Vitale

[pulaski74]

It happens pretty quick with older men. Bobby Knight about 5 or 6 years ago was really sharp as an analyst. People may not have liked his style, but you could tell the guy knew his game. In 1 or 2 years, he basically lost it. He just has a hard time concentrating and staying focused on the game, and his comments are disjointed now.

Perhaps for Dick its more of a quick fall physically rathen than mentally. He still seems to have joy for games, and seems as aware and focused as he was before.

Well, I wish Vitale the best.

 

[andyw715]

He looked fine running up the metal stairs to the press box in Cameron in Feb

 

[OrangeCrush22]

He's old.

 

[rstone7727]

I don't particularly like his shtick, but if someone asked me to name five people that made CBB what it is today... Be hard pressed to leave his name off the list.

 

[DoctorBombay]

Don't wish ill on anyone, of course- and definitely, Vitale is an acquired taste.
But frankly, I'll shed no tears when he's gone from the scene. He's been the biggest shill in sports broadcasting history, even bigger than the late Howard Cosell.
Adios, Dukie V.(n)

 

[kirbivore]

I know he's a season ticket holder for the Tampa Rays. IIRC from what I saw in the original "Total Recall", cheap domes aren't good for you.

 

[SarasotaPaul]

No

I think he just needs to learn to slow down. He puts everything into sportscasting, which is awesome, but he's 74.

doubt about this. He just does too much and its taking huge toll on him. I see him a few times a year and he looks more drawn and tired all the time. Sometimes sad to see how very tired he looks though. Yet when you talk to him, he lights up like a switch just got flipped.

 

[Eric15]

I don't particularly like his shtick, but if someone asked me to name five people that made CBB what it is today... Be hard pressed to leave his name off the list.

I actually would put him #1 overall. I can't think of any other single person that I could list ahead of him.

 

[sabach]

Here's my Vitale story. I can't remember what year it was at SU but Vitale had a book signing at the SU Book Store in Schine. My friend was so cheap he thought he could stand in line and just get Vitale to sign his hat. I said "dude, this is a book signing, you have to buy a book to get a signature." Long story short, we get up to Vitale and my friend hands him his hat. "Where's the book", Vitale laughs. I say to Vitale, "he's too cheap to buy one" Vitale says "here, I'm going to give you a book and sign it for you and someday when you make all your money after graduating from SU, you can pay me back." I've always wanted to go up to Vitale someday and give him a twenty and tell him the story figuring my friend never did pay up. No doubt he would not remember, but that would be fun. Here's hoping everything is okay with him.

 

[Doc5120]

My wife commented on it. She knows nothing about CBB and walked by the set and said, "that guy looks like he has jaundice. Is he okay?"

My wife said the exact same thing! "Does Dick Vitale have jaundice or something?"

 

[RF2044]

Not really a Vitale fan--haven't been dating back to the 80s. But he's had a storied career.

At this point, I wonder if it isn't necessarily that he is sick, but that the season is physically taxing to a guy his age. It's a long season--6 months of travel, work, etc. can be a grind, and maybe he just had a tough time recuperating from for the first time this year. Not surprising at his age.

 

[CorduroyG]

My wife said the exact same thing! "Does Dick Vitale have jaundice or something?"

My gf said the exact same thing too.

 

[JohnCuse44]

When he turns off his tired stick and just talks about the game he is one of the best. The stick is just so old and tired now.

 

[DoctorBombay]

When he turns off his tired stick and just talks about the game he is one of the best. The stick is just so old and tired now.

This^^
If you ever catch some of his old broadcasts, he was outstanding when he stuck to the game itself and just calling the action on the floor. Its only after he realized that the louder he yelled, the more attention he'd get- that he seemed to turn to the Dark Side.

 

[bpo57]

I hope he retires and lives a long healthy life. I can't stand listening to him

I'm with you. I appreciate his love of the game and I think he has done a lot of good things especially for cancer research. Don't enjoy listening to him. Way too much shtick and his voice is not an easy listen at this point.

 

[Orangedontrhyme]

A few years ago, Vitale's voice changed appreciably. It got weaker, like over night. You can hear it when listening to old clips of his.

 

[SarasotaPaul]

A few years ago, Vitale's voice changed appreciably. It got weaker, like over night. You can hear it when listening to old clips of his.

That had to do with throat cancer.

 

[llandz]

I thought he did scale it back a bit this year with his broadcasting duties.