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It still kills me as I watch Coach Valvano’s speech at the ESPY’s then watch his speech at Reynolds to once again realize NC State or the V Foundation’s distance from each other. For the life of me I can not, will not understand why NC State is not a constant member if not the host for the Jimmy V Classic. NC State Basketball is JIM VALVANO, whether you like it or not. Someone help me understand
Perhaps the title of the book Valvano authored will provide insight.
They Gave Me a Lifetime Contract, and Then They Declared Me Dead
The ‘They’ in the title is NC State. Not fans nor students, but the weak and cowardly institutional leadership.
If I were a Valvano family member, there would need be a lot of very loud and very public apologies and mea culpas before I even considered some sort of formal, or even informal, relationship.
Yes, very true…I guess my indirect question is directly to the University. It makes my face blood red to log into gopack.com and see countless texts, tweets, instagrams what have you about Coach V. while knowing that our institution “black balled” him years ago and oh how now they want to celebrate the man. I don’t know, it’s just hard to watch
it is very hard to watch. Makes you wonder why we haven’t named the court after him or something. If our bar of accomplishments is higher than Jimmy V it will never go named.
Yep, agreed.
The current leadership seems to ‘get it’. I’m a little surprised they haven’t already done something. Perhaps they are working towards it behind the scenes?
I know Nicole but haven’t spoken to her in years. Ill have to ask her if/when I next see her.
OK….what I am doing UP at 3:20 AM? Why am I posting….Pure and simple…I figured out that my 7 YO Sony TV has a bad Prism in the light bock module…and Googled it and even Werner Von Braun would have difficulty just putting in the module….but the dude that did the YouTube has a setup where HE can do a factory recalibration….RIGHT…I can replace (solder/desolder) capacitors and stuff….that is what I thought that NCSU EE’s did….Foolish me….so after picking out a NEW TV and reconfiguring my old custom cabinet….I say down and had a double Crown….and surfed.
Jimmy V is (was) a bit younger than me. Met him a few times at WPC meetings. Followed the pack incessantly during the 83 run. My family’s WP blood runs deep….I have two nephews that are FOURTH generation NCSU Grad’s….that’s some connection. In 1983, each of my BIL’s has a special memory….the younger met his wife at the Brickyard and the older and his wife came to Sanford to watch every game with us.
Fast forward to the mid 90’s….V has passed away. My wife has several books about the championship run that I bought her. I purchased the “THEY….Declared me DEAD” audio book on ebay in Cassette. I eventually converted to MP3 and have the ESPY speech and the WRAL “Wolfpack” song. Jimmy V was vindictive and obviously hurt when he wrote the book. Seems like that was enough to “get it out of his system”. The cassette version is pure V…doing a stand-up routine. I used to run Audio at WRAL and understand scripting. V had a bullet outline and some notes….and WINGED IT.
V’s legacy goes beyond NCSU and the V-Foundation. I personally used some of techniques and also quotes….as well as examples to totally turn around a very poor safety record for a large S&P 500 division. I can truthfully testify that at least 100….maybe MORE folks did NOT have a Lost Time accident during my tenure and that my programs and the continuing work of the teams that I helped train and development kept the string going. NO ONE lost a finger or an eye or anything else.
Jimmy V was “my idol and my dead mentor”. When I would need an inspiration for a new program or to make an after dinner speech at a safety or environmental celebration, I would use him directly or indirectly.
I will not go so far as to say, “I wuz channelin’ V”….but I would say that all the countless hours on an air plane listing to him shuck and jive through the book or in the car as I drove had a profound impact on me.
He was pretty straight up and admitted some mistakes. He was funny in all the “stories” of his life.
SO, I too, get teary eyed this time of the year. I also think about the “witch hunt” that transpired in Raleigh and the “Ho-Hum” response for a situation down the road. Comparing UNC’s “The Great Unpleasantness” to the Jimmy V. Crucifixion….is like comparing 5 pound slab of C4 to a Cherry Bomb or an M-80.
As to NCSU…YES, the AD and staff and the BB staff do “GET IT”. BUT, the faculty and Admin do NOT. They still hold St. Monteith in the highest esteem….despite the fact that he was a mere pawn of Claude Sitton.
Some of the press that covered the “public tar and feathering” are STILL making the rounds. They say that if the AD tried to single out Jimmy V…like naming the PNC Court for him…since it was HIS idea and dream to BUILD SUCH, would be cause for another round of “public Reputation executions”. The much brained, but brilliant folks that followed St. Monteith around is like the spaced out crowd that worships the Rev. Bully Barber. THEY were fed the RED Kool Aid….and if it were Hemlock and St. Monteith said DRINK….this is the Cup of Life…they would never question WHY the servers had AR-15’s and why there were bodies piling up everywhere.
SO, it IS right and PROPER that we think of him. Tell me, do you see DEAN or Roy or, GASP….Mikey on the tube like you see Jimmy V? Of course not. Do miss the V-Man….one wonders if he would have taken over for Letterman many years ago….since the show originates from NYC….
Outta here….
Adventuroo and everyone else here….thank you. I must admit myself after a round, or two, or three or….well you get it, of beers and replying to countless texts from friends who don’t exactly love the pack I found myself seeking refuge here at statefans. I read you guys daily, have said some stupid things and been chastised for them but internally loved every second of it. GO PACK
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