Peck had a habit of surrounding the program with good people, one of the reasons I really enjoyed being a part of it after my parents moved back to NC when my dad retired from the AF and me and my twin brother were in college. Was a great room to get a workout in during the holidays. I felt privileged to be a part of it for a few years (Even turned down coaching stipend because I wanted more positive folks around the program). A lot of those kids on that team were simply looking for an outlet and role models to be around and wound up being a part of a great run over the years. NC the town gets a bad rep, some of it rightfully so (I think it's safe to say that, having lived there and witnessed some of the tragedy's that have occurred). Some of the grapplers succumbed to some of the towns bad habits, but the majority of those kids have gone on to have positive, productive lives and at the end of the day, that's the one take-away I always look at. It doesn't matter how many kids win or place at state etc, but instilling a strong work ethic and maintaining a positive & healthy lifestyle matters more. I'd have loved to see a NC step on the podium at D1's or ascend to the top at Conseco/BankersLife/GBF, but am more proud of the adults they have become.
Dustin Lanzer once told me about the field house "Strange things happen at NCSS" and he wasn't kidding. I've seen some kids get raw deals or just all of a sudden forget what was happening, or run into a kid on a mission that day and let a win slip out of their grasps in the ticket round. Some heart breaking losses have been felt on that mat.