Jimmy V

Jim Valvano was the head basketball coach at North Carolina State University for nine seasons, winning the NCAA Championship in 1983. He resigned from coaching in 1990 in light of (unproven) allegations of point shaving. In 1992, Valvano was diagnosed with cancer. In light of this, the jovial and emotional Italian was awarded the Arthur Ashe Courage and Humanitarian Award at the 1993 ESPYs. On March 4, 1993, the day of the awards, Valvano had to be carted down from his hotel room in a wheelchair. When he was introduced by his good friend, ex-University of Detroit coach and ESPN commentator Dick Vitale, both Vitale and the audience were clearly emotional with the knowledge that Valvano did not have long to live. In spite of his sickness, Valvano managed to walk up to the stage to give this now famous speech. I recommend that you read it and/or listen to it - it is funny when it needs to be (the Rutgers/Packers story is one of my all time favorites) but also serious and inspiring without flowery language or empty, rehearsed prose.

ESPN and the V Foundation now sponsor an annual college basketball doubleheader at Madison Square Garden in New York, with all proceeds going to cancer research. In between the two games of the Jimmy V Classic, the video of this speech (from which the still above is taken) is played in its entirety. Since its creation, the V Foundation and the annual JimmyV Classic have raised over fifty million dollars.
For more information, please visit www.jimmyv.org.