Dick VITALE
Legendary NCAA basketball analyst Dick Vitale takes a timeout before March Madness kicks into gear for some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby. Q: How would you describe your broadcasting style? A: First of all, I’ve never considered myself a broadcaster. I’m a jock who came out of the locker room, didn’t know zilch when [ESPN executive] Scotty Connal called me. “We want you to do our very first game,” it was December 5, 1979. And, I said, “You kidding me, what is ESPN? Sounds like a disease, man.” I was feeling so bad that I was watching Luke and Laura on “General Hospital,” that’s how desperate I was when I got fired [as Pistons head coach]. ... [ESPN anchor] Bob Ley helped me in the studio, and Jim Simpson helped me how to get in, how to get out with these short comments. So when you ask about style, I’m in awe of all the giants that I’ve worked with over the years. ... So anyway, my broadcasting style, I’m just me, man. Schtick, that’s not me. Me is me.
I see on TV today, too many guys all trying to develop schticks. You don’t feel it’s genuine, it’s not real, it’s coming through the screen, you can feel it, it’s just manufactured. That’s why for years I’ve loved the John Maddens, the Terry Bradshaw, Chris Berman, they can say all they want about these guys, they were real! That’s who they are. ... I used to love, man, when I watched the Yankees play hear Phil Rizzuto say, “Hey [Bill] White, I’m gonna beat the traffic White. I’m leaving in the eighth inning (chuckle).” I mean, that’s a real person, that’s genuine! Al McGuire, my God, they don’t get any more real than Al was. I loved Al! First time I met him, he made me feel like I was his greatest friend of all time!
And I think a lot of guys who come out of the locker room as coaches, they get fired, they go to television, and I think many of them are playing to the peers. Many of them are trying to impress their peers: “I know the game.” And they X-and-O you to death, whether it be football, basketball, baseball, whatever. And that’s why I like the [John] McEnroes, and I like the McGuires: They’re genuine, real people. Q: What do you think about the scandal hanging over college basketball? A: It just breaks your heart to believe that that exists, and it does exist, and it’s sad. If some of these teams make it to the Final Four, what’s the conversation gonna be? If Arizona gets there, what’s the talk gonna be? It’s not gonna be about how good they are, it’s gonna be what’s the NCAA gonna do in the way of sanctions when they get involved in terms of now coming up with some decisions which they have to do. Everybody’s making cash. I’ve made a lot off cashh iin tterms off speakingki engagementst and commercials and books, all because of the beautiful kids that have played the game. Mark Emmert, the head of the NCAA, makes millions. Coaches today are making millions. Who’s not making anything? I don’t want to hear about they get scholarships. Yeah, they get scholarships all right, they earn those scholarships. ... We gotta face realities, players deserve cash now. What if a kid can make an appearance. Have a certain stipend as the most he can get. Why shouldn’t he get paid for making that appearance? The money’s not coming from the NCAA.
And the one-and-done has made an absolute farce of the term studentathlete. If a kid is good enough — a la LeBron James, a la Kobe Bryant and [Kevin] Garnett and those kind of guys — and their dream and goal is to play basketball, why deny them that opportunity? College is for kids that want to be in college. Q: Which are the three best college teams you’ve ever seen? A: Oh you have to take [former UCLA coach John] Wooden’s team with Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar]. Kareem and you and me in the backcourt could probably beat a lot of people. Certainly Bob Knight, I loved that [Indiana] team, ’76, I thought they were just phenomenal. I loved [1989-90] UNLV with Larry Johnson and Stacey Augmon and that group, they were terrific. Q: What is your all-time AllRolls Royce college team? A: The Big O, Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati; Jerry West, West Virginia; Kareem/Lew Alcindor, UCLA, in the middle; Larry Bird [Indiana State], big forward and the Magic man [Earvin Johnson] at the wing spot. Q: Your All-Rolls Royce team in this tournament? A: Jalen Brunson [Villanova]; Miles Bridges [Michigan State]; Marvin Bagley [Duke]; DeAndre Ayton [Arizona] and Devonte Graham [Kansas]. Q: Describe late colleague and 1983 N.C. State championship-winning coach Jimmy Valvano. A: I’m doing a game, North Carolina State is pounding North Carolina, and I’m telling people, “Dean Smith, the Michelangelo of coaching.” He’s a genius with getting teams to come back, don’t you dare leave. Q: And Valvano won the game and watched the tape? A: Jimmy V called about 6:30 in the morning before I go to the airport and he’s screaming and yelling, “All I heard about was Dean Smith, and Michelangelo — nothing about me (laugh)!” To me, he was “Seinfeld” before “Seinfeld.” I watched the pain he went through. Jimmy wanted to work right till the end [Valvano died from adenocarcinoma in 1993]. ... It’s a Sunday before we were gonna go on the air on Monday, and all of a sudden the waitress comes over and says, “A phone call. Mr. Valvano would like you to come up to his room.” I go to his room — I’ll never forget this sight as long as I live. He’s in white briefs, he’s gonna watch the Sinatra show. And we’re sitting there talking, he jumps out of the bed, screaming, the pain is so bad he can’t take it! He knew, If he got on morphine, which they were recommending, the party’s over. And he wouldn’t accept that. He was gonna battle and battle and beat this in his mind. What really touched me is I get a handwritten letter from Jimmy, saying to me: “Buddy, slow down and enjoy life. Life is short.” This is a guy writing me this when he’s battling for his life. To me, his legacy will be the many lives he has saved with the 200 million dollars that has been raised for cancer research throughg The V Foundation. I am so proud to be a member of the board of directors. Q: OK, 25 words or less. A: (Giggle) Q: Bob Knight. A: I was nominated for the Hall of Fame for the third time. He called me up and he said, “Dick, you’re probably not gonna get in because it’s dominated by the NBA. But I have your Hall of Fame with me. It’s something you’ll take with you the rest of your life, and you’ll enjoy.” He said, “I went out and I got every living Hall of Fame coach to write a letter about what you have meant to college basketball as a contributor to thet game.” Q: Knight mailed a package to you? A: I was blown away. It brought me to tears. He sent them to the head of the Hall of Fame, he said, “This is what all your living Hall of Famers think of Dick Vitale, who’s been nominated again. Now you tell me if he belongs.” And I got in that year. Q: Lou Carnesecca. A: You could feel the unbelievable passion he had about what he was doing, and Baryshnikov with shorts, man, working that sideline. He was unbelievable watching him doing his little dances. Q: Who is the greatest player ever? A: Right now, the greatest player of all time, college, pros, the whole bit, is Michael [Jordan]. However, I’ll put an asterisk there. I think in another five years, we are gonna have an argument about who’s the greatest, ’cause The King, LeBron James, is that close. Q: How did you come up with the term “Diaper Dandy”? A: I don’t know, that’s a great question. He’s a young kid in his diapers coming to college. ... I can’t walk on the streets anymore, I will tell you this: I will guarantee somebody will come over to the restaurant to me — Am I awesome, baby? Do I need a
T.O. baby?” (Laugh) Q: Who are some rising star young coaches? A: Tony Bennett [Virginia], Mike White [Florida], Chris Holtman [Ohio State], Danny Hurley [Rhode Island]. Q: Who are announcers you admire from other networks? A: Al Michaels, Mike Tirico, Jim Nantz, Bob Costas. Q: Who are announcers at ESPN who were vital to your career? A: Jim Simpson, Brent Musberger, Bob Ley; Dan Shulman, John Saunders, Chris Fowler. Q: Your Final Four picks? A: Ohmigod, well you gotta wait till the draw comes out. First of all, it’s gonna be a tournament of unpredictability. The season has shown us that all these teams are beatable. My two teams that jump at me right now: Gonzaga’s got the swag, right now they got that feeling, they got depth, they got size, they got great guard play. Michigan, John Beilein is one of the most underrated coaches among the fans. He’s got Michigan peaking at the right time. You gotta like Jay Wright and Villanova. Virginia still has to prove that they can win in tournament time. Can their defense be the answer? These are teams that excite me at this moment. Q: Who are some Cinderellas? A: Murray State, Loyola-Chicago, Charleston, Rhode Island. Q: Why don’t you ever eat dinner at home? A: (Laugh) I guess that’s the hot dog in me. I love being with people. Q: Why do you like your muffins and toast burnt? A: (Laugh) You did some research. I love the crispness of it all. No butter, put some strawberry jelly, and it’s just sooo tasty. Q: Five dinner guests? A: [Vince] Lombardi, Pope Francis, Muhammad Ali, Casey Stengel, Mother Teresa. Q: Why Stengel? A: I remember as a kid going to Yankee Stadium, hanging outside waiting for autographs and pictures when they would arrive, I’d get there way before batting practice would take place. I’d love to hear all of his stories. His interviews were just classic. Q: You were a Yankees fan? A: One of my biggest gifts ever, my mother made a Yankee uniform for me as a little boy, and I wore it to bed dreaming I could pitch in the major leagues, and then be a Yankee. Q: Favorite movie? A: “Rocky.” Q: Favorite actor? A: Denzel Washington. Q: Favorite actress? A: Julia Roberts. Q: Favorite singer/entertainer? A: Francis Albert Sinatra. Q: Favorite meal? A: Aw man. Give me some veal parmigiana with a little rigatoni on the side ... a little minestrone soup to start it. Q: Who would you want to play you in the movie about Dick Vitale? A: (Laugh) A movie about Dick Vitale ... Robert De Niro! Q: You are a champion of raising money for pediatric cancer. A: The biggest thing in my life — the
biggest — is raising dollars to help kids battle cancer. ... Payton Wright, beautiful young girl ... these are all kids that have been at my gala, the families [have] been at my gala ... and they’re no longer here. ... I see the pain their families go through. ... So far we’ve raised 21.3 million dollars in the 12 years I’ve had my gala. We hope to raise this year 3.5 mil for the night [May 11 at the Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota, Fla.]. Q: Any regrets? A: My biggest regret, the saddest thing in my life as a coach, is the passing of my former [East Rutherford H.S.] superstar, Les Cason [died of AIDS in 1997 at 43]. There’d be no championships, there’d probably be no Dick Vitale if it wasn’t for Lesley, and it breaks my heart. Tore my heart out, ’cause this guy shoulda been an all-time star. He was 6-10, doing what Kevin Durant’s doing now in the pros. Q: So how would you sum up what it’s been like being Dick Vitale? A: I’ve been very blessed. Very lucky to live a life doing something I love. My family was blue collar, they worked like you cannot believe. All my uncles and aunts was all about taking care of their families. I’ve been able to do something that’s beyond any dream. When I get off this Sunday, I’ll be sitting court side down in the SEC championship game. We’re sitting there talking about a game and leaving getting a check. Are you kidding me? That’s stealin’ money. ... Loyalty has left us. Loyalty means so much to me. ... Our nation’s full of too much hate, too much hate. We need more love. And it all starts with our politicians, man, whether you’re Democrat, whether you’re Republican, whether you’re liberal, whether you’re conservative. Q: You’re 78, and you’ve been told you have a contract for life at ESPN. A: Until I feel physically that I can’t do it. I want to be the first guy in TV — first guy in the history of television — and I’m telling Steve Serby now for his Q&A, you write this sucker, I’m tellin’ ya: I want to be the first guy in history to walk in and do a game when I’m 100 years old. And stand and say: “This is awesome, baby! With a capital A!”