Historical spin on StickerGate
Fantastic article by Al Clark of The Daily Reflector, includes several references to the teams we grew up loving and even a CD Chesley mention.
And there was the best game no one ever saw: It would have been a national final between UNC and UNC-Charlotte in 1977 had Marquette not beaten the 49ers. Charlotte's team that year — with Cornbread Maxwell — was one of the best and most fun to watch of all.
Of course, for any basketball fan on this side of the country, one of the great evenings of the modern era came when that great State team beat John Wooden's UCLA with Bill Walton in the national semifinals — finally. And State, Valvano and 1983's win over Houston — wow. I won an office pool on that one.
I can pretty much mark out big portions of my life by the basketball season successes and failures of Carolina and all of our old ACC teams (I haven't quite reached out to the newer conference teams yet).
I just never thought it a stretch to enjoy great performances by teams with which you shared a connection. My connection was with the ACC's great basketball schools nurtured by growing up in range of WBTV in Charlotte and the old C.D. Chesley Co. network broadcasts of their games, the first of which was that 1957 Carolina national championship.
Forgive me all you folks not familiar with these broadcasts sponsored by Pilot Life Insurance Co., later Jefferson-pilot. But I can hear the "Sail with the Pilot" theme song even now — a friend's dad was a Pilot Life rep and he gave me a coin bank in the shape of the logo nearly 50 years ago. I still have it. More...
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The mid to late 70's and early 80's are when we developed our love for ACC Hoops through the Chesley and then later Raycom Hoops broadcasts. If I remember correctly, there was usually a Wednesday night game at 9:00 and a double header on Saturday.
I'll never forget watching the '79 NC State - UNC game in Raleigh. That's the one that the Pack came from 20 down at the half only to lose when Dudley Bradley stole the ball from Clide the Glide and dunked the ball to put the Heels up by one. Kenny Matthews then rimmed out a mid-court jumper at the horn... I was up all night agonizing over that loss...
Trivia Question... Who had the ACC hoops package between CD Chesley and Raycom?
Jefferson Pilot
Good Guess, but not correct. CD Chesley held the ACC Broadcast rights through the 1980-81 season. Raycom teamed with Jefferson Pilot to form Raycom/JP Sports which began broadcasting ACC games during the 82-83 season. Another company had the rights during the 81-82 saeson.
I'm pretty good on the web and I'm not finding it.
That's because the ACC and Raycom\LF have done a good job of not mentioning it in any of their stuff. If you look at Raycom's site, you are led to believe that Raycom took over for Chesley.
Here's a hint. Look for the publisher of Smith Barrier and Hugh Morton's 1981 book on the ACC Tournament.
Got your taxes done yet?
I remember that steal and dunk. Still remember O'Koren hobbling off the floor in crutches.
Remarkably, and very out of character, I had my taxes done by Mid-Feb.
Man, that was tough and I never would have gotten it
http://www.variety.com/article/VR102206.html?categoryid=25&cs=1
Curious that Thacker's obit didn't mention CD Chesley.
As Ken was able to figure out from his extensive web search, the correct answer is Metrosports.
In their 1981 book The ACC: Baskeball Tournament Classic, Smith Barrier and Hugh Morton states that "Chesley produced the ACC Network through 1981, and for 1982, Lenny Klompus and Metrosports begin its coverage, the rights fee about $3 million. Metro through USA Cable also takes the full schedule to 50 states."
I really don't remember anything about their coverage other than the intro music was pretty cool. As Ken mentioned earlier, it is almost impossible to find anything about Metro's coverage of the ACC online.
I wonder what Chesley paid for the previous year ;)
Remember that tourney very well.
Mike Pepper got away with a walk and hit winning shot to put his team in finals. That was also the year Al Wood ripped Virginia for 39in Final Four. Two days before Reagan got shot and Isaiah tore Jimmy Black a new one in the Championship.
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