Jimmy V Week

It really is amazing what sports can do for people and communities. It's a great outlet for people to rally around and come together. Especially when it's an underdog that has no shot, but pulls off the miraculous. Jim Valvano otherwise known as Jimmy V coached the biggest underdog of them all in 1983. The North Carolina State Wolfpack went into the ACC postseason tournament one loss away from their season being over. Sitting at 17-10 on the season and 8-6 in ACC play the Wolfpack began on journey to this day that is called, "Destiny". In the first round the Pack went down to wire with Wake Forest and pulled out a 71-70 win. Next was the #5 team in the nation the North Carolina Tar Heels with Michael Jordan leading the way. After falling down six points early in OT to a Dean Smith club without a shot clock, Valvano came up with craziest idea of them all. Lets foul them and put them on the free throw line. That crazy idea got State to the ACC final against the #2 Virginia Cavaliers and the great Ralph Sampson. After switching to a triangle and two defense where the two both guarded Sampson the Pack came back to win 81-78. NC State was ACC Champs and earned an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. That made for a cool story that everyone would remember for a few years...Valvano and his boys weren't done yet though. 

Now it's time for the NCAA Tournament and North Carolina State is heading to Corvallis, OR to take on Pepperdine. After over looking the Wave the Pack has to come back late to just make it out of the first round. Next they took on #6 UNLV who had only lost two games all season. That was till they played Jimmy V's bunch who found away to win yet again 71-70. Now time to the Sweet Sixteen and NC State got to take deep breath as they beat Utah 75-56. Hope they enjoyed the breather now it's time to battle with Sampson and the Cavs yet again. This game was even closer, but Cinderella found away again 63-62 to make it to the Final Four at The Pit in Albuquerque, NM. There Valvano and the boys took care of business vs Georgia another Cinderella 67-60. Now there was only one obstacle left it just happened to be the biggest one of all, a Houston Cougars team better known as Phi Slama Jama. A team that featured three first round draft picks, two of which were Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler(maybe you've heard of them before). Jama only lost two games all season and won twenty-six straight games leading up to the National Championship game. The Cougars were eight point favorites and no one gave Jimmy V and The Cardiac Kids a chance. Everyone said you can't run with these guys...I'll let the video tell the true story.

Cinderella found her slipper that night and Jim Valvano's bunch immortalize themselves in history. Jimmy V gave America a gift that night in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but his greatest gift was still yet to come. In June of 1992 Valvano was diagnosed metastatic adenocarcinoma, which is a type of cancer. On March 3, 1993 Jim accepted the inaugural Arthur Ashe Courage and Humanitarian Award at the first ever ESPY Awards. Valvano who was so sick had been throwing up the whole way on the flight to the ESPYs. Needing to be helped up to the podium Valvano gave one of the greatest speeches and calls to action ever heard. Take a look.

"Don't give up, don't ever give up"

That night Jimmy V gave his greatest gift. He gave people hope that suffer from this terrible disease. It's expected that over 1.5 million people in America alone will be diagnosed with cancer this year. It's also believed that it'll kill 589,430 Americans this year or 1,620 a day. Cancer affects us all, we all know someone who suffers from some form of cancer. That night Jim Valvano gave a speech that didn't just inspire, but also left a plan on how to defeat cancer. With the help of ESPN the V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded and since 1993 has raised over 150 million dollars for cancer research. Jim Valvano is no longer with us, but would be so proud of what has been accomplished in the fight against cancer. But he would then tell you that fight isn't over yet. We still haven't beaten cancer and still need your help to raise more money for cancer research. So that one day when you or your love one needs help that maybe a cure will have been found. If you're currently suffering from cancer you aren't alone and Jim would tell you seven words never to forget. "Don't give up, don't ever give up"

To Donate to the JimmyV Fund go to www.jimmyv.org/ or call 1-800-4JIMMYV