What do you remember most about the 1983 N.C. State men's basketball championship 25 years later? Is it Lorenzo Charles' dunk that sealed the win? Or how then head coach Jim Valvano ran around the court like he couldn't believe it? Whatever your memory is, share here.
It was the first real sports memory I have. I remember my dad saying "I can't believe they actually won!" over and over again. That team and it's story have been and continue to be inspiration for all teams that aren't given a chance. The 1983 Wolfpack is proof that you don't know until you play the game. Jim Valvano we always be loved and remembered by all those who grew up in North Carolina during those years. As a NCSU alumni I wish the university and the Wolfpack Club would do more to honor his accomplishments and what he did for the school. The positive impact he had on the school far out weighs any bad accusations that surrounded him. The only difference between NC STATE at that time and UNC and Duke was the State got caught. Let the legend of Jimmy V and the Cardiac Pack live on for eternity and their spirit be rekindled everytime you hear those great words "GO PACK".
What does it mean when you say that UNC and Duke didn't get caught? To a certain degree that win in 1983 just made Valvano do stupid things to try to stay at the top. Chris Washburn and Shackleford. Those players didn't even try to help with the crap they pulled. Every fall semester Kelsey Weems, or whatever the point guard's name was back then, would be ineligible to play, but come second semester he would be playing. He won the championship with Norm Sloan players, recruited players that had no business being on campus at State. It took Les and Herb nearly 20 years to pull State out of the crap that Valvano put that program into. Valvano was a great person, great inspiration, and motivator, but a questionable coach. It just really highlights the greatness of UNC and Duke and the programs that were there during the 80's and how low Valvano took the program to keep up with those teams and the fact that it's taken nearly 25 years for State to become an almost "relevant team," shows the depth of the problems that came out of that success in 1983. To think that seven years after winning the national championship, Valvano would be out of coaching.
I recall during my years at State going to visit friends at UNC, most of them lived in Granville Towers. If you seem to beleieve that UNC is somehow above the shady side of college athletics let me tell you this story. Ed Cota, Vince Carter and Antwon Jamison all wear driving very expensive cars during their time at UNC. The cars they were driving we well above their standard of living. How exactly do you explain three kids coming from lower middle class families driving $60,000 vehicles. I think the world of Dean Smith and personally think he is the greatest college basketball coach of all time, but to assume because he was never caught he never broke the rules is nieve. All major Divison I schools break the rules at some point. It may not be directly tied to the coach but someone in the program is a part of it. By the way Carolina players are not exactly model citizens off the court either, there have been numerous incidents on Franklin St. that always seem to disapear. UNC is a great program and wonderful university but don't kid yourself into thinking that they are unblemished! Everyone was doing it, State just got caught. And besides the charges that were actually proven were very minor, like selling used shoes! Bur the NCAA decided to make an example out of the program.
There are those who supported the program when Coach V was there and feel that he got shafted by the University and the N&O. Check facts about the actual violations during that time. Basically, nothing to it. Yea, there were some questionable playes like Washburn, who might have went to UNC had they not saw the writting on the wall. Many of those supporters back then left the wolfpack club and have never attended another game at NCSU. People who didn't know Coach V just don't understand.
From a visitor
I'm a Carolina graduate but I worked at State in the early 70s and my brother went to school there. When the Pack won the national championship in 1974, I remembered how we celebrated on Hillsborough Street. But in 1983 I was living in Washington, D.C. So I got in my car, rode around and started blowing the horn. When I heard other car horns with people yelling, I joined them. We rode up & down 16th Street, N.W. We went wild!
My family was gathered around our TV with our pajamas on when we realized we may have a chance to win in 1983. As soon as that historical shot by Lorenzo Charles went in the basket, we all changed clothes and headed for the Brickyard-NCSU campus where everyone celebrated. Coach Valvano's expression when they won was unforgettable! Coach V was an unbelievable person. We met Jimmy V when our son attended his basketball camp. The Coach always made special time for the kids. He even tried to get my daughter to go to the camp. He made her feel really special by taking time to talk with her and giving her an NCSU T-shirt. We have been fans since the 60's and have been to many games, but the Valvano years were special beyond belief. What a great man and a super coach!
Those were good times when you believe that anything or any team could win just because they were capable. But there will not ever be one again witht he power conferences,bracketologys and exidous of players to the nba.
For ever mid-major confernece win in the ncaa,there are a hundred power conference wins. But we can dream can't we?
From the ACC tournament to the late night, last minute heroics, to beating ralph, it is hard to single out a moment. Did it start in Reynolds when Whit rolled his ankle and others stepped up or when Sid passed thru his legs to Thurl for the dunk against UNC. Hard to say. May have started when I first saw the team in '80 and this crazy coach running and screaming in Carmichael Gym and was told he was the new head coach. All I know, is when I think of that season, I am moved to laugh, cry, and love (not to mention the goose bumps I get everytime someone asks) Thank you Jimmy V and the entire team.
What I remember about both NCAA championships is that either prior to or just following the wins NCSU was found to have committed NCAA violations. I do not believe the State basketball program has ever recovered from the last one.
How many times did we almost lose? LOL...
I remember in 1983 doing some sort of tribal dance in my living room for about 20 minutes after the incredible finish to the wildest ride to a championship in SPORTS HISTORY. What team in any sport came from so low in the rankings and almost lost so many times before they won? NOBODY! Jimmy V was the best GAME COACH I have ever seen including Coach K against whom Jimmy V had a DOMINANT head to head record before he was scapegoated by the administration. He was guitly only of giving some not so good kids a really good chance. Jimmy V even has a rule named after him. A rule that allows poor clutch players to eek out victories rather than earn them on the stripe. As for those who say '83 was V's only accomplishment, I must tell you of the '87 ACC tourney win over UNC when Dean got so outcoached by V he smacked a camera on his way off the court. Jimmy V took the pack to two more Elite Eights after that and Les Robinson's Elite Eight run is in many ways his as well. This type of success without an NCAA championship has gotten lesser coaches in the Hall of Fame. Jimmy V was the absolute best motivator during a game and among the best strategists you could ever hope to watch coach and he proved it most in 1983. PUT HIM IN THE HALL NOW!!!!!!!!!!!