The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1516111
MARCH/APRIL 2024 ■ 29 tional and three-time ACC Player of the Year. Yet, if you had asked them then, and if you ask them now, they will tell you the reason the team was so successful is not because of any individual perfor- mance, but because they collectively were so tight back then, whether they were gathered at Johnson's family home in Raleigh, hanging out in one of their dorm rooms at the College Inn or go- ing on the road to face some of the best teams in ACC history. In many ways, that friendship has su- perseded their championships. "We just bonded," Spence said. "We have been brothers for 50 years. We may not be blood brothers, but that bond has always been there. When one of us goes down, we all feel the pain. I hon- estly believe that we won that national championship because we were so close then. We all accepted our roles. We did our roles to the best of our abilities. "We are closer today than we were even back then." Weekly And Daily Messages For a few years now, led by Pastor Tommy and Deacon David, the team has participated in Sunday morning text services. Burleson puts together a prayer and a mini-sermon, and Thomp- son, known to be shy and reserved dur- ing his college years, selects a handful of songs from his deep library of Motown and modern music. He's just as likely to throw in some Wayman Tisdale as he is to play Marvin Gaye. "I have eclectic tastes, from Lauren Daigle to Maverick City," Thompson said. "I use my church choir sometimes, from the Central Church of God." He has the perfect song to remem- ber both the 1973 ACC championship team that was not allowed to play in the NCAA Tournament, and the 1974 national champions, who went a com- bined 57-1: Tauren Wells' "Never Lost." "What I find so unusual is that Da- vid was always one of the quietest guys on the team," said guard Mark Moeller, who retired to Fort Myers, Fla., two years ago. "Yet he has one of the loud- est voices in our conversations. It's like a message board between teammates. "I don't even remember when they got started, but we've been communi- cating for a few years now." Burleson finds Old and New Testa- ment parables and biblical stories to share with his teammates. "Love is what has guaranteed our friendship," Burleson recently wrote. "Love has settled more controversies and wars than any other means." The messages are not uncommon to prayer groups for men of their age but gain importance because of who they are and what they accomplished together. Especially now that they are losing the teammates who have been so precious to them all. "We support each other, and we keep each other strong," Thompson said. "Prayer and encouragement are essen- tial. We are a team, and more impor- tantly, a family. "We will miss members of our fam- ily, but they will always be with us in spirit." ■ The 1973-74 Wolfpack ROSTER POS. ELIG. CURRENT RESIDENCE David Thompson F Jr. Charlotte, N.C. Tommy Burleson C Sr. Newland, N.C. Monte Towe PG Jr. Gainesville, Fla. Morris Rivers SG Jr. Deceased (Nov. 15, 2023) Tim Stoddard F Jr. Rolling Meadow, Ill. Greg Hawkins F Sr. Westport, Conn. Mark Moeller G Jr. Fort Myers, Fla. Jerry Hunt F So. Charlotte, N.C. Mike Buurma C Fr. Willard, Ohio Craig Kuszmaul G Jr. Smithfield, N.C. Ken Gehring F Fr. Waverly, Tenn. Steve Smith F So. Lexington, Ky. Steve Nuce F Sr. Covington, Wash. Howard Pickett G So. Raleigh, N.C. Dwight Johnson G So. Deceased (Oct. 20, 2021) Bill Lake C Fr. Deceased (June 26, 2017) Bruce Dayhuff G Fr. Deceased (Oct. 28, 2021) COACHES Norm Sloan Head coach Deceased (Dec. 9, 2003) Eddie Biedenbach Asst. coach Wrightsville Beach, N.C. Sam Esposito Asst. coach Deceased (July 9, 2018) Art Musselman Asst. coach Knightdale, N.C. TEAM AND ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL Robert S. Bryan Faculty Chairman of Athletics Deceased (March 2, 2019) Willis Casey Director of Athletics Deceased (1992) Frank Weedon Asst. Director of Athletics Deceased (Sept. 2, 2013) Ed Seaman Sports Information Director Deceased (Oct. 13, 2013) Walt Atkins Asst. SID Graham, N.C. Herman Bunch Trainer Deceased (May 10, 2015) Chester Grant Asst. Trainer Deceased (Sept. 11, 1982) Dorsey Poole Equipment Manager Deceased (Feb. 23, 2016) A.E. Harer Team Physician Deceased (Dec. 10, 1981) James H. Manley Jr. Team Physician Deceased P.G. Fox Team Physician Deceased (Feb. 22, 2014) Don Reibel Team Orthopedist Raleigh, N.C. T.E. Nelson Team Dentist Deceased (Nov. 11, 2014) MANAGERS Biff Nichols Durham, N.C. Mike Sloan Italy Tim Peeler is a regular contributor to The Wolfpacker and can be reached at tmpeeler@ncsu.edu. In the NCAA Tournament championship against Marquette, center Tommy Burleson finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds, helping lift the Wolfpack to an exhilarating 76-64 victory. PHOTO BY ED CARAM