Time to 'fess up. Last year, many questioned Randy Mazey's ability to guide East Carolina to Omaha. I'll plead guilty to that. For good reason, too.

After a sub-par 2003 season underscored by controversy, the Pirates coach had the popularity of a third-world dictator. Not only did ECU finish the year a modest 34-27-1, but several hometown heroes were lost as disciplinary casualties of a tumultuous season.

Under normal circumstances, a winning record and NCAA berth would earn a first-year coach a high approval rating. But at a program with more hardware than your neighborhood Lowe's, it was enough to put any coach on a fast track to the unemployment line.

“These people around here expect to win,” Mazey said last spring. “If the pressure wasn’t put on me by the fans and the media and everybody like that, I’d put it on myself, anyhow."

Fast forward to 2004 and El Mazey has undergone an image makeover fit for a Pirate Prince. That's the type of turnaround a 47-win regular season, Conference USA championship, and Top 5 national ranking can produce.

Talk about your sophomore slump.

It's as if Mazey made a deal with the devil during the off-season. Almost every decision the second year skipper made proved to be the right one, to which East Carolina's 19-game winning streak will attest.

Yet, there are far better reasons to board the Mazey train than that memorable immortal streak. The accomplishment itself isn't nearly as impressive as the path taken to achieve it.

From day one, Mazey faced an unforgiving jury. By and large he was the unpopular choice to succeed Keith LeClair, who guided the Pirates to four consecutive NCAA appearances and to within outs of the College World Series in 2001.

An overwhelming majority pushed for Kevin McMullan, LeClair's top, aid who kept the ship afloat during the 2002 season. However, it was Mazey's reputation as a top-flight recruiter that earned him the nod over the sentimental favorite.

Following a year of head-scratching over the decision, it now looks like a smart move.

By almost every measure, Mazey is a legend-in-the-making, a rare distinction for a guy still a babe in the profession. From recruiting to player development, game management to situational coaching, Mazey has the tools to be a fixture on the national scene.

What's more, Mazey understands that an occasional ejection can provide an emotional boost when the tank appears empty. He also seems to have found the perfect concoction for developing team chemistry.

That as much as anything else is the reason for the Pirates ascension up the polls, especially considering the number of gaps Mazey had to fill after last season.

The Pirates' pitching staff was almost entirely rebuilt. Within the starting rotation, only one, ace Greg Bunn, was on the Pirates' roster last season — as a reliever.

Up the middle, the Pirates have been retooled defensively with a pair of newcomers at second and short, not to mention a defensive shift in the outfield to compensate for Ryan Jones' injury. Normally that is a recipe for disaster, but the heart of the ECU defense has been air tight since opening day.

Offensively, the Pirates had more holes than a loaf of Sunbeam bread. Add a couple of transfers, along with marked improvement by a couple of "weak" links, and the punch-and-judy crew has evolved into the sultans of swat.

So much for a rebuilding year.

In the future, those barren seasons should be few and far between with Mazey in the ECU dugout. With his eye for talent, resilience on the recruiting battleground, and a first-class facility to bait blue chippers, there's no reason to believe the Pirates can't remain among the nation's elite.

One of the primary tasks for East Carolina's incoming AD will be to award Mazey with a major extension. With high-profile suitors likely to call, securing his services will demand SEC money, long-term security, and a generous recruiting budget.

Judging by the quick results and the obstacles he's hurdled, that's a financial investment East Carolina can afford to make.

Laying the 'wood

Mazey will have a difficult time selecting a team MVP this season. Up and down the roster, there are several candidates worthy of earning the team's top individual award.

Jones or Trevor Lawhorn likely would secure a fan vote. Their power numbers and hard-nosed approach speak for themselves, and have earned them fame throughout the 'Jungle.'

But what about Ryan Norwood?

All the junior first baseman has done this season is bat .370 with 14 HRs, 54 RBIs, and a team leading 28 doubles. In clutch situations, he has been outshined only by Jones and seems to be at his best when facing superior pitching.

His home run off N.C. State All-American Vern Sterry slammed the door on the Wolfpack, providing the Pirates with a quality non-conference win on the road.

What's most impressive about Norwood is not so much the numbers, but the manner in which he achieved them. Batting for much of the season in the five hole, he has provided much-needed protection for the top of the order, a big reason why the Pirates have been so productive early in the lineup.

As Mazey sets his recruiting strategy for the fall, his primary objective should be clear. With a college crop that is short on skilled position players, keeping Norwood could be his biggest challenge.

Pitching a strength

Deep pitching is one of the primary ingredients for postseason success. With more than ten capable arms, Mazey says that should give the Pirates a huge advantage in their quest for Omaha.

"Pitching depth is one of our strengths," Mazey said following the Pirates' 6-3 win at N.C. State. "We can go eight or ten guys deep and not have to turn around to our one or two guy like they did. These mid-week games, when you get into the bullpen, it favors us."

As a team, East Carolina has a .368 ERA, and its opponents are batting a sub-arctic .243. If that trend continues over the next month, the Pirates could pillage their way through Omaha and sail back home with a national championship.