March 24, 2024
Prior to the start of the 1983 basketball season, two new coaches introduced themselves to the members of the ACC Sportswriters Association. Mike Krzyzewski came to Duke. He told sportswriters how to spell his name and broadcasters (like me) how to pronounce it. "You'll get it wrong," he said, "so just call me 'Coach K.'" He was the first person I heard call him by that moniker. Jim Valvano came to NC State, and introduced himself with a humorous story about meeting the other coaches. It set the stage for two careers that have become legendary.
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Remember NCSU's 1983 Championship
The NC State Wolfpack is in the NCAA Basketball Sweet 16; their chances of winning a national title are not considered good by most sportswriters, but some of us old-timers still remember the 'Cardiac Kids' of 1983 and the superb coaching job of Jim Valvano.
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