As I’m sure many of you who have been listening to ESPN 1300 this week know, the week leading up to the ESPY’s is all about cancer research and the Jimmy V Foundation. All day on 7/15/2009 was devoted to raising money for cancer research through the foundation with various sports packages being given away over the airwaves to go to this great cause. I wanted to spend a couple of paragraphs just talking about the man whom the foundation is named after, Jim Valvano, and the words he spoke on March 3rd 1993 as well as the legacy he has left behind since his untimely death due to bone cancer on April 28th 1993.
To me, the measure of a man is based off of the legacy he leaves behind. I was only 11 years old when Jimmy V gave his now famous speech at the 1st Annual ESPY awards yet, some 16 years later, I feel like I know everything there is to know about the character, integrity and passion of this man based off of one 11 minute speech.
Think about that for a second. In 11 minutes, Valvano was not only able to captivate an audience and people watching at home on TV. He was also able to force you to understand his life and his struggle and, beyond all else, he was able to force you to internalize his words and think about your everyday actions and the way you look at various causes. His speech, while focusing on cancer research, went well beyond that and still resonates today.
There are 2 speeches in sports history that are in a league of their own…Lou Gehrig’s retirement speech and Valvano’s ESPY speech. Although I’m sure there’s not a sole who is reading this blog that hasn’t already seen the speech 1,000 times, please go to the following link, scroll down and take a few minutes to wrap your head around what Valvano has to say…
…Laugh, Think, Cry…couldn’t have said it any better myself Jimmy V. Your legacy and the body of work you left behind as well as the foundations you built for the future go well beyond 11 minutes.
$1 goes a long way. 1 in every 4 people WILL GET CANCER in their lifetime, 1 in every 2 men. There is not a person out there whose life hasn’t been touched by Cancer or other illness affecting them, a friend a family member, etc…please give to this charity or any other cause you feel strongly about. There are plenty of them out there.
~ Tim Rescigno, JAS Correspondent
Filed under: Basketball Tagged: | ESPY, Jim Valvano, Jimmy V
One of the greatest speeches I’ve ever heard. Jimmy V’s spirit lives on and is truly an inspiration.
not only that, but I remember where I was when Lorenzo Charles caught Derek Whittenburg’s air ball to beat Hakeem the Dream and Houston in the 1983 NCAA Championship game. That was a huge memory for me in my childhood and I always loved Jimmy V’s personality and pulled for State (as a 2nd team) even though I was Terp fanatic. I am glad that this website can shed light on important topics that show we are more than a bunch of juvenile delinquents. Thanks Timo, all the guys appreciate everything you do for the show and website.
nice piece