Former Indiana and Texas Tech coach Bob Knight presented ESPN announcer Dick Vitale (left) with his National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame induction medal on Sunday.
Now that Knight works for ESPN, you can expect Vitale to suck up to "The General" more than ever. In fact, Vitale is already arguing that IU should rename Assembly Hall after Knight.
Of course, Vitale will also spend massive quantities of time touting the "greatness" of North Carolina Great White Hope Tyler Hansbrough, who turned down the allure of NBA "greatness" to return for his senior season.
This guy hits the nail on the head. Vitale spends too much time touting his various agendas when he should be analyzing the game.
There are quite a few good broadcasters on ESPN. Vitale isn't one of them. I hope he retires, rides off into the sunset and enjoys his Tampa Bay Rays.
Fans either like Dick Vitale or they hate him.
I think he's great. I love his enthusiasm on college basketball, and sports in general. He has great insights. Does he go over the top? Sure, but that's his shtick. I am sure ESPN encourages him to be like that.
He is entertaining, and that's what he is paid to do.
Fans either like Dick Vitale or they hate him.
I think he's great. I love his enthusiasm on college basketball, and sports in general. He has great insights. Does he go over the top? Sure, but that's his shtick. I am sure ESPN encourages him to be like that.
Hawk Harrelson is a blowhard, but you know what, Chicago fans love him for his "enthusiasm" and "knowledge of the game". How is Harrelson any different than Vitale? I think with announcers like Harrelson and Vitale, you either like it or you don't like it. They are an acquired taste.
There are certainly some similarities between Vitale and Harrelson, but I would not describe them as apples to apples.
Vitale just WILL NOT SHUT UP under any circumstance. He never gives the broadcast any room to breathe. He's especially intolerable when paired with the insufferable Mike Patrick. They just hammer you over the head with their shouting, their superlatives and their hyperbole.
By way of comparison, Harrelson has been lampooned in Chicago for the amount of dead air on his broadcasts. Local radio stations have actually played tape of Hawk and DJ, and without the visual, you have no idea in hell what is going on. That would never be the case on a Vitale broadcast.
I agree with the blogger I linked to as far as Vitale's insights go. At one point in time, he was very insightful. Now, he's just noise. Deep down, I know he has good knowledge of the game, but I think he's all shtick and no substance at this stage of his career. It's a shame, because I think the man has the capability of being very instructive to his viewers.
As for Harrelson, I'll say what I've always said. When the Sox are doing well, he's great. His enthusiasm for the team really shines during the winning streaks. But during the losing streaks, he's almost intolerable. He'll blame the umpires, the weather, the stadium, anything he can grab on to when the Sox are losing. He can't ever say, "Hey, the Sox just sucked today."
There are times when I have to mute Harrelson and turn on the radio. Likewise, there are times when I just have to turn a game Vitale is broadcasting off. In that regard, I would agree that the two men are similar.