The bragging is over for John and Corky Field.
After graduating from Edison High School, the two brothers -- two years apart in age -- were teammates at Southern Illinois University in 1983 when the football team won the Division I-AA national championship.
But now John's son, Johnny, can claim a bigger title: the 2012 Division I baseball championship as the starting left fielder for the University of Arizona.
"Now he has one and we can't brag anymore," John Field said. "But that's a very good thing.
"It was definitely a blast. We had a great time. My wife (Maureen) and I and other family members were able to go and watch and follow it. It was just a thrill."
In 65 games as a sophomore, Johnny Field hit .370 with 18 doubles, seven triples, three home runs and 44 RBIs. He also scored 72 runs for the College World Series champions.
John Field is the wrestling coach at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Johnny also wrestled for his dad in high school, winning a state title at 171 as a junior.
Watching his son win a national title in front of sellout crowds and games that were broadcast on ESPN was a surreal moment for the eldest Field, who also has another son, Tommy.
"I coached Johnny his whole life in something, and so we've always been really close," Field said. "As far as watching as a fan, we've had high expectations for him so it's not a shock or anything, and what he did this year is who he is. He has always been real consistent.
"When it was over, it was kind of a weird mix of feelings. When it's all said and done, you're happy, you're relieved, ... so many people involved that made it happen. My experience was almost relief when the final out was made, for whatever reason. It's just such a long haul of 65 games."
John, who signed a free agent contract with Tampa Bay Buccaneers and played one season with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League after college, talked about the experience at the Mecca of college baseball: Omaha, Neb.
"It's basically everything that you hear about from a baseball fan's perspective," he said. "It's definitely where college baseball should be played. They've been hosting it for so long and they are very good at what they do. The town really supports it and the kids are treated like rock stars. It's a great experience for everyone."
Johnny Field chose Arizona at the end of his sophomore season in high school, picking the Wildcats over Pac-12 foes USC and Oregon. Another surreal moment for the family came in the CWS opener against Florida State on June 15.
Tied in the 12th inning, Field hit the game-winning RBI double to keep Arizona in the winner's bracket, which was a big key to the Wildcat run by avoiding the loser's bracket of the double-elimination tournament.
"You don't want to lose there, but especially right away, no doubt," John Field said. "Johnny was coming off a lot of big games, he was the regional MVP and played good in super regionals ... but he had kind of a tough night before that hit.
"It was a lot of emotion that he hadn't had a great night before that and he ends up with the big hit. But this Arizona team was on a mission. So many guys stepped up. They had nine kids in the batting order that could contribute and win. He had the opportunity and it worked out for him that night."
Being heavily involved in athletics at Edison is something Field instilled in his sons. Corky graduated in 1980, while John was in 1982.
"I had a great experience at Edison. I think the biggest thing that I got from an athlete in high school was the fact that we played a lot of sports. It was football, wrestling and track for me and my brother, and obviously we played football in college. As I got out of school and got married and had kids, that multi-sports thing was really big for me. I used that to get my kids involved in a lot of different sports.
"It turned out that both of them ended up choosing baseball as their No. 1 sport. We had great coaches around us at Edison in Jim Whittington, Al Peugeot and Paul Haeuptle. They taught us work ethic and the team work side of sports. I took that with me to college and then took it on after I became a coach. I learned a lot from those guys, they are good people."
