Basketball and March Madness always take me back to the 1970s during and after the David Thompson era at N.C. State. I was a huge Wolfpack fan, and the one thing I detested was the Four Corners, Carolina’s successful spread offense that the team often went to when it got a lead.

In the Four Corners, UNC would hold the ball without attempting a shot, while a guard dribbled and passed back and forth to teammates until the opposing team fouled. Yep, pretty boring. Carolina, particularly Phil Ford, could run the Four Corners to perfection, eating up chunks of time and any hope the opposition could make a comeback. This type of offense was part of the reason the 30-second shot clock rule was implemented years later, and I was glad to see it.

The addition of the three-point shot, however, is something I’ve never liked. Sure, I know the three pointer has added a new dimension in basketball strategy, especially at the end of games when a three pointer will either tie it or win it. My two oldest sons, ages 17 and 14, played on a Cary rec team that won just such a game in the recent tournament semifinals when it defeated a previously undefeated team in overtime by making a three pointer. And it was my son David, 14, who made the shot from near half-court with two seconds left in overtime.

When the ball swished through the net, the crowd erupted in cheers, and his teammates mobbed him on the court. Definitely exciting. But to me, the three-point shot sends the message that a shot from outside is worth more than a hard-earned lay-up or a drive down the middle. Yet, I think the three-point shot is here to stay.

As March Madness heats up and victories and losses seem to be all that matters, I like to remember something that happened my sophomore year at Carolina to keep things in perspective. It’s a story I’ve mentioned in this column years ago, but it is worth repeating. My U.S. History class had a visiting professor for the semester, a very distinguished African-American man who was an excellent teacher. One morning after a rare loss by the UNC basketball team, I headed into history class and noticed the campus was in a post-loss depression. The history class seemed the same way as we quietly sat in our seats, looking forlorn as we waited for class to begin. Then the history professor stood up in front of us, a solemn expression on his face. He said slowly in a soft voice, “Something has happened on this campus that appalls me. It’s something I never thought could happen here on this university campus, something beyond my wildest imagination.”

I immediately thought that some type of racial incident had occurred, a slur that had offended him. I felt sick at the thought. The whole class sat transfixed, all hoping that this wonderful gentleman — a guest on our campus — had not been offended. “Someone said something this morning that I couldn’t believe,” he continued. I felt sicker as my heart jumped to my throat. “Someone said that ... Carolina ... lost a basketball game last night.”

Everyone burst out laughing, relieved. The professor laughed too and then started his lecture, successful in his attempt to make his students realize that basketball is just a game. Three pointers and shot clocks seem rather unimportant when put into perspective. So have fun with March Madness but don’t take it too seriously, whether your team wins or loses.