Jimmy V

When I was kid I loved college hoops (still do, it's my #1 passion), but I remember at the time Jimmy Valvano's spoke at the 1993 ESPY awards, I was just 10 years old. I thought he looked weird, thought he talked weird, but I knew he was an important figure in college hoops. I was fairly young to realize what he had accomplished and what he was dying from, but I just remember my dad telling me all the great Valvano moments. I had the remote control on that day and in most cases with some guy talking for more than two minutes, I would have changed the channel. Not that day. Not that speech. Even if I was a 9 year-old or a 10 year-old at the time, I was drawn to him and to his speech.

"30 seconds ... what are you nuts ... enjoy your life with all the precious moments you have...don't give up, don't ever give up."

Everytime I watch his speech - being played right now on ESPN - I still get choked up.

He was and is the face of college hoops.