Tagged: ‘Jimmy V Week’

posted by on December 4, 2012 1:00 PM

Front & Center: Mark Gottfried:
NC State coach, former ESPN analyst, on participating in Jimmy V Classic

Head coach Mark Gottfried of the North Carolina State University Wolfpack. (Phil Ellsworth/ESPN Images)

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Tonight in New York’s Madison Square Garden, North Carolina State meets UConn in the nightcap of The Jimmy V Men’s Basketball Classic presented by Corona Extra on ESPN and ESPN Radio, with tipoff at approximately 9 ET.

In the doubleheader opener, Texas meets Georgetown beginning at 7 p.m.

For NC State head coach Mark Gottfried, participating in this conclusion to ESPN’s Jimmy V Week (Nov. 27-Dec. 4) is special.

Before he was hired at NC State coach in the spring of 2011, Gottfried had spent the two previous seasons as an ESPN college basketball analyst. continue reading…

Filed in: Behind The Scenes

posted by on November 28, 2012 1:05 PM

ESPN Radio’s John Kincade on bouts with cancer, path into sportscasting

ESPN Radio’s John Kincade, host of “The JK Show,” in his Atlanta-area home studio.
(Photo courtesy John Kincade)

When John Kincade flips on his microphones weekdays to talk sports on local Atlanta radio and Sundays for his national show on ESPN Radio, he’s convinced that he’s got the best job in the world.

But the former Philadelphia business consultant might never have pursued his passion to become a sports talk radio host were it not for two bouts with cancer.

In 1995, Kincade was diagnosed with non-hodgkins lymphoma. Shortly after enduring treatments to put the lymphoma in check, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer.

Kincade’s successful battles against both illnesses helped put his life into perspective and fueled a midlife career change. The Temple graduate has been an Atlanta sports talk show host since 2000. Sundays on ESPN Radio (7-10 a.m. ET), he broadcasts The JK Show out of his home studio in the Atlanta area, which he’s done since 2006.

In addition, Kincade works to support V Foundation efforts to fight cancer.

“I’m 13 years clean, a lucky 13,” Kincade said regarding the remission period from his last bout with cancer. “I didn’t know I’d see today. I didn’t know I’d see my own show on ESPN, have a wife, be a dad. They seemed like pipe dreams in my darkest hours.”

As Jimmy V Week (Nov. 27-Dec. 4) unfolds across all ESPN platforms, Front Row asked Kincade to share his unique perspectives.

As a two-time cancer survivor, what does Jimmy V Week mean to you?
It’s all about Jim’s message: ‘Don’t ever give up.’ It’s a message of hope. . . If you don’t have the right game plan, you’re not going to succeed. Do all the things you’re told to do. Stay positive.

When I look back at it, I had at one point a 40 percent of seeing Christmas. Thankfully, I had one doc say to me, ‘Were you in top 40 percent of your college graduating class? Were you in the top 40 percent of income for guys in your age bracket? Then why would you not think you would be in the top 40 percent here?’

We need supportive organizations like the V Foundation. They bolster you up in days when you feel like curling up in a ball. The second time I was diagnosed, I felt like my life was pretty much over. But something in me helped me, and thankfully I got a lot of support and that bolstered me.

Did you ever meet Jim Valvano? continue reading…

Filed in: Behind The Scenes

posted by on November 27, 2012 11:00 AM

As sixth annual Jimmy V Week begins, ESPN commits $1M to
V Foundation’s endowment fund

With the start of ESPN’s sixth annual Jimmy V Week for Cancer Research, ESPN announced a donation of $1 million to The V Foundation for Cancer Research. The donation will support The V Foundation’s endowment fund, which helps cover operating costs of the foundation, enabling 100 percent of cash donations to go directly to research.

Viewers and fans can join ESPN and The V Foundation in the fight against cancer by calling 1-800-4-JIMMY-V, visiting jimmyv.org or texting JimmyV to #80888 throughout Jimmy V Week to make a donation toward cancer research.

“It’s fitting for ESPN to make this commitment as we begin Jimmy V Week, when our employees and sports fans are passionate in joining together to make a difference to beat this disease,” said George Bodenheimer, ESPN Executive Chairman.

Jimmy V Week tips off tonight at 7 p.m. ET with a simulcast of former N.C. State coach Jim Valvano’s 1993 ESPYs speech across ESPN domestic media networks, as well as on the ABC SuperSign in Times Square.

The 13-minute speech will air simultaneously on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Classic, ESPN3, ESPN Deportes, Longhorn Network and ESPN 3D. Fans also can watch on ESPN.com, ESPN3, WatchESPN and jimmyv.org throughout the week.

The simulcast of the speech on all platforms includes an introduction by two cancer survivors, SportsCenter anchor Stuart Scott and New York Giants linebacker Mark Herzlich.

The week will conclude with the Jimmy V Women’s and Men’s Basketball Classics Presented by Corona Extra on Monday, Dec. 3 and Tuesday, Dec. 4.

Filed in: Announcements

posted by on December 2, 2011 5:01 PM

Week in review

It’s Friday, but the Jimmy V Week For Cancer Research stretches through the weekend and into Tuesday at ESPN.

The week of related programming began Wednesday across all ESPN platforms.

The video above features our former colleague Jim Valvano’s moving speech at the 1993 ESPYs.

SportsCenter anchor Stuart Scott and New York Giants linebacker Mark Herzlich, each a cancer survivor, are also in the video that aired as part of ESPN’s Roadblock at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Other items covered on Front Row this week include:

* It’s Valentine’s Day in Boston as the Red Sox hired former ESPN analyst Bobby Valentine as manager.

* ESPN the Magazine released its first ever “Interview Issue” this week. Miami Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen is on the cover.

* ESPN Senior Vice President & Director of News Vince Doria discusses ESPN’s reporting on the Bernie Fine allegations.

Take some time to review other perspectives on the Syracuse basketball controversy including:

* From Poynter.org, written by Mallary Jean Tenore;

* From The Daily Beast written by Howard Kurtz;

* From Washington Post written by Erik Wemple.

Filed in: Week In Review

posted by on December 2, 2011 9:20 AM

Colleagues remember Valvano

Editor’s note: Television news assignment desk editor Nicole Coffey, who produced the above video for Front Row, reflects on Jimmy V Week For Cancer Research, which began Wednesday across all ESPN platforms.

For this Jimmy V Week assignment, I walked around the Bristol campus to talk with those who knew Jim Valvano and had stories to share with Front Row and our internal website, ITK.

Host and play-by-play announcer John Saunders was particularly close to Valvano. The two of them became fast friends when Valvano joined ESPN and ABC Sports as an analyst in 1990 and together shared many laughs and good times.

One re-occurring theme in their friendship was trying to figure out how to swing and conquer the popular golf training aide, the “Medicus.”

They would often swing the club, trying to make the perfect motion and to not have the club break.

See, the Medicus is a dual-hinged driver that will break down when a golfer makes an error in his swing.

Your flaws are often pointed out in the first second you take the club back.

To swing it all the way back and all the way through with no breakdown is a victory!

They could never quite get it.

One night during Valvano’s final days, Saunders visited.

Valvano was very weak and in his bed resting.

The two had a nice conversation, and as Saunders was about to leave, Valvano said, “Hold on, I have got something to show you.”

John Saunders and Jim Valvano are shown having a conversation on the studio set.

Valvano got out of bed and slowly grabbed the Medicus. He swung it straight back and straight through in the perfect motion. continue reading…

Filed in: Behind The Scenes, Top Stories

posted by on December 1, 2011 4:08 PM

Front & Center: Vitale on Valvano

Longtime friends and colleagues Jim Valvano and Dick Vitale on an ESPN basketball set.

Editor’s note: Front Row continues a look at the Jimmy V Week for Cancer Research, which began Wednesday across all ESPN platforms and runs through Dec. 6.

Dick Vitale discusses his friend, Jim Valvano, and the fight against cancer- CLICK TO LISTEN

There might not be a more passionate and visible advocate of The V Foundation than Dick Vitale.

The ESPN college basketball analyst has been a champion of the cause in the memory of his friend and former colleague, Jim Valvano, who lost his battle with cancer in 1993.

“I’m flat-out obsessed in the last chapter of my life to do something really positive to raise as many dollars as I can [for cancer research],” said Vitale said in our podcast (click the link above).

Vitale tells a story about how he witnessed Valvano cope with the disease one night in a hotel room near ESPN’s studios.

“He immediately just jumped out of his bed and started punching the walls and started screaming about how that he can’t take it, the pain,” Vitale recalled.

“He told me,’Take your worse toothache and run it through your entire body. That’s what I feel everyday.’

“Nobody should have to suffer like that.”

To champion this cause and also relate his passion for all things college basketball, Vitale is very active in social media.

The Basketball Hall Of Fame inductee tells Front & Center why he loves social media outlets like Twitter (@DickieV) and Facebook.

Filed in: Front & Center, Podcast

posted by on November 29, 2011 4:05 PM

Jimmy V Week: Nov. 30-Dec. 6

Editor’s note: Television news assignment desk editor Nicole Coffey, who produced the above video for Front Row, reflects on Jimmy V Week For Cancer Research, which begins Wednesday across all ESPN platforms.

When creating this video, I was touched by the enthusiastic cooperation and passion my ESPN co-workers have introducing Jimmy V Week to our fans.

They had personal stories to tell about how cancer has touched their lives or the personal responsibility they feel to contribute to our ESPN partnership with The V Foundation, and to help find a cure for cancer.

It has been almost 20 years since legendary basketball coach and ESPN analyst Jim Valvano passed away. His spirit and determination live on through The V Foundation.

Last year, Jimmy V Week raised $1.2 million dollars for cancer research. One hundred percent of the money raised goes directly to cancer research.

The motto of The V Foundation is to “Don’t Give Up… Don’t Ever Give Up!” That’s what Jimmy wanted from all of us, to keep going in our lives, and to enjoy life to the fullest, even when we are thrown a curve ball.

Join ESPN and The V Foundation in the fight against cancer.

Jimmy V Week content will be incorporated into studio programs and event telecasts across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN.com, ESPN3, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Classic and ESPN Mobile.

It begins with a special launch of the week on Wednesday at 7 p.m. featuring Valvano’s 1993 ESPYs speech aired simultaneously across multiple entities.

For more information, visit this page on ESPN.com.

Filed in: Behind The Scenes, Top Stories