NC State
Memories of the 1983 Cardiac Pack live on 40 years later
It has been 14,569 days since NC State toppled Houston in the 1983 NCAA tournament championship game.
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It has been 14,569 days since NC State toppled Houston in the 1983 NCAA tournament championship game.
AND ONE PERSON IN CUSTODY. THE FBI IS NOW INVESTIGATING. BACK TO YOU. THANKS, MARK. 40 YEARS AGO, THE NC STATE BASKETBALL TEAM AND COACH JIM VALVANO. >> CAPPED OFF ONE OF THE MOST IMPROBABLE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES EVER. THE LEGENDARY 1983 RD AT PACK WILL BE HONORED AT HALFTIME DURING TONIGHT'S GAME AGAINST WAKE FOREST. BUT EARLIER TODAY AND VIDEO YOU'RE ONLY ISSUE HERE ON WRAL. OUR JASON JENNINGS JOINED THE FORMER PLAYERS IN THE PRE-GAME LIVE SHOT. BOY, JASON, JOINING US LIVE NOW FROM PNC ARENA. WHAT A DAY IT MUST HAVE BEEN. TALK ABOUT THIS TEAM OF DESTINY. THE TEAM THAT ENTERED THE ACC TOURNAMENT AT 17 ABLE JUST TO GET TO THE BIG DANCE. >> ONE OF THE GREATEST STORIES IN SPORTS HISTORY, RIGHT? AND ALL THE SURVIVING PLAYERS AND COACHES FROM THE 1983 TEAM. THEY ARE IN TOWN AND REUNIONS. THEY ARE EVEN MORE IMPORTANT FOR THEM EVER SINCE. JIM VALVANO LORENZO CHARLES, OTHER PLAYERS AND COACHES HAVE PASSED AWAY. BUT 40 YEARS AFTER RAISING THAT LAST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP BANNER, THE MEMORIES THEY ARE AS FRESH AS EVER. >> IF YOU KNOW THE STORY, YOU KNOW. >> WAS A GROUP OF ORDINARY GUYS LED BY JIM VALVANO BACK IN 1983 40 YEARS AGO. THEY WENT ON THIS AMAZING 10 GAME RUN THROUGH THE ACC CHAMPIONSHIP AND PLAYING FOR MORE GAZING INTO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME IN HOUSTON WAS WE DID SEE THE GREAT OLAJUWON AND DREXEL AND THAT LAST PLAY WAS A PACE. >> HAHA, IT'S US STORY. THESE FORMER PLAYERS ARE REMINDED OF ALMOST DAILY SOMEBODY RECOGNIZE YOU. >> EVERYWHERE YOU GO. I REMEMBER RUNNING INTO RAY ROMANO ON A GOLF COURSE AND SAYING CAN YOU COME HERE? I WANT TO SHOW YOU HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT YOU GUYS HAD A MEETING ON COACHING AND THEY STILL IN THE NBA. BUT WHEN I SEE PEOPLE AND THEY WANT AN AUTOGRAPH, THEY TALK ABOUT THE 83 CHAMPIONSHIP. SOMEONE ASKED ME WHAT I EVER GET TIRED TALKING ABOUT IT. >> WHY WOULD YOU A STORY THEY BELIEVE WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN THIS STORY. IT NEVER GOES AWAY THE WAY WE WANT IT. YEAH, ORDINARY PEOPLE DO EXTRAORDINARY THINGS. YES, DON'T EVER GIVE UP. I CAN TELL YOU HOW MANY DOORS HAVE BEEN OPENED BECAUSE OF THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP BEING TEAM TO SHARE THE GOSPEL. SO IT'S GOING TO GET PASSED ON JUST LIKE ANYTHING ELSE AND A STORY THAT CONTINUES EVERY MARCH MADNESS WITH IMAGES OF LORENZO CHARLES DUNK. >> AND COACH JIM VALVANO, HIS POSTGAME CELEBRATION. I THINK WHAT MAD AFTER WE WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP BECAUSE BEFORE IT WAS JUST A FINAL 4. >> NOBODY WAS REALLY LOOKING FOR UPS AS WELL AS SMALL AS AND WHEN THEY USUALLY WANT, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE HERE. WE COME ALONG AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE SAID THAT THE WORLD NOW EVERYBODY IS LOOKING FOR THE UPSET EVEN AFTER WE'RE ALL GONE, PEOPLE STILL BE TALKING ABOUT. >> FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS. THAT'S NOT THE ONLY WAY THE PLAYERS INTERACT. THE ZOOM OFTEN. THEY ALSO HAVE A GROUP TEXT KOZEL MCQUEEN. HE'S THE PLAYER TO TAX THE MOST OF HIS CONVERSATION. USUALLY GETS A LITTLE BIT OFF THE RAILS. IT'S ALVIN BATTLE. THE ORDAINED MINISTER. HE'S THE FORMER PLAYER TRIES TO BRING EVERYTHING BACK IN CHECK. OH, MY GOSH. I MEAN, I JUST ABSOLUTELY LOVE THAT STORY. YOU'VE GOT TO TALK TO ALMOST EVERYBODY. >> THE TAX CHANGES CRACKS ME UP. I LOVE THE GOING TO BE A FLY ON THE WALL AND READ OVER SOME OF THE SHOULDER. A FEW