If Vitale pimped for Calhoun...

[Husky Dynasty]

Every basketball game that Vitale broadcasts is an infomercial for Duke. Watch one sometime.

This has a huge effect on high school basketball players.

Even if Dook isn't one of the two teams playing.

"Oh, oh, are you serioos? Oh, Coach K would really appreciate a play like that!!!!"

 

[huskyhal]

I'm not going to say Dick Vitale is not biased. He certainly is, but when it comes down to it, he's just an ultimate sports fan. If anyone follows his twitter account, he comments on all sports and really has nothing bad to say. Yeah, he's a huge Duke homer, but when he's not calling Duke games, I find him very interesting to listen to. Hell, I'd really like to see him call a game between two mid-majors. He enjoys sports and the college lifestyle and since I've noticed this...I've really started to like his play calling.

When you really look at it, he usually has nothing bad to say. And when he does, it's something bad about a bad call by the ref (which he's usually on the correct side). Typically, he never has anything bad to say about college kids or coaches. So while he literally slobbers over Duke, he's just a fan of the game - and I can appreciate that.

In a way, he's like Gus Johnson's granddad. Hahaha!

I disagree. I think he used to be interesting and fun to listen to back when he was genuinely enthusiastic, but, similarly to John Madden at the end of his broadcasting career, I think Dickie has become a caricature of himself. The shtick that used to be fun enthusiasm has now become forced and calculated, along with all the catch-phrases. Whenever the broadcaster becomes bigger than the game he's broadcasting, he becomes unbearable. I get more furious listening to him than any other analyst, because he spends way too much time talking about everything other than the game he is broadcasting. And when he and Mike Patrick are doing a game together, it is simply unlistenable.

 

[Druken Friar]

Don't get me wrong ESPN over hypes the ACC. I blame guys like Jay Bilas who every year claim the ACC is the best college basketball conference despite overwhelming evidence that the Big East is number one. But I digress.

ESPN wants the ACC to be thought of as the best conference, no doubt. Dick Vitale knows who signs his paycheck. North Carolina, Duke and Maryland are the teams they are going to pump up for obvious reasons. Pitino may be close to the truth about the raid on the Big East; it might be more about basketball.

All that said, the Big East is number one and ESPN can't change that. Hopefully soon the Big East will leave ESPN behind.

 

[61cygni]

Hasn't Bilas been promoting the BE as the best the last few years?

 

[ctchamps]

Don't get me wrong ESPN over hypes the ACC. I blame guys like Jay Bilas who every year claim the ACC is the best college basketball conference despite overwhelming evidence that the Big East is number one. But I digress.

ESPN wants the ACC to be thought of as the best conference, no doubt. Dick Vitale knows who signs his paycheck. North Carolina, Duke and Maryland are the teams they are going to pump up for obvious reasons. Pitino may be close to the truth about the raid on the Big East; it might be more about basketball.

All that said, the Big East is number one and ESPN can't change that. Hopefully soon the Big East will leave ESPN behind.

Most of us consider Jay to be one of the best and fairest analysts.

 

[Druken Friar]

Most of us consider Jay to be one of the best and fairest analysts.

I hope your right. He played for Duke. When I watch, has an obvious ACC bias. Many others see it my way.

http://blogs.phillymag.com/the_philly_post/2011/03/21/jay-bilas-doesnt-know-what-hes-talking-about/

 

[Druken Friar]

Some more: Bilas was critical of the inclusion of VCU last year. VCU made it to the Final Four.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/hiestand-tv/2011-03-29-vitale-packer-ncaa-tournament_N.htm

 

[ctchamps]

I hope your right. He played for Duke. When I watch, has an obvious ACC bias. Many others see it my way.

http://blogs.phillymag.com/the_philly_post/2011/03/21/jay-bilas-doesnt-know-what-hes-talking-about/

I don't know anything about Bradley. Bilas knows his stuff inside and out and that includes teams not in the major conferences. He has as much understanding of Teams like VCU as any ACC school. I don't think the author in this article was fair in lumping Bilas with other ESPN analysts, who aren't as knowledgeable about bb as Bilas.

 

[ctchamps]

Some more: Bilas was critical of the inclusion of VCU last year. VCU made it to the Final Four.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/hiestand-tv/2011-03-29-vitale-packer-ncaa-tournament_N.htm

That storm was regarding a team that was picked over more deserving teams based on resumes during the regular season and criteria the NCAA has utilized in picking teams. Bilas continued to make a case that more deserving teams were excluded because of the VCU selection. He argued that the results of the NCAA tournament did not change his mind. The press you link went with the tournament results to back up the NCAA.

It's a difference of opinion. But Jay isn't the type of person who never backs down. He often admits his mistakes. This situation regarding VCU was a matter of criteria that he feels the NCAA needs to establish to let observers understand the selection process. He didn't have a grudge against VCU just the selection process and the ignoring of established data that are supposedly the data the NCAA relies on. Vitale on the other hand generalizes and, at least from commentary, is more emotional than intellectual.

 

[Druken Friar]

For the Duke haters; Bilas says Duke never gets any breaks or favorable officiating calls, yeah right.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/03/17/moore.duke.hate/index.html

 

[Druken Friar]

That storm was regarding a team that was picked over more deserving teams based on resumes during the regular season and criteria the NCAA has utilized in picking teams. Bilas continued to make a case that more deserving teams were excluded because of the VCU selection. He argued that the results of the NCAA tournament did not change his mind. The press you link went with the tournament results to back up the NCAA.

It's a difference of opinion. But Jay isn't the type of person who never backs down. He often admits his mistakes. This situation regarding VCU was a matter of criteria that he feels the NCAA needs to establish to let observers understand the selection process. He didn't have a grudge against VCU just the selection process and the ignoring of established data that are supposedly the data the NCAA relies on. Vitale on the other hand generalizes and, at least from commentary, is more emotional than intellectual.

The results of the tournament speak for themselves. When did Jay admit he was wrong about VCU? Every year there are teams that get left out. Most schools have felt that pain at least once. The fact is VCU proved they belonged last year.

Either the tournament is way too small or Mr. Bilas was wrong. Perhaps both are true?

I get it you like Jay Bilas, I don't. It has nothing to do with his bb knowledge. I don't hate the guy, I just think he's biased. He is way too dismissive of mid major programs for my taste. He also can't see the favoritism Duke gets on the court, especially at home games.

I would much rather listen to Bill Rafferty who has forgotten more bb than Bilas knows.

 

[21Huskies]

the way he has pimped for K, JC would have ten national championships .

Yea, ten.

Given the amount of selling of the Duke program that happens on national television by ESPN and Vitale, K has under achieved.

Yea, under achieved.

K doesn't recruit, he selects. He can land virtually any recruit he wants because for the last 20+years, the world's largest sports network has acted as his personal public relations machine. The have literally been K's mouth piece.

And what has he done with this enormous advantage. National champions? K-4, JC-3.How about wins? K -903, JC-857.

Just imagine if UConn had been treated like the Duke program. If JC could have had any recruit he wanted. The real story this week should be how does JC do it? That's what is truly amazing.

you need counseling.

 

[DogMania]

the way he has pimped for K, JC would have ten national championships .

Yea, ten.

Given the amount of selling of the Duke program that happens on national television by ESPN and Vitale, K has under achieved.

Yea, under achieved.

K doesn't recruit, he selects. He can land virtually any recruit he wants because for the last 20+years, the world's largest sports network has acted as his personal public relations machine. The have literally been K's mouth piece.

And what has he done with this enormous advantage. National champions? K-4, JC-3.How about wins? K -903, JC-857.

Just imagine if UConn had been treated like the Duke program. If JC could have had any recruit he wanted. The real story this week should be how does JC do it? That's what is truly amazing.

Well said. I've always pointed out how JC does much more with less heralded recruits than any coach out there and probably any college hoops coach who's ever lived.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

The year UNC won the NIT (or lost in the finals, cant remember) they had seven MCD AA's. Ed Davis, 2 wear twins, Larry Drew, Zeller, Henson, McDonald. Not sure about Deon Thompson. But thats about as many MCD AA's on one team as weve gotten in the past 20 yrs and they didnt even make the dance. Talk about underachieving.

Players are put on the McD's All-American team because they commit to UNC or Duke, not because Duke and UNC always only recruit the very best players. Sometimes they do, but just as often they recruit from a pool of maybe 50 players that are difficult to separate talent-wise. This is one of the main reasons why recruiting rankings are seriously overrated.

 

[HuskyFan32]

Players are put on the McD's All-American team because they commit to UNC or Duke, not because Duke and UNC always only recruit the very best players. Sometimes they do, but just as often they recruit from a pool of maybe 50 players that are difficult to separate talent-wise. This is one of the main reasons why recruiting rankings are seriously overrated.

Thats a great point and something I didnt consider. Theres def some truth to that, however its not just UNC and Duke recruiting them. Throw in Ky, UCLA, Kansas, Fla whoever, so these kids must be showing something. Im sure some of those guys (Davis, Zeller, Henson) would be top recruits no matter who was recruiting them. I guess one a point im trying to make is that Carolina never takes guys like Lamb or Okafor who arent highly regarded and turns them into college stars and lottery picks.

 

[rw005]

JC is not a good spooner. K and DV have spooned many times. (Gross I know) That is what you have to do to get love from the press.

This is gold.

 

[ctchamps]

The results of the tournament speak for themselves. When did Jay admit he was wrong about VCU? Every year there are teams that get left out. Most schools have felt that pain at least once. The fact is VCU proved they belonged last year.

Either the tournament is way too small or Mr. Bilas was wrong. Perhaps both are true?

I get it you like Jay Bilas, I don't. It has nothing to do with his bb knowledge. I don't hate the guy, I just think he's biased. He is way too dismissive of mid major programs for my taste. He also can't see the favoritism Duke gets on the court, especially at home games.

I would much rather listen to Bill Rafferty who has forgotten more bb than Bilas knows.

I wasn't out to convince you I was right and you were wrong. These opinions are purely subjective. I was giving you some background why I support Jay and what the primary feeling is in this forum regarding Jay. Good discussion all around. I'm sure most people in this forum don't know you're a UConn grad BTW.

 

[Walker11]

I think it really is just UNC and Duke. You rarely ever see guys outside the Top 30 consensus included in the McD game but Duke and UNC have recruits rated all the way down to the 70's included. Look at Marshall Plumlee, the Wear Twins, Larry Drew, Neil Fingleton. These guys are amongst the worst McD players I can remember. And every single fringe McD guy will be included, guys like Dexter Strickland and Quinn Cook.

In regards to Vitale: I think he provides some slight advantage but also adds to how polarizing they are to the public. Many fans can't stand Duke, maybe in small part to Vitale, and many of these recruits grow up as basketball fans as well who perhaps don't like Duke. The Dukies had a nice little stretch where they were definitely not considered an "in" school for a lot of kids (pre-Kyrie). They have missed on many of their top targets recently, and I don't know how to avoid involving race, but most of these kids they have missed on have been inner city, frequently African American kids. Duke isn't the cool school for many AA kids growing up in cities across the country.

 

[ctchamps]

I think it really is just UNC and Duke. You rarely ever see guys outside the Top 30 consensus included in the McD game but Duke and UNC have recruits rated all the way down to the 70's included. Look at Marshall Plumlee, the Wear Twins, Larry Drew, Neil Fingleton. These guys are amongst the worst McD players I can remember. And every single fringe McD guy will be included, guys like Dexter Strickland and Quinn Cook.

In regards to Vitale: I think he provides some slight advantage but also adds to how polarizing they are to the public. Many fans can't stand Duke, maybe in small part to Vitale, and many of these recruits grow up as basketball fans as well who perhaps don't like Duke. The Dukies had a nice little stretch where they were definitely not considered an "in" school for a lot of kids (pre-Kyrie). They have missed on many of their top targets recently, and I don't know how to avoid involving race, but most of these kids they have missed on have been inner city, frequently African American kids. Duke isn't the cool school for many AA kids growing up in cities across the country.

I do agree there might be a backlash in more recent times with Vitale. But haters are going to hate WINNERS as we know her at UConn.