In what ended up being nothing more than a cheap publicity stunt and a chance to shamelessly self-promote for an entire night, the self-proclaimed Worldwide Leader in Sports really got crazy with their programming. This may shock some of you who missed it, but they (gasp) swapped their NBA and NCAA announcing crews for a night.
While there's no doubt that Dick Vitale was in a state of depression after being forced to miss a game with his beloved Duke Blue Devils, he wasted little time getting used to the pro game and throwing in his absolutely ridiculous schtick.
In case you missed it, or didn't watch ESPN cram it down your throat last night, here are some of the lowlights of Vitale's venture into the pro game:
On Nene:
"He's a guy that's coming back from last year, had that detisticle cancer"
- Detisticle cancer? Really?
On a dunk by Kenyon Martin:
"That's a monster jam right there. That's in your face, baby. I mean, he's up, up and away"
- Anything else you'd like to add, Dick?
After a Dwyane Wade highlight:
"There he is, up, up and away, dipsey doo!"
- "Dipsey Doo" is right up there with "Diaper Dandy" as one of the most idiotic Dick-isms out there. What the hell does dipsey doo mean, anyway?
After a Wade 3-pointer:
"He's feeling it right now. He's in a rhythm, he in a grooooove. He's got that great body"
- Ummm... Thanks, Dick. I'm sure Dwyane appreciates the kind words. Thank you, also, for telling us that he's playing well right now. 3 times in as many sentences.
After Wade's buzzer beater at halftime:
"You can't be serious. Are you serious? Is he for real? Get him out of the league. He doesn't belong in this league. He's too good."
- You're right, Dick. Let's move him to Olympiakos. Since he's too good for the NBA, and everything.
Following a JR Smith steal and dunk:
"What great hustle! What great hustle! Ohhhhh, ohhhhh. What great hustle. Up, up and away, jam city! Slam jam jam. Ohhhhhh, dipsey doo dunkaroo. Ohhhh, NBA style. You can't teach that, my friends. Some of the greatest athletes in the world, the NBA players"
- "Slam jam jam"? What insightful analysis. Ohhhhhh, I'm so impressed, Dickie V! Ohhhhh, it's so exciting! Ohhhhh, it's awesome, baby! Dipsey doo announce-aroo!
How Vitale still has a job is beyond me, never mind a Hall of Fame plaque. A trained gorilla could do what Vitale does. His giddiness is what endears him to some people, but it's just another example of how anyone could do the job that he's doing. That may be en exaggeration. Not anyone could be an announcer for colllege basketball games. But anyone could do as good a job as Dickie V. Just follow the formula:
1) Yell
2) Love Duke
3) Make up incredibly stupid phrases to describe simple things.
4) Repeat yourself. A lot.
5) Treat the players like their your childhood hero, even though you were already middle-aged when they were born.
If you'll excuse me, I have to go wipe all of the filth off my keyboard. I threw up halfway through the video.
Dick Vitale is in the Basketball Hall of Fame and he should be.He has devoted countless hours promoting college basketball, and the roots of basketball. While i don't agree with him every single time, Dick Vitale is college basketball!! His unbridled enthusiam toward how the game should be played, as teammates, and not as an individual, is something i thank him for. The NBA is all about the player, and not the team..Dick Vitale is O.K. by me!!
Dick Vitale is in the Basketball Hall of Fame and he should be.He has devoted countless hours promoting college basketball, and the roots of basketball. While i don't agree with him every single time, Dick Vitale is college basketball!! His unbridled enthusiam toward how the game should be played, as teammates, and not as an individual, is something i thank him for. The NBA is all about the player, and not the team..Dick Vitale is O.K. by me!!
Dick Vitale is like John Madden. Love him or hate him, a lot of people watch the NFL over the past 25 years because of John Madden, and a lot of people watch college basketball because of Dickie V.
I actually liked him years ago, but his complete ACC bias is just too much to overcome for me................
Yeah, I liked Dick Vitale in the early years of ESPN too. I understand that ACC basketball was an early cornerstone for the network, so it makes some sense that the conference is so important to him. Unfortunately, for the uninformed sports fan, Vitale's word carries too much weight. His commentary favors his favorite coaches, which is "bush league" at best. Unfortunately, I believe his cartoonish antics have a real impact on recruiting. So once again ESPN makes the story instead of reporting on it.
Notice how Mike Tirico and crew talked basketball instead of sliming us with a lowest common denominator public relations campaign.
I may not always agree with Dickie V's take on a particular player or even a conference, however if the average fan's favorite player or commentator was on the screen as much as Dickie V is for ESPN/ABC they would be just as annoying.
I may not always agree with Dickie V's take on a particular player or even a conference, however if the average fan's favorite player or commentator was on the screen as much as Dickie V is for ESPN/ABC they would be just as annoying.
Or if they screamed all the time, repeated themselves constantly, moaned orgasmically after a big dunk, and made up retarded terms like "dipsey doo dunkaroo" or "diaper dandy" ... I'm sure that would get annoying, too.
There are guys who are on just as much as Dickie V who aren't even remotely as annoying.
Or if they screamed all the time, repeated themselves constantly, moaned orgasmically after a big dunk, and made up retarded terms like "dipsey doo dunkaroo" or "diaper dandy" ... I'm sure that would get annoying, too.
There are guys who are on just as much as Dickie V who aren't even remotely as annoying.
Pat I will respectfully disagree with you on this one. First of all, I would ask you what sports analyst is on tv more than Dick Vitale? 2nd with all of the live broadcasts as well as highlight packages and commercials that Vitale can be seen on, he is pretty much on tv 24 hours a day on some station. Yes he does make up stupid things to say, however the man is a walking,talking encyclopedia of basketball and most network executives would love for their announcers to have half his energy.
ARE YOU SERIOOOOUUUUSSSS!?!?!? OOOOHHHHH!!!!! HE CAN'T BE SERIOOOOUUUUSSSS!!!
Hilarious. Listen lowerynt, more power to you for speaking up for the guy, but what he's done to broadcast journalism is the outrage. I know he blows a lot of smoke in your Tar Heels' direction. Great. I love basketball though and he's unable to analyze the game anymore. His antics help to get people excited who don't really love the game.
Check out Brent Musburger and Steve Lavin sometime. Now that's a college basketball broadcast.
Hilarious. Listen lowerynt, more power to you for speaking up for the guy, but what he's done to broadcast journalism is the outrage. I know he blows a lot of smoke in your Tar Heels' direction. Great. I love basketball though and he's unable to analyze the game anymore. His antics help to get people excited who don't really love the game.
Check out Brent Musburger and Steve Lavin sometime. Now that's a college basketball broadcast.
First off niether musberger nor lavin have any business brodcastin a game of any sport lol are u serious vitale has more knowledge of the game than those 2 and there families combined, get outta here with that.
Did anyone else notice Dan Shulman discreetly making fun of Dickie V and laughing at him throughout the game?
No one legitimately takes Vitale serious. He is a complete joke. Nothing but a circus freak. The players love him because he kisses their asses. But any real fan knows that Duke Vitale is up to his eyeballs in the crap that results from years of ass-kissing.
Did anyone else notice Dan Shulman discreetly making fun of Dickie V and laughing at him throughout the game?
No one legitimately takes Vitale serious. He is a complete joke. Nothing but a circus freak. The players love him because he kisses their asses. But any real fan knows that Duke Vitale is up to his eyeballs in the crap that results from years of ass-kissing.
I didn't see it this time, but I know other partners of his have. What else can you do. The guy is jumping in at the wrong time and disrupting the flow of the broadcast with pre-packaged garbage for stupid people.
One of the most deserving basketball hall of famers as there has ever been. College hoops wouldn't be the same without him. If one can't look past his voice, his appreciation for winning programs, then they have no business commenting on college basketball.
One of the most deserving basketball hall of famers as there has ever been. College hoops wouldn't be the same without him. If one can't look past his voice, his appreciation for winning programs, then they have no business commenting on college basketball.
Good to see you back, even if only temporarily.
However... there are 3 key things that I believe are essential for an announcer.
1) A remotely tolerable voice
2) Objectivity
3) Intelligent analysis
I think Dickie V fails miserably on all 3 accounts. He is horrible to listen to, is incredibly biased, and his "analysis" consists of idiotic phrases like "dipsey doo dunkaroo" and "slam jam jam". Sorry, but I don't think that constant giddiness and unbridled enthusiasm warrants entry into the Hall of Fame.
One of the most deserving basketball hall of famers as there has ever been. College hoops wouldn't be the same without him. If one can't look past his voice, his appreciation for winning programs, then they have no business commenting on college basketball.
Do you really mean "college hoops would never be the same without him?" What exactly does that mean? You need Dick Vitale to enjoy basketball? Dick Vitale is perfect for people who don't know when to cheer or get bored when someone provides intelligent commentary.
I tend to enjoy real people instead of cartoon characters.
Dick Vitale is in the Basketball Hall of Fame and he should be.He has devoted countless hours promoting college basketball, and the roots of basketball. While i don't agree with him every single time, Dick Vitale is college basketball!! His unbridled enthusiam toward how the game should be played, as teammates, and not as an individual, is something i thank him for. The NBA is all about the player, and not the team..Dick Vitale is O.K. by me!!
Wait a minute...I like college basketball. I talk about college basketball all the time. I should be in the Hall of Fame!
Wait a minute...I like college basketball. I talk about college basketball all the time. I should be in the Hall of Fame!
But you don't have the same enthusiasm and love for the game. Dickie V just loves college hoops so much... he's so passionate about it. That alone is worth Hall of Fame induction.
But you don't have the same enthusiasm and love for the game. Dickie V just loves college hoops so much... he's so passionate about it. That alone is worth Hall of Fame induction.
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