Dickie V

[Gato78]

I have always been a Dickie V admirer but that is now gone. He predictably backs Boeheim in the Syracuse deal and says Whinin' Jimmy was too trusting of others. He has said in the past that Calipari, despite 2 FFs being wiped off the books, was vindicated because he was not disciplined. Vitale has been great for college hoops over the years with his enthusiam for the game and great hoops knowledge. His charity work is remarkable, even inspiring. Schools don't get fired up when other announcers show up but everyone is pumped when Dickie V is in the house. However, backing Boeheim and Calipari has hurt his credibility in my mind. How can anyone take him seriously when he doesn't have the guts to call out the cheaters? He could just stay quiet but he publicly backs the cheaters. Bilas is in the same bed. Tired of it. Will any broadcaster back the NCAA over the television product?

[Nukem2]

Not too surprising as Dickie V is just part of the coaches "good ole boy" network.

[DCwarrior]

Vitale is the Chris Berman of college basketball announcing -- a bad joke

[MUAlphaBangura]

I have always been a Dickie V admirer but that is now gone. He predictably backs Boeheim in the Syracuse deal and says Whinin' Jimmy was too trusting of others. He has said in the past that Calipari, despite 2 FFs being wiped off the books, was vindicated because he was not disciplined. Vitale has been great for college hoops over the years with his enthusiam for the game and great hoops knowledge. His charity work is remarkable, even inspiring. Schools don't get fired up when other announcers show up but everyone is pumped when Dickie V is in the house. However, backing Boeheim and Calipari has hurt his credibility in my mind. How can anyone take him seriously when he doesn't have the guts to call out the cheaters? He could just stay quiet but he publicly backs the cheaters. Bilas is in the same bed. Tired of it. Will any broadcaster back the NCAA over the television product?

Jay Williams is making a good argument on Game Day right now. Kudos to him.

[pbiflyer]

Gato, you lost me at "I have always been a Dicky V admirer."

[TheSultan]

Watching the Louisville / UVa game and Vitale went on one of his pro Boeheim rants. On the one hand, I do understand his point that the problems are systematic and larger than the coach. I think Bilas is correct about that too. That is why I think post season bans need to be incorporated into these punishments.

OTOH, I disagree with both that the coach isn't part of that system. Really how can Vitale simple assume he is innocent? I mean you are *paid* to be head coach. A lot of money. And with that comes responsibility. And can someone explain to him that Boeheim's outside work for charity is IRRELEVANT to this?

[Gato78]

I saw and heard Vitale's rant. I admire his defense of his friend but it costs him his credibility. He would have been better off saying nothing. He also didn't address the drug issue while swearing Boeheim was the victim of those who worked for him--throwing evryone else under the bus rather than Boeheim. So Dickie, should Boeheim fire all of his assistants? I have had the opportunity to see up close how D1 programs work. Coaches know everything going on in their program, with the exception of the alums who surrepticiously slip cash to players. Even then, when a player all of a sudden has money, they should know. Boeheim has to be completely incompetent not to know what was going on--and I do not think he is so clueless.

[TheSultan]

I saw and heard Vitale's rant. I admire his defense of his friend but it costs him his credibility. He would have been better off saying nothing. He also didn't address the drug issue while swearing Boeheim was the victim of those who worked for him--throwing evryone else under the bus rather than Boeheim. So Dickie, should Boeheim fire all of his assistants? I have had the opportunity to see up close how D1 programs work. Coaches know everything going on in their program, with the exception of the alums who surrepticiously slip cash to players. Even then, when a player all of a sudden has money, they should know. Boeheim has to be completely incompetent not to know what was going on--and I do not think he is so clueless.

Really that's the rub isn't it? To assume he is innocent, you imply that he is clueless. It's the same thing that Paterno supporters do. And how can a "great man" be that clueless?

[The Reptile]

This is nothing new. Vitals has always defended coaches even when they are dirty. The funny thing is it's always the same dirty coaches that he is defending.

[2012Warrior]

I agree with Jay Williams. I think Bilas and Vitale seem to say the coach can't know everything. Coaches are such control freaks. I have to think Boeheim knew what was going on. I don't buy that it was some rogue YMCA person. Boeheim may not have asked for him to commit the violations, but I'm guessing it wouldn't have been too long before he found out about them.