Why Did Jim Valvano's Father Pack His Bags Before His Son Won Anything?

When Jim Valvano was young, he told his father about a dream: he was going to coach a team to a national championship.

A few days later, his father called him into the bedroom. There was a suitcase in the corner.

"See that suitcase?" his father asked.

"Yeah," Jim said, confused. "What's that all about?"

"I'm packed," his father said. "When you play and win that national championship, I'm going to be there. My bags are already packed."

Jim Valvano went on to coach NC State to one of the greatest upsets in college basketball history — the 1983 NCAA Championship, against Houston's Phi Slama Jama. His father was there.

Ten years later, dying of cancer at 47, Jim took the stage at the first ESPN Awards. He could barely walk. He gave a speech that people still quote word for word. He talked about laughing every day, thinking every day, having your emotions moved to tears every day. He said: "Don't give up. Don't ever give up."

And he talked about his father. And that suitcase.

"My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person," he said. "He believed in me."

The suitcase was already packed. Before anything had happened. Before any championship. Before any proof.

That's the whole thing, right there. That's the whole job.