I’ve not bought into this mantra yet. I get it. NC State has had a drought. Think of all the years where we have suffered. We watched and cheered for all our friends teams win and listened to the smack talk. So, why not us?
I remember the stories my parents told me of 1983. My mom was a student at State then. I was 3. They talked about going to Hillsborough St and hanging at Sadlacks. I still have the Sports Illustrated and possibly a News & Observer they kept from that April day. There was also a national championship magnet chip clip I would play with that was on our refrigerator. I have the clip part of the magnet still. My dad took me to my first football game at Carter-Finley. I got us tickets years later to Reynolds for a game vs Maryland where like clockwork, he fell asleep. I got the chance to have him at PNC for a UNC game once. The picture of us is on my desk, at work in said arena now.
Shoot, Reynolds was the place I attended my first concert when I was 6, Huey Lewis and the News. Paul McCartney at Carter Finley in 89 or 91. I can still remember Strawberry Fields.
Jimijon once grabbed me Jimmy V’s autograph when I was four or five. The story goes that Jimmy V was in the Hardees drive thru in front of us on Gorman St. My parents ripped the checkbook cover off and got me his autograph. I don’t remember that day but it’s at home and says “To Joey, Best wishes, Jim Valvano.” If that says anything about the type of person he was, that while he was getting a coffee or a hot ham n cheese, he took the time to sign an autograph for me.
Years later we would go to NIT games in high school at Reynolds. Games on the tv cart. Sneaking in a Walkman and listening to the tournament. Then we would get our chance to go to NC State. Then it was attending games or sitting in with the pep band during holiday break butchering the fight song.
I started working security for games. Taking tickets and then running the field house at Carter-Finley. Escorting football coaches and then someone thought it would be cool to put a 25 year old in charge of all the event staff / security at Da Carter. I got my brother and his friend to work games as ticket takers. We were keeping NC State in the family. I did the last regular season game at Reynolds before the move to the ESA. The heritage game every year at Reynolds was my time to shine with MBB. I worked some amazing Woman’s games with Coach Yow (the night they named the court for her and we beat UNC, that’s is another picture of us on my desk) and the first Hoops for Hope.
I would go as a student to men’s games. My friends were in the band. I was a portly man back then. I put on a NWO wrestling t-shirt, suspenders, overalls and a straw hat. Farmer McFunk was born. He would have dance battles with Mean Gene and Slappy. I really enjoyed those 16 nights a year. I thought it was cool until one night I would do the worm across the court. It made SportsCenter but what I remember of that comes from the next day. I was at my best friend Mike’s house and his dad goes. “You know they were talking about you on the radio?” What? So I guess they came out of a radio time out early and Gary Hahn & Tony Haynes was doing play by play of our dance off. “I think that farmer mcfunk guy just bellyflopped on the court Tony.” He looks okay Gary but that’s going to leave a mark tomorrow.” It did.
Nathan would work games and then one day I handed off coaching escorts to him. He went on to become a paramedic and still does Wolfpack Medic once a year. Nate and Melanie would bring Zane to games early on. There is a picture of who knows how young of me holding him at Carter Finley. Lily would be there next and now Robert. We went in together for season football tickets and taking his kids to sporting events is one of my passions. My parents didn’t take Nathan and me to many games. They were always working or not around. To be able to have these experiences now with Nathan and Melanie’s kids are priceless.
This is my 12th Final Four weekend since 2012. 2020 was canceled right before we left and 21’ with covid just wasn’t in the cards. The group started going when I got diagnosed with cancer. We planned out New Orleans very quickly. It was Michelle, Dave, Danielle and Mel. We would meet up with others and attend the concerts and games. 2015 was our first dog in the fight with Duke. The group got bigger and smaller. Michelle and I was the core and go every year until 19’. We would have been there in 20’ if it wasn’t for covid. I been in remission for over ten years but Michelle passed away from cancer in 2021. Kevin and Dave came with me in 22 and we had an amazing time seeing Duke vs UNC in a final four. Like whomever was going to say that happened. Kevin and I went to Houston in 23’ and we planned for 24’
I was thankful to be in Greensboro when the Women’s basketball team won its first ACC Tournament in forever five years ago. We still had Baseball, Football and Men’s Basketball to break their curses. I had hung it up. The Women Basketball team was going places and what a year they had. I went back to Greensboro to see them hopefully win a 4th title in 5 years in March but it wasn’t in the cards. The WBB team has a great run and wins one game and another. Now they get a chance to go to the final four. They do and now Cleveland Rocks.
MBB earned the 10th seat in the ACC Tourny. Okay, win one game sure, but what happened, no one believed but those players and coaches. Then it was on for Friday to play Virginia for the forth game in 4 days, I was like, go to DC. No FOMO. I grabbed a ticket and watched an overtime thriller. Guess we’re staying another day in the DMV. Kevin and his son do a whirlwind tour of Virginia and comes up. State beats UNC and I mean stays on top of UNC. Curse broken. State went from zero to hero. I’m happy. Crying, what we are doing now is all house money.
Texas Tech. I’m feeling good but not great. Our legs have to be shakey. I know I’m tired. Oakland beats Kentucky with a crazy dude hitting threes. He’s all anyone is talking about. I go, State can beat them. That’s nothing. Just beat Texas Tech. They do. Then they beat Oakland. Sweet sixteen, why not?
Marquette. That’s no pushover, that’sBig East ball. State goes to Dallas and well shoot we beat Marquette. Duke. Yeah sorry State ain’t beating Duke after that ACC Tourny game. Duke wants revenge. Nope.. State wins.
Now I’m sitting on a plane having our descent into Phoenix. Kevin and I was coming anyway remember. It’s a tradition. We will get to see what my generation heard about and even believed was never going to happen. My brother and nephew and Andrew and Evan are also making the trip because this team never gave up.
Why not us…
Enjoy the Show 