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ESPN's Vitale is a gusher of information
Friday, February 09, 2007
Let me say this up front. I like most of the way Dick Vitale broadcasts college basketball games.
I love his enthusiasm.
Extras
He's knowledgeable.
He's exciting.
If I could tweak him a little, I'd say he's a little too enthusiastic about the players. Not all of them are Michael Jordan clones.
And he gushes way too much about coaches. Some of them are bad guys. Some of them are just bad.
Vitale is a product of our times. Talk fast, say something funny and do it with authority. That's not always bad, especially if you turn the sound down a little.
But I never sat down with a pen and paper to write down everything Dickie V says during a broadcast. Apparently, a guy named Mike on the Card Chronicle — an unofficial blog set up for Louisville basketball fans — did.
By the time he was finished, Mike had a list of 156 items under a heading: "A list of teams and people that Dick Vitale talked about Monday night that had absolutely nothing to do with the Louisville/Connecticut game he was calling."
The list, of course, featured Vitale favorites. Among the schools: Duke, Kansas, Indiana and Texas Tech (but no mention of Bob Knight for either of the last two).
Among the coaches: Mike Krzyzewski, Bruce Pearl, Tubby Smith, Joe B. Hall, Lou Carnesecca and Kay Yow.
He mentioned Greg Oden and Ohio State, but not Jim Tressel. Peyton Manning got a nod, as did the Louisville football team, but not Johnny Unitas, who once played there.
The New York Yankees were named, but not owner George Steinbrenner or Babe Ruth, who once played for them. Manager Joe Torre and shortstop Derek Jeter were mentioned.
Frank Sinatra made the list, along with Tony Dungy and Bill Parcells, just to cover the entertainment and football coaching side.
Bo Derek, Maria Sharapova and Eva Longoria are on the list for no apparent reason, but at least Longoria is dating a basketball player.
"Please, please, please just call the game," Mike concludes.
Well, good luck with that, Mike. And could I please get a plug for Wright State's DaShaun Wood? At least he plays basketball.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2157
or mkatz@DaytonDailyNews.com.
