Wolfpack's amazing championship still inspires 30 years later

Thirty years ago tonight, nearly to the minute, I — and thousands of others — experienced a moment as  sports fans that we will never forget.
Whether you were a fan of the N.C. State men's basketball team, you will always remember the way the Wolfpack defeated top-ranked and heavily-favored Houston 54-52 to win the NCAA championship. When Dereck Whittenburg's shot went up from 30-plus feet with 5 seconds to go, who really thought that Lorenzo Charles was waiting under the rainbow to dunk the ball and with it, Phi Slamma Jamma's dream of a national title.
Through ESPN's 30 for 30 presentation on the '83 Wolfpack, "Survive and Advance," I've been able to relive so many moments of State's magical run that culminated April 4, 1983, in Albuquerque, N.M.
I was a junior in high school, an unabashed State fan and can clearly remember so many of those games, how unbelievable the outcomes were but also, how I slowly began to think that winning the NCAA championship was the Wolfpack's destiny.
After all, State had a pretty good team at the beginning of the year but lost Whittenburg to a broken foot against Atlantic Coast Conference favorite Virginia and the mighty Ralph Sampson in January. When Whittenburg returned near the end of the regular season, the rest of the Wolfpack had learned to play without him.
The first instance State was going to be a factor was when it scored 130 points on senior day against Wake Forest in Reynolds Coliseum in the final regular-season game. Then the 'Pack needed Charles to hit 1 of 2 free throws in the final seconds to escape the Demon Deacons 71-70 in the first round of the ACC tournament.
After State toppled defending NCAA champion North Carolina, led by Michael Jordan and Sam Perkins, in the ACC semifinals, the 'Pack still had to beat Sampson and UVA in the championship game — and they did.
Perhaps the only time in State's run that I didn't think it was going to win came in its NCAA opener against Pepperdine in Corvallis, Ore. I stayed up late, on a Friday night I think, to watch. Somehow the Wolfpack turned around a late six-point deficit, went to overtime, then another overtime before winning.
In the final against Houston, which had just defeated Louisville in the most breathtaking college basketball game ever played in the national semifinals, I remember thinking that State was going to win. I didn't know how, because Houston had Akeem Abdul Olajuwon (as he was then called) and Clyde Drexler, but I knew they were going to win.
Several of us gathered at the home of one of our Hunt baseball teammates to watch the championship game. We were on spring break but those of us who played baseball had to stay in town for the Breakfast Optimist Easter Tournament in Fleming Stadium before we could head to Atlantic Beach for the rest of break.
Most of us were State fans but a couple were Carolina fans —who were rooting for the 'Pack just as hard as anyone — as we watched the tense game unfold.
As Whittenburg's shot was calmly collected and dunked by Charles, who seemed to be the only guy on the court who realized the buzzer hadn't sounded, there was a split second as everyone in the room processed what had happened. Then we converged in a joyous group hug that miraculously didn't break anything in my friend's living room (although his father was right in the middle of the jubilant scrum).
I didn't even see State coach Jim Valvano's famous dash around the court looking for somebody to hug because we were all hugging each other.
In my 40 or so years of watching sports, as a fan and a writer, I've yet to experience anything to top State's amazing run. Of course, Barton's march to the NCAA Division II title in 2007, along with the finish of the Bulldogs' championship game win over Winona State, was just as enthralling but I can't say it was better than State's run.
So much importance is placed on sports in our society. It's hard to consider a game more viable than real life and I've long tried to maintain that perspective. But sometimes things happen in the sporting world that provides a glimpse of something greater than the game or even day-to-day life.
As I look back on that unforgettable, incredible run, it seems even more unbelievable now. But it happened. It really did happen.
As Valvano said during a speech in Reynolds Coliseum celebrating the 10th anniversary of that title run shortly before his death in 1993, the most important thing he learned from that team was how much those guys loved each other.
Maybe that's the reason behind their miraculous run, I don't know. But I do know that miracles like the '83 Wolfpack and the '07 Bulldogs can happen and they will probably happen again.
And when they do, they'll enrich everyone who pays attention, just like the Wolfpack did 30 years ago tonight.

My first March madness memories

As I sit on the couch and bite into one frozen Thin Mint after another and watch replay after replay of all the conference tournament action, I'm reminded of how exciting this time of year has always been. Spring is forcing its way onstage, often pushing winter off, and daffodils and Bradford pears are the visual elements that change is taking place. Baseball season, gloriously, tunes up backstage as the main act in March — college basketball — rides to its thrilling denouement.

I remember standing in the kitchen of my parents' house when I was about 14, biting into a Thin Mint while the NCAA tournament was on television after I had come back from an impromptu batting practice with some future Coon Middle School baseball teammates and thinking: “Man, this is my favorite time of year.”

There's something special about college basketball in March that just isn't found in any other sport. Maybe it's the short-lived nature of the careers that creates the emotional tie. Four years, at most, and then it's done. I used to get sad watching seniors from teams I didn't really care about like Clemson or Maryland walk off the court when their team had lost in the ACC tournament because I knew that was likely the last time I'd see them. It was much worse when the seniors on my team finished their careers. I began life as an N.C. State fan because the Wolfpack's 1974 NCAA championship is my first real sports memory. I was 8 and didn't care much about sports. Didn't play them for a recreation team (because then you had to be in third grade and I was in second grade) or really in the yard. Especially didn't like watching them on TV, although more often than not on a Saturday afternoon, ACC basketball was the only option my dad allowed on the tube.

Despite my reluctance as a sports fan, I was caught up in the 1974 Wolfpack and their great star, David Thompson. My father loved State and so did I and I especially loved DT, who seemed so shy and unassuming but was Superman, Michael Jackson and The Beatles, all rolled into one skinny, 6-foot-4  kid in low-top sneakers. 

I don't remember actually watching any games, even though I know I did, but I do recall the apprehension that pulsed through the state when Thompson crashed to the floor of Reynolds Coliseum during the first round of the NCAA tournament (which is amazing enough that State played at home in the NCAA tournament) and landed on his head. He ended up being taken to the hospital and then returning, to deafening cheers, to watch the rest of the Wolfpack's win over Providence.

I don't think I watched State's epic dethroning of UCLA and Bill Walton, but I did read The News and Observer's coverage on it over and over. I was confused that State still had to play one more game to win the championship and didn't see a second of that game, since my bedtime was at 8 p.m., an hour before tipoff.

I became a more involved fan the next season as I hoped Thompson, Monte Towe and the 'Pack would win it all again — this time with me watching. But it was not to be as the Wolfpack was stopped in the ACC tournament championship game by upstart North Carolina and its fabulous freshman point guard Phil Ford.

And that was the end of State's season and Thompson's career as the Wolfpack turned down a bid to the NIT. I still remember watching The Norm Sloan Show and crying as they ran a video montage in tribute to the seniors to the song, “He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother.”

Although I hated Phil Ford that night, I had no problem rooting for the Tar Heels in the NCAA tournament, where they lost to Syracuse in the second round. That's just the way it was then, at least for me.

From the time I first got a taste of March madness 39 years ago, it's still my favorite time of the year.

Do you have a memory of when March madness began for you? I'd love to hear it.

Now where are those Thin Mints?  

College career looks to be done for UNC Asheville's Atkinson

Jeremy Atkinson's college basketball career appears to be over as his UNC Asheville Bulldogs were spilled 87-72 by lowly Longwood (as in 8-24 lowly) in the first round of the Big South Conference tournament Tuesday.

UNC Asheville, once 15-10 and on top in the Big South, lost six of its last seven to finish 16-16. Not sure if the Bulldogs will get a chance to play again in CollegeInsider.com or College Basketball Invitational postseason tournaments but their opportunity for a third straight NCAA appearance is null and void.

Atkinson, Fike High School's all-time career scoring leader with 2,001 points, led the Bulldogs with 19 points and 11 rebounds in what looks like his final college game. He did, however, get named to the All-Big South first team earlier in the week.

I hope to get a chance to chat with Jeremy tomorrow to talk about his two seasons with the Bulldogs after transferring from Louisburg as a JUCO All-American and his plans for the future.

Hesmer officially retires from pro soccer

It's official. Former Hunt High and Wake Forest star William Hesmer is retiring from professional soccer.
Hesmer texted me the news Wednesday, two days after Clemente Lisi reported it on USSoccerPlayers.com. Hesmer started for the Columbus Crew for the past nine seasons but spent most of last year out with a hip injury. He was chosen by the Los Angeles Galaxy in the re-entry draft after Columbus did not renew his option.
Hesmer helped the Crew win the Supporters Shield (for best regular-season record) and the MLS Cup in 2008.
He began his career with the then Kansas City Wizards.
What's next for the 31-year-old?
Tune in next week as I hope to chat with him about his career and his future plans, which include wedding bells!

A few more things about Raymond Cobb you might not know

Former SouthWest Edgecombe High head football coach Raymond Cobb was kind enough to sit down with me this week to reminisce about his 33-year teaching and coaching career, which will come to an end Jan. 31 when he retires. Of course, I don't expect him to be a total stranger since he plans on functioning as an advisor/assistant to his son, Jonathan, who will take over the Cougars varsity edition in the fall.

The elder Cobb spent nearly two hours telling story after story about his illustrious career, which included N.C. High School Athletic Association 1-A championships in 1994 and 1997 at North Edgecombe. My story on him in Thursday's edition of The Wilson Times covered a lot of ground but there were a few things I didn't include.

So here they are:

• Cobb was the head coach at North Edgecombe from 1988 to 2003 and served as J.V. head coach from 1981 to 1983 and varsity assistant from 1981 to 1987. He succeeded Tom Collins as Warriors head coach. Collins, who was head coach for one season, would go on to become athletic director at Campbell University and Brevard College.

• At North Edgecombe, Cobb's teams never lost a state playoff game at home.

• His 1996 North Edgecombe team ran for 5,980 yards, which is still an NCHSAA record.

• Milton Shaw, Cobb's star running back from 1989 to 1991, was named The Associated Press Player of the Year in 1991. The only Warrior to achieve that distinction. Shaw also holds the state record for consecutive games of rushing for 100 or more yards with 24.

• In 1992 and 1994, North Edgecombe tied a state record shared by many by not allowing a single first down in a game, both times against Jamesville.

• Cobb's famous wishbone offense was developed from University of Colorado's I-bone attack in the early 1990s. Cobb wrote to then Buffaloes head coach Bill McCartney, who sent him a playbook. The Warriors didn't make the switch to the wishbone until 1994, the year of their first state championship.

• Cobb's quarterback at North Edgecombe in 1993, Tyrice Pittman, threw for 2,332 yards, which is probably more than his half of teams nine teams at SouthWest combined threw for.

• Only Jimmy Tillman, SouthWest's second football coach who was there for 11 seasons, led the Cougars longer than Cobb.