Tag: Dick Vitale

It’s unbelievable! Former Rutgers basketball assistant, the legendary Dick Vitale, is cancer-free

Former Rutgers basketball assistant and ESPN legend Dick Vitale is cancer-free.

Dick Vitale is cancer-free.

A legend and one of the most beloved personalities in not just college basketball but the entire sports industry, Vitale announced to the world on his social media channels that he is now cancer-free. Vitale had been battling lymphoma, a diagnosis that he revealed this past October.

He did the traditional ringing of the bell at Sarasota Memorial Hospital where he received his treatment. The ringing of the bell is a long-standing tradition in many hospitals for patients who have completed treatment and are free of cancer.

Vitale’s roots in New Jersey are deep. The 82-year old Vitale was born in Passaic, attended Seton Hall, took his first coaching jobs at Garfield High School and then in East Rutherford. He then spent two seasons at Rutgers as an assistant under Dick Young.

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Rutgers men’s basketball sent Vitale a signed jersey this season to show their support for the legend.

 

Vitale then became a national name for his coaching job at Detroit, taking the program to the NCAA Tournament. He then spent a little over a season in the NBA with the Detroit Pistons before beginning a four-decade career at ESPN as one of their analysts and personalities.

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NCAA Tournament: Dick Vitale’s Final Four picks

Do you like Dickie V’s picks?

College basketball hasn’t felt quite the same this year as Dick Vitale hasn’t been able to announce games since before the new year because of complications from his battle with cancer.  The good news for all is that Vitale appears to be on the mend, in fact he even showed up at the SEC Tournament over the weekend.

That doesn’t mean he’ll be back in front of a TV camera giving his “Diaper Dandies” and “PTPers” anytime too soon, unfortunately.

However, Vitale did release his bracket picks on Sunday night.  See below to find out who the legendary commentator has winning each regional and ultimately cutting down the nets.

College basketball: Dick Vitale shares great news

Great news to start March, @dickieV!

If you’re a fan in the slightest of college basketball you’re familiar with commentator Dick Vitale.  The man has an energy for life that is matched by very few and a love for college basketball that is second to none.

Vitale, 82, has been battling cancer and had to miss the majority of the 2021-22 college basketball season as a result.  He’s been very open on social media about the entire battle and provided inspiration and the sense of community for those facing similar situations.

On Tuesday, Dickie-V shared the best possible news any of us could have hoped for during March Madness:

Now that’s “AWESOME WITH A CAPITAL A!”

Vitale has helped raise over $44 million dollars to fight pediatric cancer over the years.  Vitale’s annual gala event occurs this coming May as that incredible number will continue to climb.

You can find ways to donate to Vitale’s fundraising efforts by visiting his webpage.

Related:

ACC men’s basketball tournament championships by program

Twitter reacts to Notre Dame’s upset win over Kentucky

Twitter is abuzz after the biggest moment of the season.

Notre Dame has been looking for anything to turn this season around, and it might have just found it. A 66-62 upset win over No. 10 Kentucky not only puts the Irish back at .500, but it provides a confidence boost in just about everybody. If you don’t believe us, look no further than Twitter. It was full of videos and reactions in the aftermath of this big moment:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See Dick Vitale’s emotional return to broadcasting on ESPN after cancer diagnosis

He was back for Gonzaga-UCLA.

Just over a month ago, the legendary Dick Vitale revealed to the world that he had been diagnosed with lymphoma, the second cancer diagnosis he had received this year (he announced he had melanoma in August).

But that didn’t stop him from working as he gets treatment.

With Gonzaga and UCLA playing on Tuesday night, Vitale returned to the air with ESPN, and when he was introduced on the air by Dave O’Brien, he was in tears.

“I can’t believe I’m sitting here,” he said. “This really is a big thrill for me. I want to thank all you people, sent me so many great messages, ESPN, Jimmy Pitaro, all my buddies at ESPN. I want to thank certainly, my family and all the fans. You’ve been unbelievable.”

And here’s him calling a Chet Holmgren dunk:

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Watch: Notre Dame quarterback has message for Dick Vitale

Awesome, baby!

Dick Vitale’s love for Notre Dame isn’t something the legendary college basketball commentator shies away from.  He wears his love for the Fighting Irish and University on his sleeve, has had several family members attend Notre Dame, and spends a good amount of his free time soaking up football Saturday’s on campus.

Vitale recently announced he’s again battling cancer, the second time he’s done so in just months.  The announcement came just a couple of weeks after Vitale was in South Bend for the Notre Dame-Cincinnati game.

On Friday, Notre Dame quarterback Jack Coan had a message for Vitale that made the man that usually has so much to say, practically speechless.

The message was short, sweet and very well-received by Vitale.

All the best to Dickie V in this ongoing battle.  You’re awesome and got this, baby!

Related:

Notre Dame vs. North Carolina: Game predictions

What the experts are predicting between Notre Dame and North Carolina

 

Twitter reacts to Notre Dame’s win over USC

Notre Dame is riding high after reasserting itself as the dominant team of late in its rivalry with USC. After a one-year absence, the excitement for this matchup had not dwindled, and it was great to see the game play out as it did. There will come …

Notre Dame is riding high after reasserting itself as the dominant team of late in its rivalry with USC. After a one-year absence, the excitement for this matchup had not dwindled, and it was great to see the game play out as it did. There will come a season in which the Irish lose to the Trojans again, but 2021 will not be the year. So the only thing to do is celebrate.

Here are some Irish fans who reacted to this game for better or worse:

ESPN’s Dick Vitale ranks Texas basketball among top teams in the nation

One of college basketball’s national treasures, Dick Vitale, is very high on the Longhorns this season.

With college basketball starting in just under a month, preseason rankings are flying in from all over the place.

Texas would typically start the season ranked towards the middle of the pack or lower, but since Chris Beard has taken over, the Longhorns look to be a powerhouse in the making.

After landing multiple top transfers this offseason, the Longhorns are viewed by many as having a chance to contend for a national title. We will quickly find out how good the team is, as Texas will be taking on the No. 1 ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs for their second game of the season.

Whether they win that game or not, the preseason hype is there, as renowned ESPN color commentator, Dick Vitale, released his college basketball top-40 recently and the Longhorns came in at No. 3.

Here is what Vitale said about Texas ahead of the season:

Chris Beard should enjoy his first season with the Longhorns. He landed the best group of transfers, led by Marcus Carr from Minnesota. This Texas squad is one of the deepest in America; the second team could be ranked as its own unit. Andrew Jones is the top returning starter and he may be coming off the bench. Dylan Disu is coming off a knee injury; if he is healthy, he has double-double potential. Tre Mitchell can flat-out play. There is excitement galore for Texas, which will battle with Kansas for the Big 12 title.

He had a total of three Big 12 teams in the top-10 with Kansas being at No. 5 and the defending national champion Baylor Bears at No. 9. Texas will certainly be battle tested all season long, but Beard and his stable of elite transfers should be giving other teams trouble.

Watch: Dick Vitale gives Notre Dame-Cincinnati prediction

This final score would be awesome baby!

If you spend any time watching college basketball or follow things at all on social media you’re probably aware that ESPN’s Dick Vitale has a special place in his heart for Notre Dame.  Even during a tough few years for Mike Brey’s basketball program, Vitale is over the top in positivity for Brey and the Irish.

You may or may not know that the Vitale family has a lot of connections to Notre Dame as more than a handful of his loved ones have received degrees from the university.  Vitale is no stranger to South Bend as he posts about attending games fairly regularly and this week is no exception.

Before hopping on a jet and heading north Friday, Vitale shared a little life advice and a prediction for Saturday’s top-10 showdown between Notre Dame and Cincinnati.  Check it out:

So Dicky V has the Irish today in a close one.  As for his part about fun activities:  I thoroughly enjoy Notre Dame football and have through some truly awful seasons but if you’re a fan looking for a team to take away stress this has certainly been a tough one to suggest!

Update – Dickie V must be feeling a little bit more confident on Saturday morning as he now has the Irish winning by nine.

Related:

FIW Staff Predictions for Notre Dame-Cincinnati

Notre Dame releases depth chart for test with No. 8 Cincinnati

Gallery – Brian Kelly during his time at Cincinnati

5 things Luke Fickell said ahead of Notre Dame-Cincinnati

How college football experts are predicting Notre Dame-Cincinnati showdown

 

How to watch Notre Dame vs. Cincinnati

How to watch Wisconsin basketball vs. No. 11 Iowa

On Thursday night, the No. 21 Wisconsin Badgers will face off against the No. 11 Iowa Hawkeyes at the Kohl Center in a battle for fourth…

On Thursday night, the No. 21 Wisconsin Badgers will face off against the No. 11 Iowa Hawkeyes at the Kohl Center in a battle for fourth place in the Big Ten. Both teams have underperformed in the last month, and a win will be crucial for both sides for seeding in the Big Ten Tournament that is now less than a month away.

Related: Wisconsin basketball remains steady in latest Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll

Related: LOOK: Wisconsin basketball legend Sam Dekker gives his thoughts on freshman G Johnny Davis

Although Wisconsin had a promising first half against the No. 3 Michigan Wolverines, the Badgers’ implosion in the second half is very concerning ahead of another Top-15 opponent. D’Mitrik Trice was the leading scorer for the Badgers against the Wolverines and will hopefully continue to move out of his recent shooting slump against the Hawkeyes. His scoring will be needed against Luka Garza and the high-powered Iowa offense.

Iowa was considered to be one of the best teams in college basketball entering this season, but have struggled recently much like Wisconsin. The Badgers will need to be efficient on both ends of the court to keep pace against the Hawkeyes and take over fourth place in the Big Ten.

How to watch Wisconsin basketball against the No. 11 Iowa Hawkeyes on Thursday night.

How to watch:

Matchup: Iowa Hawkeyes at Wisconsin Badgers

Where: Kohl Center in Madison, Wis.

When: Feb. 18, 2021 at 6 p.m. CST

Where to watch: ESPN

Announcers:

  • Play-by-Play: Bob Wischusen
  • Analyst: Dick Vitale

Where to stream: Watch ESPN app or online at watchespn.com

Where to listen: Badger Sports Network on the iHeartRadio app, or Satellite on SiriusXM 195

Announcers:

  • Play-by-Play: Matt Lepay
  • Analyst: Mike Lucas