Dickie V admits: "I am not a broadcaster"...

[cto]

Then, after naming a bunch of broadcasters he says "I am a junky."

 

[Bayside44]

He is awesome, what a great life.

 

[Townie72]

At one time, I thought he added something to the broadcasts. But that was decades ago.

Increasingly my cure is a combination of the Mute button on the remote control and Captions.

Bobby Knight is the exception to this.

 

[stuckinbig11]

"I am not a broadcaster, I am a Duke fan."

 

[shermstheman]

Many don't like him and he can be hard to listen to. But he has done more good in his life than most people can even dream about. If he annoys some people, he has earned the privilege.

 

[MGP]

Many don't like him and he can be hard to listen to. But he has done more good in his life than most people can even dream about. If he annoys some people, he has earned the privilege.

Agreed. Like him or not, he's part of the culture of the College game. For all of you who get so annoyed, do you think anyone takes him seriously? Don't sweat it. Personally, his idiocy amuses me.

 

[bballbeadle]

I also feel his manic enthusiasm has helped make college basketball what it is today. He is near the end of his career and that is sad for me to contemplate. (On this board, many will be relieved. And that's okay.) I am betting that if he had danced with our 96 team the way McGuire did - and he would have! - we would feel more fondness towards him. And how ironic that he is on his way out as we are on our way in - to the ACC! "The best basketball conference in the nation, baby!"

 

[PoppyHart]

I think people watch sports more to fuel their inner hate than out of appreciation for the game, especially when their beloved isn't participating. It really is a sad reflection on the human psyche.

 

[Marsh01]

Vitale, while annoying at times is fine. I have had the pleasure of talking with him one on one and he is a great guy.

His schtick gets old but his love for college hoops is what I admire about the guy.

 

[SUintheVille]

What Dickie V does to promote The (Jimmy) V Foundation for cancer research is great. That alone makes him one of the good guys.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

If you ever meet this guy, there is no way you come back hating on him. He came to an event at my company and really took time out to talk to people individually...went to dinner, had a great time. We've had other guest speakers over the years who just went home after they gave their little speech and wouldn't even sign autographs/talk to people (Tony LaRussa, Chris Berman, Bernard King come to mind). Dickie V just acted like someone who is very grateful for the success he's had. He hasn't become "affected" like some Hollywood actor type.

 

[Eric15]

Agreed. Like him or not, he's part of the culture of the College game. For all of you who get so annoyed, do you think anyone takes him seriously? Don't sweat it. Personally, his idiocy amuses me.

It begs the question, is there any single person that is/was more important to college basketball in the past 25-30 years than Vitale?

 

[MGP]

It begs the question, is there any single person that is/was more important to college basketball in the past 25-30 years than Vitale?

JAB

 

[Marsh01]

My one Big Dickie V story:
He spoke at an insurance seminar back in the fall of 2002. Great speaker as MMM said above. I was in charge of getting him back and forth to the Exec Air airport. I picked him up and we talked on the way (there were 2 other people in the car with me).

He spoke and did a great job. Then after we were taking him back to the airport. I remember I got into a banter with him on how can John Chaney get into the hall of fame and not JB? Back and forth we went. It was great. we also talked a ton of baseball (the Yankees were in the playoffs playing the Angels). He says he is a Rays fan but the guy bleeds Yankee Pinstripe.

When we got out of the car we were saying our goodbyes and he sort of called us in real close, almost like a huddle and then he said (about the game that night)..."I am really fu cking worried about tonights game boys". Then we talked about the game for about 5 minutes.

After that we were shaking his hand and saying goodbye. He looks at me and starts to go at me like he is going to give me a hug. I was like What is he doing am I about to hug Dickie V??? Right before he got to me he reached out and slapped me in the belly (which at the time was very large...since shrunken considerably) and says to me "Keep eating that pasta big Chris!"

He then leaves and one of the guys that was with us says to me "I think Dick Vitale just slapped you in the belly and mocked you"

Yes yes he did.

 

[tee1222]

Big fan of him when I was young, and still like his antics from time to time. Sure it kills me that he doesn't seem to be a Cuse fan, but he definitely got me excited about college bball way back when.

 

[Knicks411]

It begs the question, is there any single person that is/was more important to college basketball in the past 25-30 years than Vitale?

I think whoever it was on ESPN that decided to put so much of it on their network has to be a contender.

And probably someone related to the NCAA tournament, not sure exactly how to phrase it or if there is one person responsible, but obviously it's covered much differently than it was 30 years ago.

 

[cusetown1]

Dick made sense back 20 years ago, now not so much. I'm sure he's a great guy though.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

I think whoever it was on ESPN that decided to put so much of it on their network has to be a contender.

And probably someone related to the NCAA tournament, not sure exactly how to phrase it or if there is one person responsible, but obviously it's covered much differently than it was 30 years ago.

Content is king and cbb fills a lot of primetime air space. What other sport offers so many possible games every night of the week for 4 months?

 

[Knicks411]

Content is king and cbb fills a lot of primetime air space. What other sport offers so many possible games every night of the week for 4 months?

Yeah it was definitely a great marriage between a sport and a fledgling cable network.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

Yeah it was definitely a great marriage between a sport and a fledgling cable network.

It doesn't do killer ratings for the network anymore (unless its Duke/UNC), but it is a nice steady stream of viewers checking in every night and staying tuned for Sportscenter.

400,000 more televisions tuned in to watch Grizzlies/Thunder than Louisville/Cuse...to provide a gauge. A million more than that tuned in to watch NFL Countdown.

 

[Knicks411]

Ratings across the board are down though, for all channels. There are just so many damn channels now.

Though for the specific one you mentioned; I assume the Grizz game was probably at like 7, right? 4 PM on Sat isn't the best time for ratings.

But the main point is right; always a game on, and there will always be some people watching. And I guess more important than the actual rating anyway is what demos they provide.

 

[cuseinseattle]

I'm also in the camp that used to think Vitale was ok but now thinks he is annoying. I just wish he would retire. Next year when we play a Duke or North Carolina I would love Raff, Bilas and Sean to do the game but we will get Vitale and Patrick.

 

[MikeSU02]

He's earned the right to keep going. Got to chat with him briefly and he was very nice and engaging (and it was after a lot of handshaking and chatting already that day).

He also eats at The Broken Egg in Siesta Key - great place to grab some food!

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Then, after naming a bunch of broadcasters he says "I am a junky."

He is like Chris Berman, great schtick that has gone stale

Sent from my Vortex using Tapatalk 2

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

He is like Chris Berman, great schtick that has gone stale

Sent from my Vortex using Tapatalk 2

Berman is a self important douche.