The Unlikely Champion

Monday night, there will be a new NCAA Men’s Basketball Champion. That champion may be a school that has never won a championship since three teams are making their first trip to the Final Four in their schools’ histories.?

While I haven’t seen much of the competition this year, it hearkens my mind back 40 years. My closest friends are thinking, “I knew it, Conner. You just HAVE to celebrate NC State some how.”?

My alma mater, Chowan University, doesn’t compete in Division 1 sports. So, in terms of my own educational experience, I don’t have a dog in the hunt. Yet, since I am a North Carolina native, being neutral about ACC basketball, football, and baseball is not an option. I ain’t Switzerland.?

What even my closest friends may not know, however, is that I wasn’t a passionate State fan until they won the NCAA Championship in 1983.?

Over the last ten years, I’ve celebrated by watching ESPN’s 30 for 30 episode about State’s 1983 Championship season, “Survive and Advance.” I watched it again earlier this week. Search for it on your favorite streaming platform if you've never seen it.

That 1983 Championship season and the following seasons offer some leadership insights for us. One I have shared here is encouraging. The other is cautionary. I trust both will be beneficial to you.?

A long-range mission is accomplished one step at a time. NC State’s coach, Jim Valvano, the players of that Championship team talk about his stated intention to win an NCAA National Championship. When Valvano first arrived in Raleigh, some players recruited by previous head coach Norm Sloan were skeptical. Yet, Valvano kept saying it. He told his dad back in New York that he would win a national title. His widow explained that when she took his suits to the cleaners, she would pull index cards out of his pockets with the goals he wrote on them. One of those was to win a National Championship. ?

Saying it is one thing. Doing it is another. And there were times, even in that championship season, when it looked unlikely.?

To make it to “The Big Dance,” State first had to win the ACC Tournament. They had to defeat their arch-enemy from Chapel Hill in the semi-final to do that. And for those not old enough to remember, Carolina had Michael Jordan on the court and Dean Smith on the sideline then. After accomplishing that feat, they had to take down Virginia in the ACC Championship game. They had Ralph Sampson, the most dominant center in the ACC at the time. Before that game, Virginia had beaten State in their most recent seven consecutive games. They would have beat Virginia again in their regional final of the NCAA Tournament.

State had to find different ways to win each step along the way. First, they had to trap to beat Wake Forest in the ACC Tournament. Their semi-final win over Carolina involved lots of fouls. They used them to regain possession of the ball without time ticking off the clock. Then, State beat Virginia in the ACC Championship game with a triangle and two defense to limit Sampson's effectiveness. It was a “junk defense” that Virginia had not seen from any of their opponents that year.?

There are numerous other examples of adjustments State made throughout the season and the NCAA Tournament to win that National Championship, but you get the point. All along the way, different situations called for different tactics - one step at a time.?

Leaders must remain focused. Jim Valvano finished his life’s journey strong by inspiring others and raising money for cancer research. Yet, when he left NC State, he did so in shame. There were substantial allegations about NCAA violations. However, most of them were unfounded. Only one charge was substantiated.?

However, following NC State’s 1983 Championship win, Valvano became consumed with various appearances and speaking engagements that constantly pulled his attention from the Wolfpack basketball program and its players. He got distracted.?

Distractions come in a variety of ways. The most damaging distractions often include appeals to our pride.?

What about you? Is there a vision, a mission, or an ultimate objective you are striving to reach in the church, business, or nonprofit you lead? What are the steps you need to take to get there? What tactical changes do you need to make along the way? Who can help you think through those strategic steps??

What distractions are tempting you? To which of those have you surrendered? How can you reduce or remove them to maintain the necessary focus on the mission and vision before you??

Enjoy your weekend, and go Aztecs!

The views and opinions expressed in my Thursday Thoughts on Leadership are my own. They do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or policies of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina or any affiliated churches.