Throwback with the Pack was a huge success, and highest praise goes to the planners and organizers of the event for creating a wonderful night. 

The homecoming of NC State legends and remembrance of deceased greats Jim Valvano and Kay Yow married with the introductions of this year’s men’s and women’s teams made for a beautiful scene.

In a priceless moment before the event’s start, several Wolfpack legends emerged from backstage prior to being introduced to the expectant crowd. As the greats paced across Kay Yow Court, the fans took notice to their unannounced early arrival and instantaneously rose to their feet with a roaring sound of applause. 

In that moment, I started looking around the coliseum to notice the faces in the crowd. I saw current students and alums alike. Some clapped furiously while others showcased the iconic “Wolf” sign. 

I continued panning across the crowd and saw the lovely sight of elderly men and women with big smiles and eyes abounding with joy as they looked upon their hardwood heroes. It was a moment to cherish.

I returned home that night and began to recollect. I thought about the rich history of NC State athletics. I replayed Dereck Whittenburg’s famous “pass” to Lorenzo Charles for the dunk that lifted the Pack past the colossus that was Clyde Drexler, Akeem Olajuwon and the Houston Cougars in 1983. 

I was reminded of the 1974 team led by the unparalleled athleticism of David Thompson and playmaking ability of Monte Towe that defeated Marquette to capture the Pack’s first national title.

Lastly, I considered the legacy of head coach Kay Yow with her 737 career wins. I reveled in her courageous bout against cancer and also coach Valvano’s fight highlighted by his famous 1993 ESPY’s speech.

I thought about how amazing it must have been to witness such great moments in Wolfpack history. That’s when my thoughts were halted with a difficult question:

Has the current generation of NC State fans experienced the same type of bliss after a varsity sport’s success as the university’s preceding followers?

I suppose you could count Kay Yow’s coaching tenure in the lot; however, many within the current generation were just kids when Yow advanced to the 1998 Final Four or won the 1991 ACC Championship.

Nick Gwiazdowski’s individual wrestling national championship was an amazing moment, yet the team as a whole still came up short.

The men’s cross country team has been a dominating force in the ACC for the past decade, but the program is still in search of its first national championship. 

Could they look to the football program for such a memory? How about the Chuck Amato coached team that finished the season ranked 12th in the nation after defeating Notre Dame in the 2002 Gator Bowl? Or what about Mike Glennon’s famous game-winning drive in 2012 against No. 3 Florida State that featured three fourth down conversions to pull off the gigantic upset?

Could it have come when Julius Hodge’s 10th seeded Wolfpack shocked the 2004 National Champion Connecticut Huskies to advance to the Sweet 16 in the 2005 NCAA Tournament? Or what about State’s 2012 Cinderella run when the 11th seeded Pack surprised San Diego State and Georgetown?

Best yet, what about NC State’s 2013 baseball team? Could the memory of the Pack’s magical game against Rice where pitcher Ethan Ogburn forced the final out in the bottom of the 17th inning with the score 4-3 and runners on the corners to clinch a trip to the College World Series be the moment?

My mind is inclined to say yes, but my heart says no. These were all great moments for the current generation of Wolfpack fans, but they still pale in comparison to such memories as the Cardiac Kids.

 I feel all too often that the value of NC State athletics is contingent upon the past rather than its present optimism.

There’s a reason why you can walk into sports stores in Raleigh and find more UNC-Chapel Hill gear than State paraphernalia. There’s a reason why people all across the nation choose to be diehard Blue Devils and Heels fans despite never attending either institution.

NC State fans are tired of settling for postseason appearances. Wolfpack nation is ready to witness sustained national relevance in multiple varsity sports.

It’s time for this generation of fans to be rewarded for its faithfulness and patience. It’s time to stop living in the past and step into a future promising hope and optimism. It’s time to win.