The recent naming of the arena inside the William Neal Reynolds Coliseum on the N.C. State University campus came as a little bit of a surprise to me.
For someone whose history with the famed “House That Case Built” dates back to the 1960s, attending Atlantic Coast Conference tournaments within, naming the Reynolds seating area the “James T. Valvano Arena” was unexpected, to say the least, but also pleasing and exciting.
While the N.C. State University administration hasn’t expressed regret over dismissing Valvano in 1990, I believe the university’s agreement to name anything after Valvano, whose 1983 team won the NCAA National Championship, shows remorse. Thank you.
The saying “time heals” may be appropriate here, but most psychologists will tell you “time doesn’t heal; it’s what you do with the time that does.”
From the day Valvano exited from his office in the Everett N. Case Athletics Center, the coach remained a Wolfpack fan and close to thousands of his legions of followers. His love for N.C. State was evident, though not so public, right up to his death from cancer in 1993. Wolfpack fans’ love of Valvano is obvious today.
A small group of university supporters, donors and friends of Valvano offered $5 million to N.C. State in exchange for naming the arena after Valvano. Because of the wide love for Valvano, that small group could have included thousands of Wolfpack fans and probably many from other walks of athletic favorites including media types who made a living writing about Jim.
Jim? That’s right. I feel I can call him by first name because I worked with him in the NCSU Department of Athletics and for him in several private ventures. He was my friend, and I like to think I was his. So, he’s forever “Jim” to me.
Surprising decision
Jim was a solid coach, one of the best in-game instructors you’ll ever find, but, in the short time he lived battling cancer after his Wolfpack career, he did much more important work, especially raising money for cancer research, an effort that continues in his name today. And, he inspired people to live a full life and do good for others.
However, I’m a bit amazed the university agreed to name the inside of Reynolds Coliseum for him. Without the donation, it probably wouldn’t have happened.
Don’t get me wrong. With all due respect to Jim, his wife and children, extended family and friends, and to those who offered the $5 million to make sure the connection of N.C. State University and Valvano is in perpetuity, other than the money, was there any other criteria?
When comparing Valvano to Norman Sloan, the men’s basketball coach for 14 seasons immediately preceding Valvano, the latter’s résumé at State is slightly better.
National Titles: Sloan 1974; Valvano 1983.
ACC Tournament Championships: Sloan 1970, 1973, 1974; Valvano 1983, 1987.
ACC Regular Season Titles: Sloan 1973, 1974; Valvano 1985, 1989.
ACC Coach of the Year: Sloan 1970, 1973, 1974; Valvano 1987.
National Coach of the Year: Sloan 1973, 1974; Valvano none.
Sloan’s record: 14 seasons: 12 with overall winning records, 266-127 (67.9%) total; nine with ACC winning records, 103-77 (57.2%) total.
Valvano’s record: 10 seasons: all with overall winning records, 209-110 (65.5%) total; four with ACC winning records, 71-69 (50.7%) total.
Of course, there’s more to compare than the nuts, bolts, and stats of their coaching.
Media relations
Sloan disliked the media, save a few reporters. Instead of answering questions, he often questioned the inquirer, putting that person on the spot. Sloan didn’t understand why he and his program would ever receive questionable publicity. He enjoyed his on-the-court combative relationship with UNC’s Dean Smith, but he had a chip on his shoulder about the success of Smith and the media praise bestowed upon him. Sloan seemed to keep to himself, a private person who had good time with his family, friends and colleagues but who stayed more than arms length from those he didn’t know.
Both Sloan and Valvano get responsibility for putting the Wolfpack basketball team on probation.
Sloan’s was for improper recruiting employment, inducements, lodging and transportation, and tryouts, according the NCAA’s major infractions detail. The Wolfpack was slightly penalized with a one-year post-season probation, the 1973 NCAA tournament that the 27-0 team missed. There were no reductions in scholarship players, coaches, or recruiting efforts. After one year of probation, the Wolfpack won the 1974 NCAA National title, losing just once that season.
Valvano’s, according to the NCAA major infractions detail, was for extra benefits to the players: cash, stereo equipment and others items in exchange for complimentary tickets to Wolfpack games and for additional basketball shoes which were sold or exchanged for cash, tickets and other items; and for lack of institutional control. The penalty: no more than 12 scholarship players for two seasons (1990-91, 1991-92); no official visits by players and no off-campus recruiting September 1989-August 1990; and a reduction in coaching staff, the 1989-90 and 1990-91 seasons.
In 1980, Sloan left N.C. State with the basketball team in very good shape, especially with rising sophomores Sidney Lowe, Dereck Whittenburg, and Thurl Bailey, who were the nucleus of the 1983 national title-winning team, on the roster; Valvano also left good players: rising seniors Rodney Monroe and Chris Corchiani and rising junior Tom Gugliotta. However, the affects of the probation were felt for years to come.
For what it’s worth, I’m pleased the arena has been named for Jim Valvano, to ensure his legacy at N.C. State and to suggest the university regrets firing him.
One last point: Sloan, who played three seasons (1947-48-49) at N.C. State for Case and who died in 2003 at age 77, deserves much of the credit for Valvano’s success at N.C. State. Sloan departed the Wolfpack on his own after the 1979-80 season, returning to the University of Florida where he had coached for six seasons prior to becoming head coach of his alma mater.
If Sloan had stayed in Raleigh, there may never have been coach Jim Valvano at N.C. State University in the 1980s and therefore not a James T. Valvano Arena today.
Thank you, Norm. Unfortunately, there’s nothing named for you at N.C. State. There should be. Sorry I don’t have the $5 million.
Seven Wolfpack coaches honored through facilities
With the naming of the James T. Valvano Arena, there are seven former N.C. State coaches honored with names on NCSU facilities:
Riddick Stadium (open 1905, closed 1965) and Riddick Hall, named for W.C. Riddick, Jr., who was the North Carolina A&M (N.C. State University today) football coach in 1898 and 1899 (4-6-2 overall in two seasons). He also coached two seasons at Wake Forest College (1888 and 1889, 3-3 overall), and was A&M President 1917-1923 after which he was named the Dean the School of Engineering.
Kay Yow Court is the playing floor in the James T. Valvano Arena at William Neal Reynolds Coliseum, named for the Wolfpack women’s basketball coach Kay Yow, 1976-2009, who had a 680-325 and won four ACC tournament and five ACC regular season titles, and tons of honors;
Doak Field, the baseball facility named for Charles Doak who was the Wolfpack’s head baseball coach, 1924-39, and had a 145-131-6 overall record. He also coached baseball at North Carolina, 1915-16, and he coached basketball at both North Carolina, 1914-1916, and at Trinity (now Duke), 1916-1918.
The J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center, named for J.W. Isenhour who was the Wolfpack’s tennis coach, 1868-81. His 1978 and 1979 teams won the Atlantic Coast Conference championship.
Everett N. Case Academics Center (originally Case Athletics Center), named for Everett N. Case, the Wolfpack basketball coach, 1946-64, who had a 377-134 overall record, won six Southern Conference and four ACC championships
Willis R. Casey Aquatic Center, named for the N.C. State swimming coach, 1946-1969, who had a dual-meet record of 189-29 including a 34-meet winning streak in the 1950s and whose teams won 11 Southern Conference and ACC titles. Casey was swimming coach at UNC-Chapel Hill, 1944-46, was the NCSU Director of Athletics, 1969-1986, and unsuccessfully tried to talk Norman Sloan out of leaving in 1980. He hired Jim Valvano the same year.
Jim Pomeranz is a Cary writer.
This story was originally published December 13, 2018 3:15 PM.