it did five years ago.

Eddy Landreth can be reached at chnsports@nando.com or by calling (919) 932.8743.