More Highlights for Jay Jennings

• WRAL-TV’s Jennings and Jennings Showdown on Fun Football Friday Recap

  A father-son duo lobbed a perfect play for the first round of high school playoffs coverage on WRAL-TV last Friday.  WRAL-TV Documentary Photographer Jay Jennings and his son, WRAL-TV Multimedia Sports Journalist Jason Jennings, tag-teamed on a game package to
• Dreams of Gold NC Olympic Festival 1987

  After several years of dreaming, North Carolina landed the Olympic Festival for 1987. The opening ceremonies took place on July 17, 1987 in Carter-Finley stadium in Raleigh. Athletic events were held in nearby cities. Greensboro hosted figure and speed skating. Durham was the site for track and field, soccer and wrestling. Chapel Hill hosted basketball, gymnastics, and swimming. Cary was home base for archery. Raleigh was tapped to host diving, boxing, and equestrian. Kerr Lake was the site for yachting.

  WRAL Sports anchors Tom Suiter and Bob Holliday host this special broadcast, Dreams of Gold, leading up to the festival.

  Capitol Broadcasting Company was a Grand Patron sponsor of the Festival.

  Aired: July 11, 1987

• Grape Expectations documentary about NC wine industry

  “Grape Expectations” examines the economic success story that is the North Carolina wine industry. Meet the pioneers of the industry, learn how the industry is generating revenue, examine the sustainability of the industry’s growth and explore the wide variety of wineries and vineyards that span our state from the mountains to the coast.

  Hosted by WRAL reporter Monica Laliberte.
  Produced by Clay Johnson.
  Photographer/editor Jay Jennings
  Aired 2012.

• Last UNC Men’s Basketball Game in Carmichael Auditorium

  The last UNC Men’s Basketball game in Carmichael. UNC vs NCSU. January 6, 1985.

  Carmichael was known as one of the loudest arenas in the country while the Tar Heel men played there. The architecture of the building had a low roof and a student section that ringed the court.

  UNC Men’s Basketball coach Dean Smith led North Carolina to its arena-opening 82-68 victory over William & Mary in 1965. UNC player, Bob Lewis, made the first shot in Carmichael.

  On January 6, 1986 North Carolina Coach Dean Smith led his Tar Heels to finish its 20-year stay in Carmichael Auditorium the way it started – with a victory. The No. 1 and undefeated Tar Heels defeated rival North Carolina State 90-79. A few weeks later, January 19, the Tar Heels started playing in the Dean Smith Center, AKA “The Dean Dome.” That first game was against Duke.

  The Tar Heels record Carmichael Auditorium, AKA “Blue Heaven” was 169-20.

  Who made the final basket at Carmichael? *Spoiler Alert*
  NCSU basketball coach Jim Valvano made a lay-up basket after the game. He claimed bragging rights to be the last one to make a basket in Carmichael.

• Jay Jennings and Russian “Strangers in the Night”

  We conclude our TBT Russian theme with another news trip to the “land of the bear.” It is 1992 and our intrepid international correspondents are WRAL News anchor Donna Gregory and photographer Jay Jennings. The name of the country has