1986: V Interview on CBS

General NCS Football Tradition54

Every fan of every school has a cache of moments that are particularly special to them for some reason or another. Because the years of 1980-1985 were so forgettable…1986 came along for me at a time where I was definitely ‘old enough to remember’ while also being somewhat ‘blank’ as it related to NC State football.

Sure I had vague recollections of Lou Holtz. Of course I knew of Ted Brown and Joe McIntosh and enjoyed the Wolfpack’s 1978 Tangerine Bowl win over Pittsburgh. BUT…there just wasn’t much Wolfpack football inside of me until the phenomenally special 1986 season was delivered to us all by the great Dick Sheridan.

Other than the Wolfpack’s thrilling 35-34 win in Chapel Hill in 1986, NC State’s 27-3 throttling of Clemson on CBS was the other ‘best’ game of that season. Considering Clemson’s place amongst college football’s powerhouses at that time, the Pack’s win over the Tigers was bigger for the program than any win that season and will forever live as one of the greatest wins in NC State history for fans of my ‘longitude and latitude.’

Personally, this game has particularly special place in my heart as it was one of the first live games I ever attended with my father – and definitely the first “big game” I ever attended.

I’ll never forget the rain. I’ll never forget the crowd. I’ll never forget the big red horn that I blew for hours (before noise makers were banned). I’ll never forget Haywood Jefferies’ reverse. I’ll never forget getting hom and watching my video tape of the game – that I still have today – and thinking that it was just as awesome on television as it was in person because of so many of the compliments that the CBS crew gave our rising program.

One of the most memorable events for the television audience was Jim Valvano’s appearance and interview in the CBS booth. The interview has been captured on YouTube and is available for you to see below. You ‘youngsters’ who love to argue with people that know more than you and who have experienced more need to watch this for a lot of reasons.

God bless Jimmy V.

General NCS Football Tradition

54 Responses to 1986: V Interview on CBS

  1. BoKnowsNCS71 06/21/2007 at 8:37 PM #

    I remember all the signs and the contests between Frats to come up with the best ideas. They were done on paper and old bed sheets.

    With all the political correctness, all the fun has been stolen from college life. I recall the ugly girl contest that the Fraternities held and they posted the pictures in the old student union near the library for voting.

    One of the pics was exceptionally ugly in 69-70. Turned out the “girl” was some frat boys butt, sideways, eyses painted on, a wig, and a cigar out the “lips”. Tool a second or two to “get it” but it just got pulled. No suspensions. No big deal. Just kids having fun. Today — they’d jail you and throw you to Nancy Grace.

  2. Sixpackfan 06/21/2007 at 8:58 PM #

    Oh yea the good ol days. The crazy signs at CF. A 100 plus ski masked students running through the student union trashing the Gay and lesbian booth in 81. The ballot box catching on fire in the spring of 81 and the school having to redo the student elections. But outside of all the craziness of the 83 championship party craziness still one of the greatest scenes I have ever seen was it snowed on campus and about a 100 kids from Tucker and Owen were having a snow ball fight. All of a sudden a loud roar came out of nowhere and what looked like 500 students came around Tucker and attacked the kids from Tucker and Owen. Looked like a scene from Braveheart or something. One of those rare things you experience going to a large university. Gotta Love it!!

  3. BoKnowsNCS71 06/21/2007 at 9:26 PM #

    That’s a bit scary. But I do recall in the ear;y 70’s going to the PR and hearing about the Campus Streak. We bought a 6 pack to go and walked over to Campus to watch the Student Bodies run nakedly in front of Reynolds. Quite a sight. I love non-violence.

    I also remember in Jan 1968 when an ice storm hit and while everyone was cramming for exams, we all went out and grabbed food trays from the cafeteria to ride down the slope at Sullivan Dorm. Great relief from the study tensions.

  4. graywolf 06/21/2007 at 9:52 PM #

    Every time I see a Valvano tape I remember how special he truely was and how lucky NC State was to have him as Coach and AD. We should be ashamed that we allowed him to be run off………..

  5. Sixpackfan 06/21/2007 at 9:56 PM #

    That Good Stuff. It was before my time but I heard the cafeteria riots in the 70’s were something to behold. Bad enough they closed the cafeterias and didn’t reopen until the early 80’s. Bet younger grads would find it hard to believe we had to cook in our rooms. Small refrig., toaster oven, and hot plate. That was before the days of microwaves too. Ate good though.

  6. redfred2 06/21/2007 at 10:05 PM #

    Just like David Thompson as a player, no other single individual at any other university has ever come close to the impact that Jim Valvano’s persona had on NC State athletics, the university as a whole, and the entire nation while he was connected to NCSU, and then beyond. The man loved everything about it, especially the fans, and that’s why in spite of it all he came back, and gave the nation one of the most inspirational speechs anyone could ever want to hear. It was a two way street, he inspired and boosted the spirit of everything surrounding NCSU, and the fans did their best to return the favor for Jim Valvano.

    Great coaches are in place once again, let’s now focus our thoughts and prayers on administration.

  7. Jeff 06/21/2007 at 11:26 PM #

    Highstick….89 was NOT the purple jerseys. 1991 was the purple jerseys in Clemson. We were on the edge of the top 10. 6-0. Had pulled out the Marshall miracle the week prior to the trip to Death Valley. It was DEFINITELY 1991. I was a junior. Living on Iver Johnson Dr. We organized a big trip down for the game.

  8. TTandB74 06/21/2007 at 11:30 PM #

    Sophomore year. I was there with my dad, a friend of the family named George Bell and his wife, who has since passed. It was great. I don’t have it on tape, but I heard that Brent Musburger (check sp) named Dick Sheridan and the coaching staff the player of the game because they thorougly outcoached cheater boy Ford.

  9. wirogers 06/22/2007 at 7:30 AM #

    I was not at the game, (under the truck changing the engine – outside in the rain), listened to it on the radio. The one comment I remember was Musburger making a comment about how well the field was holding up in the rain. His partner quietly reminded him (in a striaght ‘you have to be kidding voice) that State was a land grant agricultural school.

    Without a missed beat Musburger replied, that must explain it. I almost killed myself laughing under the truck, hit my head on the frame.

  10. BoKnowsNCS71 06/22/2007 at 8:17 AM #

    Is there any other AD or coach who is as entertaining in both the sports media and in the general media?

    Lou Holtz in his day could be interviewed on a sports show or the Tonight/Letterman show (like V) and viewers enjoyed what he had to say.

    People like that are a rarity. Interestingly enough, both of these guys coached at NC State.

  11. RAWFS 06/22/2007 at 10:11 AM #

    Redfred, with all due respect, I think that Everett Case had more of an effect than Valvano. That doesn’t diminish the great Jimmy V in any way, but without Case, who knows if ACC hoops would have gotten to the level it has attained.

  12. EverettBeez 06/22/2007 at 10:11 AM #

    The interview clip gave me chills – ya’ll are right about how special V was and remains. I was up in Boone, and probably drinking very hard the App cocktail party, I mean football game, that day so didn’t see this.

    I remember walking home from dad’s office in Harilson (sp?) in 74 or so and passing through the old student union, seeing the signs for a Streak, where to meet and the time. Of course as elementary school kids, my folks didn’t let us go. But we got to listen to the song The Streak instead.

    Any of ya’ll remember that time elapsed photo of the woman on top of the beer truck that was on Union Sq after the 74 championship? First off, there is a beer truck handing out beer in front of the capitol. But then there is this woman who gets on top and rips her shirt and bra off! Now is this just my mind fooling me, or did that really happen? Who was at that celebration either after the Marquette game or that saturday afternoon when we beat UCLA?
    Sure seems that’s a heck of a lot better then the car burning riots most schools seem to host now after championships.

  13. EverettBeez 06/22/2007 at 10:15 AM #

    RAWFS, Case was The Man, and doesn’t – in my book – get nearly the credit he is due. I’d sure like to see us name our court after Case. I picked my screen name because of the street I grew up on, but even as a kid it made me think of Case. Case Court. Or call the whole sports complex, Case Meadows – RBC Center at Case Meadows, and Valvono Court. Be great to have statues of Case and Valvono out side of the RBC.

  14. PapaJohn 06/22/2007 at 10:56 AM #

    What a treat! Thanks SFN.

  15. noah 06/22/2007 at 10:59 AM #

    In their days, both Dale Brown and Al Maguire were fantastic interviews and very entertaining.

  16. BoKnowsNCS71 06/22/2007 at 1:03 PM #

    Everette — I was there. After the UCLA game — the streets at Oberlin and Hillsboro were one huge crowd. I recall sitting down in the middle of that intersection to share a beer or two with some friends. One I was told was an SBI agent who was also drinking his beer there. The Raleigh police probably would have joined in too (if they could have) but they just let everyone have their fun.

    There were streakers everywhere, a few girls streaked out of the PR while other streakers climbed telephone poles near the Bell tower. To most of us that Saturday, beating Marquette was a forgone conclusion.

  17. Old_Wolf 06/22/2007 at 1:10 PM #

    I think that picture is in one of my Agromeck yearbooks (74 probably). I can check.

  18. Mike 06/22/2007 at 1:37 PM #

    That Clempsun game was incredible. Did it rain that day? Sheridan was great but the player of the game was Pat Teague, our MLB. Pat was another great story and a super human being.

    One other great Clempsun memory is Rodney Williams, their QB for 17 years. I remember starting a chant in the student section, simply chanting Rrrrroooooooddddddnnnnnneeeeyyyyyyy every time he came under the ball. After a few minutes, others joined in, and by the 2nd half, the majority of the crowd was chanting his name in mocking fashion. I think at the time he was a freshman and certainly rattled him.

  19. gumbydammit 06/22/2007 at 3:28 PM #

    Pat was a great person. Just being around him made me feel bad for being the heathen that I am….

  20. noah 06/22/2007 at 3:47 PM #

    Rodney Williams was the hero of the 1988 Clemson game. Both teams were ranked in the top-15 (this was the week after the famous FSU-Clemson game).

    We won 10-3…the only touchdown came on a Chris Williams sweep after a bad snap on a Clemson punt.

    In the second half, Clemson had a guy running wide-open for a sure-fire touchdown…Williams only over-threw him by about twenty yards. When we saw the guy running wide open, everyone groaned. When the pass was thrown, we all just looked at one another and said, “Who was THAT for?”

  21. redfred2 06/22/2007 at 4:51 PM #

    RAWFS

    OK, I’ll concede that Everett Case started it all for basically the entire region. He was just before my time.

  22. highstick 06/25/2007 at 4:29 PM #

    I’ll concede on 91 being the purple jersey year. Was that the year that they were both 6-0 going into that game??? I saw them lose down there so many times, the years run together.

  23. redfred2 06/25/2007 at 10:00 PM #

    noah, I know you a lot of other people will probably disagree, but I think Bobby Knight’s interviews are some of the best.

  24. beowolf 06/26/2007 at 10:44 PM #

    noah, I was at that 1988 Clemson game. That was the finest defensive football game I’ve ever seen, I think. I remember the crowd chanting “3 in a row” after that. Beating Clemson then was just about as big as beating FSU now (well, now it’s probably “as big”).

  25. PackGirl 06/27/2007 at 2:03 PM #

    Terry Gannon credits Coach V for his success outside of basketball. See this link to David Glenn’s blog from today:
    http://www.wral.com/sports/blogpost/1537979/

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