It's a moment that's shown every year when the Madness begins, and is a symbol of anything is possible if you just play the game, no matter who you are, or what you did to that point.
That season, the Wolfpack lost 10 regular-season games and were written off when the post-season began.
But something happened.
After capturing the ACC championship to earn a berth into the NCAA tournament, they went on a magical run that ended with that memorable image of Valvano in absolute ecstasy.
On February 9, 1980, the U.S. Olympic hockey team took on the Soviet Union at Madison Square Garden prior to the 1980 Winter Olympics. The Soviets were heavily favoured to win the gold meda. During exhibition games prior to the tournament, they were 5-3-1 against NHL teams, including a 6-0 win over the NHL All-Stars.
That night, the final tune-up for both teams before the Olympics, the Soviets thumped the young Americans 10-3.
A couple of weeks later, the Americans turned the tables, and Mike Eruzione's goal with 10 minutes left gave his team a 4-3 lead they would never give up, creating one of the greatest moments and greatest calls in sports history.
“...five seconds left in the game,” commentator Al Michaels said. “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!”
It was another moment in sports where the impossible happened. The unbeatable Soviets were not only defeated, but beat by a group of players that, according to many, weren't good enough to skate on the same ice as them.
"Unless the ice melts, or unless the United States team or another team performs a miracle, as did the American squad in 1960, the Russians are expected to easily win the Olympic gold medal for the sixth time in the last seven tournaments," New York Times columnist Dave Anderson wrote the day before the game.
Last week BCSSAA announced that the scheduled Brant County senior girls’ basketball quarter-finals were scratched. Instead, the top four teams after the regular season have been paired off to set up the semifinals.
While the four semifinalists rest up for Thursday's games, the other two teams (Paris and Pauline Johnson Collegiate) will play a friendly game in lieu of a quarter-final on Tuesday.
The reason for the change is that all teams thought the quarter-finals were foregone conclusions because of previous scores.
While some think this makes sense and is a great solution to the lack of parity in the league, it sends the wrong message, especially when these games were already and have always been on the schedule.
Just because there seems to be an unbalance within the league this season, isn't a reason to change on the fly.
There's a reason playoff formats were created, because nothing is ever a sure thing, even if you're a last seed.
Just ask the Los Angeles Kings.
If Valvano and his Wolfpack would've listened to what people on the outside thought and just scrapped the idea of playing it out with nothing to lose, they would've never won the first game of the ACC tournament, let alone win the whole thing to earn that berth to the NCAAs.
High school is about learning life lessons and so is sport, regardless of the level. Adversity and perseverance are things coaches, teachers and parents preach to their kids and athletes.
That can't be something taken lightly. It's a responsibility we all have, to ensure the next generation has the same type of resolve that was handed down to us. Just because a blowout is expected isn't a reason to change the schedule. What happens if both teams expected to win do so, but the games are close?
Those results would have profound effects on the players heading into next season. Instead of shedding doubt before next season even begins, it sheds optimism.
And what if what was expected didn't happen? Like I've said before, nothing is a sure thing.
The numbers on the scoreboard are only that, numbers. The real wins and losses comes from dealing with defeat, learning to win with dignity and grace, and being humble regardless of the result. These are all life lessons we learn, not only at school, but on the street, and in sport.
Retrieved From: http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/2012/10/28/upsets-can-happen----and-they-do
