Dickie V signed for 2 more years with ESPN

[jibsey]

He'll do it until he's 78 at least. He's biased toward some teams of course, but he's probably very close friends with those coaches by now so what can you do? Been pretty fair to us except for picking against us.

 

[FartMan69]

He picked against us? Bad man.

 

[Kembacity]

He's awful, I know that Raftery isn't really an unknown to most basketball fans, but it still chaps my hide that Dickie V is the name that everyone in the world knows while Raftery remains the go to color guy for true fans of college basketball. The people of the world need to know the beauty that is a "Lingerie on the deck!", a "Send it in Jerome!", or even one of those early game moment, unidentifiable attempts at saying some variation of the phrase "man to man"

 

[mets1090]

He's awful, I know that Raftery isn't really an unknown to most basketball fans, but it still chaps my hide that Dickie V is the name that everyone in the world knows while Raftery remains the go to color guy for true fans of college basketball. The people of the world need to know the beauty that is a "Lingerie on the deck!", a "Send it in Jerome!", or even one of those early game moment, unidentifiable attempts at saying some variation of the phrase "man to man"

"Opening the game in MANtoMAN...with zone principles" is by far my favorite basketball call, in an ironic sort of way.

 

[Stainmaster]

I've said it before, outstanding philanthropist who does great work raising money for cancer research, but as an analyst he's over the hill.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Does anyone really think that Dick Vitale is so popular because he's an astute analyst? It's shtick and people love it. He's a good guy who means well and brings a lot of excitement to the game.

 

[Kitaman]

The man enjoys what he does. To him it ain't a job and no one loves college basketball more than him. He's harmless, not sure after all these years why he still rubs so many people the wrong way. Anyway, he's in his twilight and he's certainly not changing, so perhaps some of us should (i.e. tolerating him). Hell we can put up with some intolerable Yarders who love UConn.

All I can say is 'at his age good for him!'

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

rather have dick vitale do a Uconn game than Mike Patrick... at least dick vitale brings some sort of energy and excitement

 

[CallMeBruce]

I don't think Vitale is as sharp as he used to be, but the guy does his homework. He knows every player on every team he covers, and he absolutely loves college basketball. I'll miss him when he hangs 'em up.

And he's not a Duke homer. Duke is generally really good, and he says that.

 

[jibsey]

I don't think Vitale is as sharp as he used to be, but the guy does his homework. He knows every player on every team he covers, and he absolutely loves college basketball. I'll miss him when he hangs 'em up.

And he's not a Duke homer. Duke is generally really good, and he says that.

You had me until part 2.

 

[Devland]

Does anyone really think that Dick Vitale is so popular because he's an astute analyst? It's shtick and people love it. He's a good guy who means well and brings a lot of excitement to the game.

Exactly, he is college basketball's version of John Madden. Talks a lot without ever really saying anything.

 

[nomar]

He picked against us? Bad man.

If you can find it, watch ESPN's post-game coverage of the 1999 title game. Dickie V looks like someone just emptied his bank account and ran off with daughter. I've seen losing coaches keep the look of disappointment off their faces better than he did. He looked crushed and utterly devastated by our victory. Boy did I enjoy watching that. Meanwhile, Digger always gets a free pass from me because he picked UConn to win and was really enjoying himself during the post-game show.

Bruce, I don't hate Vitale at all, but he is a Duke homer. Come on. He thinks they're "special." Not just because they win. OHHHHH!!!!! THE CAMERON CRAZIES!!!!!! 1500 ON THE SATS!!!!!!!!! He's into the slapping the floor and the hugs and Coach K teaching life not sports and all the crap that Coach K wants to sell everybody. He likes Kentucky and UConn and Kansas, but he LOVES Duke. Like, he wants to marry Duke.

 

[TasteofUConn]

Exactly, he is college basketball's version of John Madden. Talks a lot without ever really saying anything.

He's like college basketball's John Madden if John Madden had snorted a good line of coke and was doing his best impression of Pee Wee Herman.

 

[johnhuskies95]

If you can find it, watch ESPN's post-game coverage of the 1999 title game. Dickie V looks like someone just emptied his bank account and ran off with daughter. I've seen losing coaches keep the look of disappointment off their faces better than he did. He looked crushed and utterly devastated by our victory. Boy did I enjoy watching that. Meanwhile, Digger always gets a free pass from me because he picked UConn to win and was really enjoying himself during the post-game show.

Bruce, I don't hate Vitale at all, but he is a Duke homer. Come on. He thinks they're "special." Not just because they win. OHHHHH!!!!! THE CAMERON CRAZIES!!!!!! 1500 ON THE SATS!!!!!!!!! He's into the slapping the floor and the hugs and Coach K teaching life not sports and all the crap that Coach K wants to sell everybody. He likes Kentucky and UConn and Kansas, but he LOVES Duke. Like, he wants to marry Duke.

I would say that at this point he might love Kentucky more than Duke.

 

[Kitaman]

I would say that at this point he might love Kentucky more than Duke.

I think he loves the coaches more than the teams. Its noticible even in years they have marginal wins/talent. He's a loyalist that's for sure, going back to the Valvano years. If he loves you he will not divorce you that's for sure. As for Calhoun he simply highly respected him, which was fine.

 

[UCweCONN]

Why? I thought ESPN wanted to nudge him into retirement?

 

[Kembacity]

Can I remind anyone that he also stood by Boeheim when they were hit with sanctions? The reports come out and all he can say is "I play golf with this man, this is a great and honest man", really? dickie

 

[Kitaman]

Can I remind anyone that he also stood by Boeheim when they were hit with sanctions? The reports come out and all he can say is "I play golf with this man, this is a great and honest man", really? dickie

In Jim's darkest hour Vitale publicly stands with him. I don't know how old you are but let's just hope the day never comes when you need a friend like that.

How anyone can fault Dickie for that is amazing.

 

[Tenspro2002]

And he's not a Duke homer. Duke is generally really good, and he says that.

Can't it be both?

Duke is generally good, and Dickie V calls that like it is. But he's also way over-the-top in his praise of K, the Duke program, its culture, its fans, going out of his way to mention Duke even when he's calling completely unrelated games. He is a Duke homer; the team just also happens to be good.

 

[jibsey]

He knows these coaches for 30 plus years. They attend each other's charity events, play golf together, probably go to their families weddings. He's just not throwing his friends under any bus which is expected. His color was very responsible for the rise of college hoop at ESPN, so they owe him.

 

[uconngb]

"Opening the game in MANtoMAN...with zone principles" is by far my favorite basketball call, in an ironic sort of way.

Think u have that backwards....."Cuse starts in a 2-3 zone, with man to man principles"

 

[mauconnfan]

I don't think Vitale is as sharp as he used to be, but the guy does his homework. He knows every player on every team he covers, and he absolutely loves college basketball. I'll miss him when he hangs 'em up.

And he's not a Duke homer. Duke is generally really good, and he says that.

I'm with jibsey on this and I like the guy a lot. Think he's great for the game and has always been 1st class to the UConn program. But he goes beyond "first class" with Duke and now Kentucky.

 

[Rocklander]

Dickie V Story:
As a native of Bergen County, New Jersey, I have been familiar with Dick Vitale since his HS coaching days. The punch line of this post comes when I met Vitale at the Sheraton (??, across the street from the HCC) the morning after St John's beat Connecticut in the earliest days of the "new" HCC. Vitale was not very well know to the national audience then, and not known as Dickie V at that time.
Hartford was in my work plans for that day. I got tickets for the game in advance through the SJU box office, so I was on the floor of the arena, but in the midst of their people. The Huskies lost the BE game. I had no idea who was doing the broadcasting. I booked a reservation at the hotel across the street, as I was continuing on to Massachusetts to work there the next day, and would deadhead back to Rockland County, NY where I still reside. I awoke the following morning and went to breakfast, but their was a line at the coffee shop, and I had to wait for a table. The person who walked up next on line was none other than Dickie. We waited for a while on line so I engaged him briefly in conversation, and offer to share a table since we were both singles, which we did.
I mentioned that I followed the Rutgers team that he recruited that went to the Final Four, and was familiar with Les Cason (the second coming of Lew Alcindor??). From that point on, I didn't get a word in (maybe a quick question or two). I wound up leaving the table with a four page brochure in yellow and blue which extolled his virtues as a "motivational speaker", and a "positive enthusiasm" person. I still have the brochure.
As a UConn grad I, like all of us, am agitated by Duke and "Dukie V's rants and raves. But we must admit that he was a excellent student of the college game, and certainly has made a super successful career for himself in broadcasting. It must be due to the power of his positive thinking.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Dickie V Story:
As a native of Bergen County, New Jersey, I have been familiar with Dick Vitale since his HS coaching days. The punch line of this post comes when I met Vitale at the Sheraton (??, across the street from the HCC) the morning after St John's beat Connecticut in the earliest days of the "new" HCC. Vitale was not very well know to the national audience then, and not known as Dickie V at that time.
Hartford was in my work plans for that day. I got tickets for the game in advance through the SJU box office, so I was on the floor of the arena, but in the midst of their people. The Huskies lost the BE game. I had no idea who was doing the broadcasting. I booked a reservation at the hotel across the street, as I was continuing on to Massachusetts to work there the next day, and would deadhead back to Rockland County, NY where I still reside. I awoke the following morning and went to breakfast, but their was a line at the coffee shop, and I had to wait for a table. The person who walked up next on line was none other than Dickie. We waited for a while on line so I engaged him briefly in conversation, and offer to share a table since we were both singles, which we did.
I mentioned that I followed the Rutgers team that he recruited that went to the Final Four, and was familiar with Les Cason (the second coming of Lew Alcindor??). From that point on, I didn't get a word in (maybe a quick question or two). I wound up leaving the table with a four page brochure in yellow and blue which extolled his virtues as a "motivational speaker", and a "positive enthusiasm" person. I still have the brochure.
As a UConn grad I, like all of us, am agitated by Duke and "Dukie V's rants and raves. But we must admit that he was a excellent student of the college game, and certainly has made a super successful career for himself in broadcasting. It must be due to the power of his positive thinking.

There are few things I would enjoy more than to just sit and talk college basketball with Dick Vitale.

 

[TheChamps990411]

loved Dickie V as a kid but as a nearly 40 year old man im tired of his schtick. I can actually predict what hes going to say in games its so bad. he seems to just be repeating himself.. that being said god bless him