MCLAMB: An Open Letter To Elliott Avent

Dear Elliott,

I am writing to you from Arkansas, where I have been fortunate to witness NCSU win the Super Regional and earn a berth to the 2021 College World Series.

Congratulations on this wonderful achievement. Of course, you will only get to celebrate for a fleeting moment, as it will soon be time to reboot and head to Omaha, Nebraska, in search of NC State’s first baseball national title. 

It has been eight years since your last trip to Omaha. I had the great privilege of being there to cover it, and I vividly recall you smiling at what was probably the most meaningful achievement in your career.

My journey to becoming a sports journalist started as an undergrad at NC State, so this meant some of the first games I covered were involving your baseball teams. 

As I was learning the lessons needed to become a journalist, non-partiality was one of the most prominent topics discussed. Like most folks, when I first got accepted into college, I was geeked to root for this new team in my life.

Over the course of time, and with the help of my education, that feeling has faded. It is a job, albeit a fun job, and I will tell the story regardless of what happens. I have told the story countless times now. I will leave it to others to decide how well I have done. 

In telling stories, I have seen crazy things for NC State, both good and bad. Regarding the baseball program, I have now seen both Super Regional wins in your career, as well as the back-to-back regional losses of 2015 and 2016. The emotions have run the gamut. 

The truth is your team is not alone when it comes to the wide range of emotions sports evokes. I have certainly seen it from all the other NC State sports teams too. There is no shame in admitting how the human side of me takes this. Of course, I am happy for people when they are overjoyed, and I feel some pity when I see them hurting. They dictate that, however, and I do not put any more thought into it. 

You are not perfect, Elliott. No one is, but I see the passion for the game extends beyond. First, it moves to the players, who are your extended family. It reaches those who work with you and have helped you build up the program you always dreamt of leading. Finally, it moves to the school, which is as much your alma mater as mine. 

We have had our moments. No one will get every question right, not the reporter asking it or the athletic figure answering it. Still, I have never felt threatened, annoyed, or treated in a way that had even minor condescending overtones to make me feel inferior. That is a separator as well since most folks address even perceived slights with anger or aloofness. I would say even I can be guilty of that. 

You are, without question, the biggest threat to my impartiality as a journalist. This is more along the lines of an open secret, as I have discussed this before with many people, both in and out of the industry.

It is not as though I have little respect for other coaches or NC State teams. I have often wondered why you and, by extension, your squads make me feel that way. I think it boils down to the human side of you.

I see the passion you have for your job. I see the caring that you have for your players. I have seen the feeling that your love engenders from others. 

Parents, family members, and close friends of your players show great gratitude for what you do. There is appreciation in seeing someone that they care about immensely being treated that way. They trust you. 

I have never personally met anyone who loves North Carolina State University more than you do.  

The regard you have for the University, its other sports programs, and those charged with the same tasks as you in those other programs does not go unnoticed. You are almost always there to support other Wolfpackers without fail, and that is why many of them will be desperate to support you and your team during your Omaha adventure.

I also know that there are important, meaningful people in your life that are no longer with us. I will not expand on that other than to say that you are doing a terrific job of carrying the lessons and memories of those you love. They continue to exist partly through your actions, and I have little doubt that your recent success is an extension of what you have been given in life from them. That is the best part of a legacy.

I am proud of you, Elliott. I am happy for your players and their families.

Good luck in Omaha. I know you and your team will represent North Carolina State University well. 

I am rooting for you to win the national title. That is directly antithetical to what I was taught at NC State, but it has nothing to do with the school and everything to do with you. I will try my best to work around that blatant disregard of journalistic protocol as I attempt to do my job over the next few weeks, but this is the truth about how I feel. I think people deserve that. 

Regards,

Rob McLamb

North Carolina State University, Class of 2016

Inside Pack Sports