WRAL photographer Jay Jennings remembers what it was like to cover the hoopla around the 1983 NC State men's basketball team, who won the national championship under unlikely circumstances.
BENEFITS. APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED THROUGH NEXT MONDAY AND SEE STATE FANS HAVE SOME SKY HIGH HOPES FOR THE MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM AFTER EARNING A SPOT IN THE FINAL 4. THIS WAS THE SCENE OVER HERE ON THE RIGHT. >> AFTER THEY LIT UP THE BELL TOWER ON CAMPUS. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN BLASTED TO BACK 41 YEARS FOR THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED, THE CELEBRATION AFTER THIS BIG SHOT HERE IN 1983. WHEN THE PACK WON THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. WRAL'S RICK ARMSTRONG AND RETIRED PHOTOGRAPHER JAY JENNINGS. TAKE US BACK TO THAT ERA. TO THE DAYS OF THE ORIGINAL CARDIAC PACK. WE WERE SO SPREAD OUT AROUND THE COUNTRY. THEY HAD ACTUALLY USE ME AS A REPORTER. I'VE THIS COOL, CRISP WESTERN, WHETHER THAT'S FORMER WRAL SPORTS CASTER PHOTOGRAPHER JAY JENNINGS. >> AND 24 YEARS OF AGE IN 1983, JAY WAS ALL ALONE COVERING THE WOLFPACK. AS A MATTER OF FACT, IN 83 >> I WAS THE ONLY TV PERSON. WHO COVERED EVERY GAME FOR A TWO-STATE. >> FROM THE ACC TOURNAMENT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE JAY HELD ON TO HIS OWN COLLECTION OF VIDEO MEMORIES OF THAT ERA. >> THIS WAS A TEAM THAT SHOT 3 POINTERS DURING THE REGULAR SEASON. THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR THEY EVER HAD 3 POINTERS IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL. ANY KIND OF WEIRD WHEN YOU WANT TO KEEP WINNING BALL GAMES LIKE THIS ON, TONY? I THINK IT IS A IT SHOWS OUR CHARACTER AS HE TRAVELED WITH THE WOLFPACK. JAY WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FEVER PITCH, EXCITEMENT OF STATE FANS. WERE YOU SURPRISED WHEN YOU SAW THE VIDEO FROM BACK ON IT? WHAT UNTIL WE GOT BACK AND WE SAW VIDEO OF WHAT REALLY HAPPENED. WE WORE I WAS BLOWN AWAY OF ALL THESE CRAZY CELEBRATIONS. PEOPLE WERE HANGING FROM BALCONIES HANGING OFF OF TREES. I COVERED THE CELEBRATION HIGH UP ON THE BALCONY OVER HILLSBOROUGH STREET, INCLUDING THIS FAN DANGLING FROM THE HIGH WIRE. SO WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR YOU DOING THAT? I MEAN, YOU YOU DID GROPE US TAPE AND OH, YEAH, MY DAD WAS MANAGER OF THE STUDENT SUPPLY STORE AND HAD ACCESS TO ALL THE LATEST PRINTABLE T-SHIRTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I GREW UP WEARING THOSE THINGS WITH EVERY VICTORY. NC STATE FANS EXPECTATION OF A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SOARED. THIS THE FIRST TIME I EVER HEARD ANYBODY SAY. >> COULD THIS BE A TEAM OF DESTINY MAY BE JUST FINE IN ADVANCE OR THAT WHILE THERE CERTAINLY SURVIVE AND ADVANCE. AND I ASKED JAY, IF YOU NOTICED SIMILARITIES BETWEEN COACH KEVIN KEATTS AND THE LEGENDARY JIM VALVANO AS THEIR TEAMS ENTERED THE FINAL 4. >> THEY'VE BEEN AROUND THE BLOCK. THEY'VE GOT SOME EXPERIENCE. THEY'RE NOT AS CAUGHT UP IN THE HYPE. PLUS, THE 2 COACHES WERE NOT EXPECTED TO GO THIS FAR CHASES. BOTH COACHES PLAYING WITH HOUSE MONEY. >> YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT NOTHING ON THE LINE. THEY JUST KEEP PUSHING THEIR CHIPS ALL THE WAY BACK IN THOSE. GO OUT THERE. ONE MORE TIME, A ROLL THE BALL ON THE COURT AND JUST SEE WHAT HAPPENS. JUST LIKE THE OLD CARDIAC PACK. SOMEBODY WHO HAS NOTHING TO LOSE. IS DANGEROUS. THE STATE HAS NOTHING TO LOSE. >> AND THEY'RE