Day 193: Bid On An Auction Item

Every year, like clockwork, I know that I will be crying the day after the MLB All-Star Game.  It's not because there isn't a single sporting event on television.  No, I know that I will be crying because at some point in the course of my day or evening, I will either hear or see Jim Valvano's acceptance speech from the 1993 ESPY Awards.  For those that do not know, Jim Valvano (or Jimmy V) was the head basketball coach for North Carolina State.  In 1983, he led an underdog NC State team to an improbable national championship in the men's basketball tournament.  If you have ever watched a college basketball game, you have seen a replay Lorenzo Charles slam home Dereck Whittenburg's airball to upset Houston's Phi Slamma Jamma in the championship game (If not, here you go).  Well about a decade after shocking the college basketball world, Jimmy V was unfortunately diagnosed with bone cancer.  Not long after being diagnosed, Valvano was honored with the Arthur Ashe Courage and Humanitarian Award at the ESPYs, and gave the aforementioned speech that, to this day, still gets me pretty emotional.  Sadly, Valvano passed away about 2 months after the ESPYs.  During his speech, Valvano announced the creation of the The V Foundation for Cancer Research which from 1993 until today has raised more than $100 million to go towards eradicating this horrific disease.  Today, ESPN is holding its' annual auction to raise money for The V Foundation.  So today, for my random act of kindness, I am bidding on an auction item.  Should I lose the auction, then I will make a donation to The V Foundation in honor of my father-in-law, John.  And anyone out there reading who is suffering from, or knows someone suffering from cancer, please heed Jimmy's words and "Don't give up, don't ever give up."