Looks like Dick Vitale was running his mouth when he shouldn't have been -- and I'm not talking about Vitale's penchant for bringing up his Detroit Pistons firing during the key stretch of a barnburner basketball game.In fact, it looks sorta like Dickie V doesn't have much love for Joakim Noah!
From KnoxNews.com:
Whoopsy-daisy.Griffith tried to get Vitale's attention but the popular basketball analyst continued his conversation with someone at the Broken Egg restaurant in Siesta Key, Fla. , while he was on the air with Griffith and Adams. Vitale said Donovan told him in confidence that NBA scouts were making a big mistake if they rated Florida's Joakim Noah ahead of teammate Al Horford.
Asked about Vitale's comments on Monday's SEC teleconference, Donovan had no comment. He said he wouldn't comment on something he never said.
Vitale called back the show later after he received a phone call from "someone from Florida." He said he didn't realize he was on the radio and that his comments were made in jest.
Dick Vitale is in Knoxville for Florida's game against the Vols on Tuesday night. Now he's made himself as big a story as the game itself. Deep down inside, Dickie V has to like that.
As a biased Florida fan and knowing Donovan's character the way that I do I simply can't imagine him ever making any comment of the sort to a loudmouth like Dick Vitale. Donovan was quick to deny the comment, which leads me to believe that Vitale was just blowing smoke to impress his little breakfast party. Vitale's gaffe was bush league to say the least.
To the point -- Vitale's full of crap, but he's right about one thing. Noah probably could use another year at Florida. Al Horford has been dominating opponents inside, while Noah has been batted around like a human pinball. Somehow Noah's lost his edge since his dominating performance in the '06 NCAA Tournament, in which he was named the MVP. Was it the pom-poms? Was it Coach Stallings delivering a forearm shiver when he went for that ball in the game against Vandy? Dunno, but you should stick around for another year and beef up, Joakim.
UPDATE: Audio links
- Vitale's first call (the gaffe -- listen to his comments about Noah in the first portion of the phone call)
- Vitale's second call (trying to smooth things over)
Comments (Page 1 of 4)
I miss a lot of what is going on because I keep Vitale on mute. When I have listened I have never heard him say anuthing intellegent. PD
That is why I alway "mute"any game he is broadcasting or talking
or making comments on Mike and Mike on their. I am so glad that
CBS has the March Maddness games and can enjoy their professional
broadcasters comments.
Vitale is an entertaining guy.
He is like John Madden. What is football without Madden? Vitale has more knowledge then most of these other broadcasters. Plus he probably gets more 18, 19 year old girls then any of us.
I love Vitale.
I knew what Dick Vitale was years ago. He is a total idiot and I never listen to a game that he is doing. He is one of the most annoying humans on earth and now he shows himself to be a gutless liar. His comments were clear and he meant every word he said. His second call was a weasely lie.
Dick Vitale just talks to be talking, doesn't
ever tell you anything new.
Dick Vitale, like everyone else at ESPN, has made every attempt to make himself more important than the game he is covering.
The fact we are commenting about this gaffe indicates he has been all too successful in promoting his own agenda at the expense of athletes.
If we all just ignore him (along with Dan Patrick and Chris Berman, two more "look how important I am" guys), will he just disappear?
Get the focus back on the players, not the idiots broadcasting the games.
Well whoop de doo, is this really a story? I concur with Ray. Vitale,Patrick and Berman,geez,thank God for mute buttons.
Stuart Scott and Dan Patrick are the WORSE on ESPN to watch, Vitale is 3rd.
THAT JUST GOES TO SHOW WHAT COLLAGE BASKETBALL HAVE KNOWN FOR YEARS THAT IS VITALE NEVER KNOWS WHEN TO SHUT UP
i would rather listen to dickie v than billy blowhard packer and jim jock sniffer nance. i can see a die hard fan of college basketball like dickie v getting carried away. the blow hard and jock sniffer are too negitive. they do not know what they are talking about. being smug and arrogant does not help either.
And don't forget Stephen A. Smith on ESPN, another big know it all who simply runs his big trap about alot of nothing and sounds like he is the know it all of sports. And who uses his middle initial?!! What's up with that? Anyway, I agree...Vitale is a total idiot...always has been and always will be.
I thought his name was Duke Vitale
Duke Vitale (what some of us call him on UK message board) has mentioned dUKe and UNC in every telecast I have ever heard him on. It took him a whopping 2 minutes to mention dUKe during the UK vs. UF game. What the hell does that team have to do with either UK or UF? NOTHING...JUST LIKE MOST OF HIS COMMENTS. ESPN should have fired Duke Vitale instead of firing Micheal Irvin. I bet The Playmaker would MAKE A BETTER Basketball commentator than the bald one. Annoying SOB.
to put dan patrick and chris berman in the same sentence with dick vitake is wrong. Vitale is not very good and the other two mentioned are very very good. All you have to do is mute the game vitale is covering until the player dribbles over half court and then hit mute again and the other announcer will take over. The other team scores hit mute and wait til half court...it works
Sportsbroadcasting is no differant than any other job in America. Ego, Ego, Ego. Anyone with a brain knows there is only one true sportsbroadcaster in America, Vin Scully. He is the best at what he does and the CEO of baseball.
HE'S RIGHT!!!!! HORFORD WILL BE A MUCH BETTER NBA PLAYER!!!!!!!!!!!!
I AM NOT EVEN TRIPPING OF DICK V. HE WAS HAVING A PRIVATE CONVERSATION AND IT SHOULD HAVE STAYED THAT WAY. THE TWO IDIOTS I TRIP OFF ARE THOSE TWO BONEHEADS IN THE BOOTH TRYING TO ENTRAP HIM. JUST LIKE THAT WEASEL REPORTER DID TO JIMMY THE GREEK YEARS AGO. NOT SAYING THAT THE GREEK AND DICKIE V ARE RIGHT, BUT COME ON.. ANY OF YOU WHO AGREE WITH THOSE TWO HAM N EGGERS ARE 'RATS' JUST LIKE THEY ARE.. I CANT STAND A RAT. NO HONOR WHATSOEVER, JUST A BUNCH OF SELLOUT RAT BASTARDS. I WOULD HAVE HATED HAVIN THOSE TO PIGEONS IN MY PLATOON.. THEN ON THE SECOND CALL THEY TRY TO KISS HIS ASS. THEY SHOULD HAVE CALLED HIM OFF AIR AND SAID, HEY DICKIE V. JUST GETTING UR BACK BUT WE GOT WHAT U SAID ON TAPE, DO U WANT TO CLARIFY.. OH WELL.
I was able to hear both conversations live, as I live in Knoxville. Dick Vitale called into this radio show at 10:05 EST (he was in the first segment). He called the station and the producer said something to the effect of "You're on the air...I'm patching you through." How could he possibly expect privacy while being ON THE PHONE with a radio show?!
To the person who said these hosts are rats, obviously you didn't actually listen to the link. How many times did they say "You're on the air!"? They even cut him out to the producer to get him back on the line! The guy ran his mouth, and it's nobody's fault but his own. Seriously, how can you bait a guy that calls in? It's not like they ambushed him...he's the one the picked the time! Vitale made a mistake...he tried to smooth things over, and he just made himself look worse in doing so.
I can't stand Dick Vital---I dont care what ballgames he's doing I turn it off and I wontbuy anything from the companies that promote him!
Most of what Vitale has to say does not have anything to do with the game he is doing. If he is the comentator of a game I watch something else thus I have missed manyh Duke games