Jimmy V for Jimmy V week

NCS Basketball Tradition9

SFN’s twitter feed (Link) just ran across from this tweet from Sports Illustrated’s ‘photo vault’

SI Vault Photo (1983): It’s hard to look at this picture and not love Jim Valvano

You can click here to see the photo, which I have never seen. 

God bless.

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NCS Basketball Tradition

9 Responses to Jimmy V for Jimmy V week

  1. fullmoon1 12/06/2010 at 2:09 PM #

    It’s nice to have had a coach that had such an impact not only at State but nationaly as well in life and in basketball. Jim Valvano is one of the few coaches to be perceived in such a warm fashion rivaled maybe by Wooten though in a much different way. I hope Yow sees fit to finally embrace the man as the rest of the sports world has. I think enough time has passed that we can do so with no contraversy at all. I love the photo.

  2. packbackr04 12/06/2010 at 2:36 PM #

    i think you are beginning to see State finally acknowledging one of our own. it was no coincidence that both she and Sidney Lowe got commercial spots during the opening of Vweek talking about the impact that V had on them.
    Debbie Yow has turned out to be an absolutely phenominal hire.

  3. Sweet jumper 12/06/2010 at 2:51 PM #

    I miss that. We were big time when V, Norm, Press and Everett coached our teams. I trust Debbie Yow to guide us back where we belong–included in the top college bball programs in the US of A.

  4. backnine 12/06/2010 at 4:07 PM #

    When I look at pictures like that from throughout the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s, I instantly feel something special that I really haven’t felt in a long long time. We had an unmistakeable brand back then. An energy. We were known for being scrappy, hard-nosed winners. We were in the mix. In the conversation. For me as a long-time State fan, there are two eras. There’s pre-1990 and post 1990. We became something less in the latter and have never managed to reclaim who and what we were in the former. Sometimes I think that former era, wrapped up in all its unique quirky greatness, died along with Jimmy V in 1993. Nothing about NC State has been the same since. For that reason I love old photos like this one…..to peek back and know that what I recall wasn’t just a daydream. It was real.

  5. wufpup76 12/06/2010 at 4:13 PM #

    That’s an Awesome photo.

    “When I look at pictures like that from throughout the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s, I instantly feel something special that I really haven’t felt in a long long time. We had an unmistakeable brand back then. An energy. We were known for being scrappy, hard-nosed winners. We were in the mix. In the conversation.”

    ^Totally agree. Teams actually used to fear coming to Reynolds / Raleigh – and not just b/c of our lunatic fringe fanbase.

  6. golf76 12/06/2010 at 7:25 PM #

    Enough talking! How do we celebrate Valvano in a way that acknowledges the enthusiam, impact, hope, distinction, love (watch his ESPY speech), and honor that he deserves. In the wake of the issues at UNX (grossly worse than anything V’s players did), there is no reason to deny his accomplishments. We should publicly and loudly give credit where credit is due!!

  7. Master 12/06/2010 at 10:06 PM #

    Back during the post-Sendek coaching search, a friend said State had never really had a great coach and challenged me to name one. I told him we had at least three:

    1.) Everett Case practically created big-time basketball in the ACC with national recruiting and showmanship. His name is synonymous with greatness and is celebrated every year as the Everett N. Case Award is given to the MVP of the ACC Tournament.

    2.) Norm Sloan went undeated in the ACC 2 straight years and ended the UCLA string of 7 consecutive National Chapionships by winning it all in 1974.

    3.) Jim Valvano won the 1983 National Championship and is now celebrated anually on ESPN with Jimmy V week where his speech is shown every year and his foundation raises money for Cancer research. His name and good works will likely be remembered by many millions of people with gratitude far beyond anything ever accomplished by Dean Smith and Coach K.

    We should be proud of the men who have coached at NC State and never allow their legend to be diminshed.

  8. Sweet jumper 12/06/2010 at 11:17 PM #

    Amen, Master

  9. StateFans 12/07/2010 at 12:11 PM #

    “Back during the post-Sendek coaching search, a friend said State had never really had a great coach and challenged me to name one. I told him we had at least three.”

    You shouldn’t hang around with such dumb friends.

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