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Dick Vitale: 'ESPN has treated me like royalty'

(USA TODAY Sports Images)

(USA TODAY Sports Images)

At 75, Dick Vitale might be at his pinnacle. Forget about the Duke-UNC demotion, the coach-turned-bombastic-analyst is calling as many games and doing more commercials than he was in his so-called prime. His newest sponsor is Oberto, the beef jerky company, for which he has a commercial debuting on Monday, as well a contest that asks viewers to do their best Dickie V impersonation. Though thousands were outraged that Vitale was pulled from Duke-UNC (“a circus has lost its ringmaster,” I wrote on FTW), Vitale himself seemed the least upset. We spoke recently, with the conversation beginning after Vitale corrected a PR person who called him “Mr. Vitale” instead of “Dick.” 

FTW: I’m going to call you Mr. Vitale because I’d feel odd doing otherwise.

Dick Vitale: No, no, you call me Dick, man.

FTW: Okay then, Dick, the big game Saturday was Duke-UNC, but you had a pretty good one in Virginia-Louisville. Do you think UVA can be a Final Four team without Justin Anderson?

(USA TODAY Sports Images)

(USA TODAY Sports Images)

Dick Vitale: Obviously, it’s tough to lose a kid of that talent level who is so multi-dimensional but yes, I think they’ll certainly be a Final Four team. But I think he’ll be back. He had that appendix attack and had been scheduled to play Saturday. But I think he’ll be back. Their defense will keep them in there with anyone.

I was telling coaches last night: They play the best team defense. Kentucky has phenomenal defense with their size and athleticism, blocked shots. UVA does it in a unique, different way. They do it with great position defense, and as I pointed out during the telecast, we showed how you watch the eyes. Ten eyes focus on the basketball and I think so many people forget that the most important thing on the floor in the basketball. You gotta protect the basketball and they do as good a job as I have ever seen as a team, as a unit defending the basketball.

I mean think about it. They’re holding teams in the 30s? The 30s?! That’s incredible with a shot clock, three-point shot and today’s athletes. They’re giving up 34, 35 points; under 50 on numerous occasions. That always puts you in a position to win.

(USA TODAY Sports Images)

(USA TODAY Sports Images)

FTW: Another game over the weekend was obviously Duke-UNC and once again you were elsewhere. Even with the few months warning and the first game a few weeks back, does it still sting?

Dick Vitale: I was honest as I could be initially when it first happened. Obviously it hurt not being there after doing every regular season game in the 35 years on the network. Like, you get addicted to something. I was addicted to the whole scenario of the game. The emotion, the passion and the love I get from the fans. You know, I always hear you guys — you talk about love and hate — I think it’s really comical. Because if anyone would ever come with me — I went to a baseball game last night, the Orioles game, spring training. I couldn’t walk two steps without people hugging and coming over saying “we love you Dickie V,” “don’t ever retire Dickie V.” They chanted the other night at the Louisville-Notre Dame game. I walked in and the kids are chanting “Dickie V, Dickie V.”

(USA TODAY Sports Images)

(USA TODAY Sports Images)

But you know what? I’m going to celebrate life, man. I’m 75 years old. I mean, you can’t hide the number. Nobody beats the clock. The clock gets us all all. But I’m probably the youngest 75 you’ll ever find. My energy, my passion — I’ve heard more requests and more demands for marketing products and speaking engagements than I’ve ever had. And I think it’s all because everything I’ve ever done in life — everything — has always been with energy and enthusiasm and with a passion for whatever I do. And I will never ever change that. The moment I lose that is the moment I pick up the phone and tell ESPN, “It’s over.” But I feel as energetic as I’ve ever felt.

ESPN has never, ever, ever, ever, said anything to me about age. ESPN has treated me like royalty. There’d be no Dickie V, there’d be no commercials, there’d be none of this without any ESPN giving me visibility and exposure. ESPN’s been great to me. They’ve been my family. And I’m going to celebrate. I’ve been a blessed guy. I’ve exceeded any dream I’ve ever heard. And I want to point that out. I’m not a bitter guy. I love people. You come to the arena you see me hugging with fans, dancing with fans, being with fans. I love people. I was hurt when it initially happened, obviously, they know that, I told them initially. I can’t lie to the media and tell them “it’s ok, it’s ok,” I’m not going to do that. But I do understand. We have other very good announcers — Jay does a great job at what he does, Dan Shulman, all our people. I feel in my heart I still have the passion as much as I ever have.

(USA TODAY Sports Images)

(USA TODAY Sports Images)

FTW: Speaking of sting, I’ve always wondered this: You spend five months of the year at the epicenter of college basketball, no matter which games you’re calling. Then, the NCAA tournament comes around and because CBS and Turner have the rights, you don’t get to call games. It is strange staying with the sport all season then missing out on its biggest event?

Dick Vitale: Nah, you know Chris, you learn in life you can’t have anything you want. I’d like to look like Brad Pitt, I’d like to be able to have a fancy, beautiful hairstyle like Matthew McConaughey. I’d like to the most articulate, the smoothest, you can’t have everything you want. It’s something I knew. ESPN was very good to me. And when CBS would ask me to do games during the tournament a few years back, ESPN called me and said “we’re not going to allow you to do it, you’re a staple with us.” And I took that as a tremendous compliment. But I’m going to doing the games internationally. I’m during the national semifinals and finals and I’ll be on internationally all over the world. I just hope they can understand me.

(AP)

(AP)

FTW: It’s pretty clear that, as you say, you’re pretty energetic at age 75. I went to a Virginia game a few weeks back and got tired just watching the student section and I’m 33. How do you keep up?

Dick Vitale: I don’t know. I love people. I just love people, man. Like last night, a player on the Orioles came over and said, “don’t you get tired of all the pictures and autographs?” I don’t, man. I love going out, I love being with people, it just give me the adrenaline. I’ve been that way all my life. I think anyone that knew me in high school would tell you the same. I remember when I got into television in Detroit, guys like the late Joe Falls, people like Jerry Green at the Detroit News they’ll always tell me, “you see that guy on TV, that enthusiasm is nothing like what it was when he was here coaching.”

If you get up in years — I know it’s cliche — I love every day. I got five beautiful grandkids who are healthy, I’ve got a beautiful wife of 43 years, I’ve got a gorgeous two daughters who went to Notre Dame — I couldn’t spell Notre Dame, I was so dumb. I’m proud that they went to Notre Dame and got their masters. They married two quality guys. One of my son-in-laws is the youngest circuit court judge in Florida, the other is a leading surgeon who has his own practice. We all live in the same subdivision, so I see my grandkids regularly. What more can I guy want?

Vitale at Orioles spring training in 2011. (AP)

Vitale at Orioles spring training in 2011. (AP)

My biggest thing now is raising money for cancer, for the kids. There is nothing worse. I just talked recently to a dad who lost his five-year-old son from out of Alabama — the Kelly family. The coach at Alabama asked me to call the family and I did. They buried their son on Feb. 19. And if you hear the phone conversation and you talk about problems, that is something to really think about it.

My greatest achievement in my life has been the reaction from people helping me raise money for kids. We’ve raised so far $12.7 million with my Dick Vitale gala and hope to get another $2 million. I have a new book out called It’s Awesome, Baby and with the book, I dedicate in the back, 10 pictures of 10 youngsters that have been with me at my gala who lost their life. My goal is to raise as many dollars for pediatric cancer research. Every dollar that I get from the book goes to that goal, which for me is to have $2 million on that day — May 15 at my gala. So if people would help me, go to dickvitaleonline.com and they can make a donation.

FTW: I have three quick questions for you to finish: One, what’s more impressive Kansas winning 11 straight Big 12 titles or Kentucky going 31-0.

(AP)

(AP)

Dick Vitale: Wow, that’s as tough as can be. But when you talk about this day and age, you talk about 11 consecutive Big 12 titles, I’d give the edge to Kansas. It’s a special achievement by Bill Self, but starting 31-0 in today’s environment is special. That’s a tough one, man. That’s like asking who do you like, Mickey Mantle or Willie Mays! Angeline Jolie or another beauty! You can’t wrong with either one. But I’m giving the edge to consistency. I think the sign of greatness is testing time. If there’s one thing you have to be proud of as an athlete is doing it year in, year out, like Jordan did, Magic and Bird — getting everyone’s best hit. That’s why I admire some of these programs year after year taking everyone’s best hit, like Kentucky, like Duke, like Carolina for years. I mean, it’s very difficult because everyone plays at such a level against you.

FTW: Is Kentucky going undefeated?

(Getty Images)

(Getty Images)

Dick Vitale: I would say their one stumbling block would be the SEC tournament. That’s danger time and I’ll you why. I’m doing the SEC semis and final. Let me share this with you and I don’t know if a lot of people know this, I just found it out recently. You know, they have not won the SEC tournament the last three years. They have not been able to come out of that tournament with a W in the championship. So I think sometimes, psychologically, people are going to play for their life against them. And there could be a danger time. I think even if they were to lose there though, I would take Kentucky and give you the rest of the nation in the tournament. Because I think the focus and the incredible intensity and emotion that they’re going to play with is key.

The perfect thing for John Calipari during the season is to get his players to be committed and intense for a full game against these teams that are playing on another level. He will not have that problem come tournament time. I don’t think there’s any doubt he should be coach of the year after what he’s done. I think one of the greatest achievements, observing as a coach because I don’t know if I could have ever done this, is taking nine McDonald’s All-Americans and convincing them psychologically and emotionally to play less than 30 minutes a game, because kids today are so selfish.

They want stats, they want points, they want playing time. They want to be BMOC — big man on campus. And for him to convince those kids to say: “You know what, don’t worry about your stats, who cares how many points or rebounds you average. It’s all about winning and preparing yourself and many of you are going on to the next level.” And he does a masterful job and should be national coach of the year.

(Gettty Images)

(Gettty Images)

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