It's Jimmy V Week

Starting today (the 28th) ESPN will be launching what is known as Jimmy V week. This will have footage of the coach, and information on his foundation incorporated in games throughout the week. This will include college games, pro games, football, and basketball alike. It will end with the showing of that 1983 NCAA championship game, December 4th on ESPN Classic.

If you don't know who Jimmy V is, let me help you out. Jimmy Valvano was, most famously, the head coach for the basketball team at NC State when they won their championship against Houston's Phi Slamma Jamma in 1983. He was stricken with cancer, and 10 years later at the first ever ESPYs was given the first annual Arther Ashe award, as Dick Vitale put it, "being a winner on and off the court." Jimmy V was very highly respected amongst his peers, his teams, and his opponents. The story goes that not long before the ESPYs, during a routine check up, it was learned that the cancer had spread throughout the coach's entire body. He became so weak that Duke coach, Mike Krzyzewski and his wife had to accompany Jimmy V on the flight from North Carolina to New York for the awards. Jimmy V was in a wheel chair at this point, and very, very ill. He was on record as saying all he could think about were his children. He had no desire to come to the ESPYs, as that would take away time from his children and family.

Well, he was convinced to accept his award in person, and gave one of the most hair raising, inspiring speeches of all time. Coach Valvano started the Jimmy V foundation shortly after being diagnosed. The foundation collects donations that go towards cancer research. To date, they have raised over $70 million. They have an annual dinner where different celebrities and coaches pay a certain amount per plate. They have an auction, and other fundraisers. Legend has it that as the event was ready to wrap up last year, Coach Krzyzewski, from Duke instead of handing the mic off, and closing down, he went on to raise $200,000 more dollars at the end of the night.


Here's the video of him running around the court after NC State upset Houston in the 1983 NCAA finals, which the image stays embedded in the minds of many as the coach "running around looking for someone to hug"
http://youtube.com/watch?v=t-ov74rxxy4


And here's the video of his speech at the 1993 ESPY awards.