This will be unpopular but...

[DeGrozz]

It's never college basketball season until I hear Dick Vitale's voice. Hearing him go crazy in an intro just got me pumped for this upcoming year.

He is college basketball's greatest fan.

 

[Bayside44]

Love Vitale, there will never be another.

 

['72 Orange]

When I hear Vitale its like Charlie Brown listening to his teachers voice. All I hear is Waaa, Waaa, Waaa!!!

 

[JohnCuse44]

Yeah... I'm going to have to go ahead and ahh disagree with you there

 

[RF2044]

When I hear Vitale its like Charlie Brown listening to his teachers voice. All I hear is Waaa, Waaa, Waaa!!!

+1

I get that he is enthusiastic, but I don't know how anybody can tolerate that schtick, with so many other really solid announcers manning the sidelines for college hoops these days. Thank heavens for the mute button.

 

[DeGrozz]

Yeah... I'm going to have to go ahead and ahh disagree with you there

I know there are a lot of Vitale haters, but college basketball wouldn't be what it is today without him. He helped elevate the game to what it is now and no one truly loves college hoops more than that old, crazy, bald guy. I hope someday I can get paid millions for taking off the filter and just doing what I love like Dicky V does. I think the guy is a legend.

 

[RF2044]

I think the guy is a legend.

Tough to argue with that, and this is coming from someone who doesn't enjoy Vitale's act.

I know there are a lot of Vitale haters, but college basketball wouldn't be what it is today without him.

Please. College basketball would be every bit as popular with or without Dick Vitale.
Best.
Sport.
Ever.

 

[JohnCuse44]

I know there are a lot of Vitale haters, but college basketball wouldn't be what it is today without him. He helped elevate the game to what it is now and no one truly loves college hoops more than that old, crazy, bald guy. I hope someday I can get paid millions for taking off the filter and just doing what I love like Dicky V does. I think the guy is a legend.

Thats cool I understand your point but I am just really sick of the guy, his lame stick, and his huge hard-on for all things Duke and UNC.

 

[CuseTroop]

I've got love for him... Here's to hoping that when I'm his age, I still have the emotion and enthusiasm for all sports, like I do now... He's like a little kid out there. Good guy in my book


---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=64.844528,-147.863868

 

[DeGrozz]

Please. College basketball would be every bit as popular with or without Dick Vitale.
Best.
Sport.
Ever.

Among the hard-core fans college basketball would be just as popular without Vitale. With the other 80% of Americans, you ask them what they know about college hoops and one of the top 5 things is Dicky V. Whether you like him or not, he's done a TON for the sport.

It's also important to remember that Vitale wasn't always a nut. Listen to him do games in the eighties and early nineties and he was an excellent announcer. You can find him on ESPN Classic every day to make your own opinion.

 

[RF2044]

Among the hard-core fans college basketball would be just as popular without Vitale. With the other 80% of Americans, you ask them what they know about college hoops and one of the top 5 things is Dicky V. Whether you like him or not, he's done a TON for the sport.

It's also important to remember that Vitale wasn't always a nut. Listen to him do games in the eighties and early nineties and he was an excellent announcer. You can find him on ESPN Classic every day to make your own opinion.

I appreciate your impassioned case, but there's lots of hyperbole you've thrown in there. 80%? Top 5 thing? Based upon what? That sounds like YOUR opinion, DeGrozz--which is fine; everybody is entitled to their opinion, I just happen to disagree about Vitale and his "importance" to the game of college basketball. Institution--probably. Important--I'm not convinced, and lean against it.

I'll also contend that Vitale has always been a goofball. I agree that it wasn't until more recently that he de-evolved into this dopey caricature of himself that he's become in recent years, but he's always been wacky to varying degrees. I have literally dozens of SU games on tape dating back to the 80s [and my father and I are SU hoops nerds to the extent that we actually WATCH them with some regularity... : ) ], and Vitale is the announcer on more than a few, so my opinion of his style is based upon historical baseline--I'm not sure that I'd categorize him as an "excellent" announcer even back then, but to each their own.

 

[Blaster]

Countdown to...Jimmy B. baby!! doesnt leave the state of NY till february !!

 

[Knicks411]

Tough to argue with that, and this is coming from someone who doesn't enjoy Vitale's act.

Please. College basketball would be every bit as popular with or without Dick Vitale.
Best.
Sport.
Ever.

I think you could probably make the argument that Vitale has contributed in a small amount to the popularity of college hoops. Not in a huge manner or anything, but college basketball is better off for having Vitale around for the last 30 years.

 

[RF2044]

I think you could probably make the argument that Vitale has contributed in a small amount to the popularity of college hoops. Not in a huge manner or anything, but college basketball is better off for having Vitale around for the last 30 years.

I'm certainly willing to concede that Dick Vitale has contributed "a small amount to the popularity of college hoops."

[sorry, couldn't resist ]

 

[jmm29]

Countdown to...Jimmy B. baby!! doesnt leave the state of NY till february !!

!!

 

[OttoMets]

It's also important to remember that Vitale wasn't always a nut. Listen to him do games in the eighties and early nineties and he was an excellent announcer. You can find him on ESPN Classic every day to make your own opinion.

He still does let the great basketball mind shine through the act sometimes. This afternoon I watched last year's Michigan State game; for much of the broadcast, it was all "Kris Joseph's gonna have a breakout year, love that Jimmy Boeheim, blah blah." But a couple times he'd make a very astute observation. He really is a basketball guy, even though he covers it up with an act that doesn't appeal to me.

 

[Upstate]

I'm certainly willing to concede that Dick Vitale has contributed "a small amount to the popularity of college hoops."

[sorry, couldn't resist ]

Dick Vitale does more for college basketball than anyone ever has, other than Naismith and (maybe) Wooden. I'd put Wooden and Vitale even, actually.

 

[DeGrozz]

I appreciate your impassioned case, but there's lots of hyperbole you've thrown in there. 80%? Top 5 thing? Based upon what? That sounds like YOUR opinion, DeGrozz--which is fine; everybody is entitled to their opinion, I just happen to disagree about Vitale and his "importance" to the game of college basketball. Institution--probably. Important--I'm not convinced, and lean against it.

I'll also contend that Vitale has always been a goofball. I agree that it wasn't until more recently that he de-evolved into this dopey caricature of himself that he's become in recent years, but he's always been wacky to varying degrees. I have literally dozens of SU games on tape dating back to the 80s [and my father and I are SU hoops nerds to the extent that we actually WATCH them with some regularity... : ) ], and Vitale is the announcer on more than a few, so my opinion of his style is based upon historical baseline--I'm not sure that I'd categorize him as an "excellent" announcer even back then, but to each their own.

I'm sorry that my "impassioned" case would create such a "whiny" response from you. You don't become a household name, yet alone one of the biggest household names in sports without being important to your game. But I'm sure you can name scores of people who are bigger names in college basketball than Dick Vitale.

He's still one of the most recognizable names in college hoops today. You don't do that without being important to the game.

Who in the media besides Madden and the NFL has been more closely tied to a game on a bigger stage for a longer period of time than Dick Vitale?

 

[RF2044]

Dick Vitale does more for college basketball than anyone ever has, other than Naismith and (maybe) Wooden. I'd put Wooden and Vitale even, actually.

Okay--I'll bite.

Such as?

No offense--I get that people enjoy his enthusiasm, but hyperbole aside, statements like the above are baffling to me. He's a second rate announcer who came up with a unique schtick.

 

[SouthCampusHero]

Love Vitale, there will never be another.

And thank god for that. I dont need manufactured passion to stoke an interest fire in me. Ive been watching Wimbledon for years and I dont need an announcer to keep me interested despite the fact that tennis is a slower game. I dont need an over-the-top announcer to keep me interested in major golf tournaments either. You want to listen to a great announcer...listen to Uecker do Brewers. He'll talk about his last trip to the grocery store...the last time he walked around his block and talked to a neighbor...all while calling balls and strikes. He captivates people with his humor such that the game is almost secondary. Vitale tries to be as big or bigger than the game and so I mute him. Vitale sucks.

 

[fanfanclubclub]

Dick Vitale does more for college basketball than anyone ever has, other than Naismith and (maybe) Wooden. I'd put Wooden and Vitale even, actually.

You are being sarcastic, right?

Dick Vitale was simply the loudest kazoo on ESPN at the right time.

He's just Boomer or Leo Corso by another name: a caricature, living off of catch phrases that were considered "fresh and zany" back when VCRs were new.

 

[RF2044]

I'm sorry that my "impassioned" case would create such a "whiny" response from you. You don't become a household name, yet alone one of the biggest household names in sports without being important to your game. But I'm sure you can name scores of people who are bigger names in college basketball than Dick Vitale.

He's still one of the most recognizable names in college hoops today. You don't do that without being important to the game.

Who in the media besides Madden and the NFL has been more closely tied to a game on a bigger stage for a longer period of time than Dick Vitale?

"Whiny?"

My god, get over yourself. Just because I don't accept your BS statistics "quantifying" Vitale's importance doesn't invalidate my opinion.

Frankly, I've always thought that Vitale appeals to the lay fan--the ones who don't understand hoops, and get jazzed up by the fluff coverage he provides, talking about the most obvious topics. The last decade+ of Vitale reminds me a lot of the SNL spoof of Larry King's old USA Today Column, that was just stream of consciousness musings without much focus on the topic [or game] at hand. I'm not suggesting that you are not a discerning college hoops fan, but for my money there are [and always have been] many more college basketball announcers who have demonstrated more acumen than Dick Vitale.

By that same token, people are entitled to their divergent opinions of all of them. Some people loved Billy Packer; others hated him for being smarmy. Some love Brett Musberger [never resonated with that], while others don't. Even on this forum we see divergent perspectives on Bobby Knight, who is as knowledgeable an announcer as anyone ever has been. I'm a big fan of Bill Raftery, but in much the same way as I've expressed disdain for Vitale's schtick, many others don't enjoy Raftery's banter. To each their own.

If you like Vitale [and obviously you do], that's fine--you're entitled to your opinion. Just as I am entitled not to accept on face value your unsubstantiated opinion on Vitale's "measurable" importance to college basketball. And yes--I can name lots of people who have been more important / influential to the institution of college basketball--most of whom have been players and coaches--than Dick Vitale.

 

[SouthCampusHero]

Dick Vitale does more for college basketball than anyone ever has, other than Naismith and (maybe) Wooden. I'd put Wooden and Vitale even, actually.

Welcome to McDonalds, may I help you?

 

[Upstate]

Okay--I'll bite.

Such as?

No offense--I get that people enjoy his enthusiasm, but hyperbole aside, statements like the above are baffling to me. He's a second rate announcer who came up with a unique schtick.

You see schtick, everyone else sees what he has done for the culture behind college basketball, and has become the face of college basketball for the last two decades. The amount of coaches that have suffered from cancer, and their spearhead being Dickie V. He doesn't just do so much for the game, but generating excitement and he is the voice of college basketball. Do I like him as an announcer? No, I don't really care for him. He's been relevant for a long time. I'm sure a casual fan like us don't know the whole 9 on Dick, but I guarantee you guys like Calhoun, Boeheim, Coach K, who know much better than you or I, would say that Vitale has done more for college ball than anyone alive right now.

I also think that comparisons to John Madden are very fair for Vitale.

 

[DeGrozz]

Okay--I'll bite.

Such as?

No offense--I get that people enjoy his enthusiasm, but hyperbole aside, statements like the above are baffling to me. He's a second rate announcer who came up with a unique schtick.

Can you name people who have had bigger influences over a longer period of time than Dicky V?

Upstate has experience at ESPN and I'm pretty sure he's had more exposure to this information than most on this board...

Welcome to McDonalds, may I help you?

Like I said -- ESPN...