An Unbiased Assessment of MU

[Benny B]

Marquette is going to be one of few teams this year to have two polar-opposite color analysts call their games 24 hours apart.

Dick Vitale, as charismatic as the guy is, hasn't had an eye for talent (or X's and O's for that matter) since the Eisenhower Administration.  Every team that plays in front of him on that very night is an elite team... not to take anything away from the guys, but I'm not going to get excited about how good MU is going to be based on Dickie V's "expiration-date-of-tomorrow" opinion.

Bobby Knight, on the other hand, is not nearly as entertaining as a lamppost, but he definitely tells it like it is.  Love him or hate him, you have to respect a a guy who cares about the game and has no desire to be politically correct.

At best, we'll get an honest opinion tonight about just how good Marquette is.  At worst, we'll get 2 hours of Bobby Knight telling us about how guys like Calipari are toxic to the game.  Either way, I'm looking forward to tonight's call.

[Wade for President]

LOVE listening to The General call games.  Vitale needs to go away...forever.

[MarquetteDano]

At best, we'll get an honest opinion tonight about just how good Marquette is.  At worst, we'll get 2 hours of Bobby Knight telling us about how guys like Calipari are toxic to the game.  Either way, I'm looking forward to tonight's call.

I could listen to Knight for hours talk about Calipari being toxic (no teal here)!  Hopefully he will do that when announces a Kentucky game!   

[cheebs09]

Bobby Knight, on the other hand, is not nearly as entertaining as a lamppost, but he definitely tells it like it is.  Love him or hate him, you have to respect a a guy who cares about the game and has no desire to be politically correct.

I actually find Knight very entertaining. I love his sense of humor and he knows so much about the game.

[jaybilaswho?]

Good point.

I may be changing my plans for where I am watching this game from bar that will likely not have the audio on the game to... maybe my couch.

Love him or hate him,

I love him. He is like your grumpy old grandpa who just couldn't care any less about what anyone thinks.

[Steve Buscemi]

He is like your grumpy old grandpa who just couldn't care any less about what anyone thinks.

+1   Couldn't have said it better

[APieperFan3]

I thought Knight was kind of "bashing" Jacob Pullen last night.

But that being said, I do enjoy listening to him cover a game.

The only good news of playing in the 3rd place game is not having listen to Dickie V yell the same nonsense into the microphone. On another note, I think if someone got me the "talking Dickie V" book for Christmas, I'd most likely punch them in the face.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

One of the best broadcasts I have heard in recent years was Knight and Musberger calling Duke at Wisconsin last year. You could tell Knight was feeding off the crowd as he was energetic (for him) and excited at the quality of play. I really like listening to him. No B.S. with him, that's for sure.

[chren21]

The general is fantastic. The only thing better would be to have general patton calling the game.

[wildbill sb]

So?

The only good news of playing in the 3rd place game is not having listen to Dickie V yell the same nonsense into the microphone. On another note, I think if someone got me the "talking Dickie V" book for Christmas, I'd most likely punch them in the face.

+ 1 gazillion

[🏀]

I love him. He is like your grumpy old grandpa who just couldn't care any less about what anyone thinks.

Except he's usually spot on correct, can remember what he just said and can stay on topic without WWII biopics.

[Jacks DC]

Except he's usually spot on correct, can remember what he just said and can stay on topic without WWII biopics.

Actually he is rarely correct when it somes to knowing anything about the players, statistics, or anything that requires him to look at anything before the game.  And if you hadn't noticed, Knight is just as fond of Duke and Coach K as Vitale is, just less animated about it.

[🏀]

Actually he is rarely correct when it somes to knowing anything about the players, statistics, or anything that requires him to look at anything before the game.  And if you hadn't noticed, Knight is just as fond of Duke and Coach K as Vitale is, just less animated about it.

Are you serious? Knight was very well informed.

[chren21]

Actually he is rarely correct when it somes to knowing anything about the players, statistics, or anything that requires him to look at anything before the game.  And if you hadn't noticed, Knight is just as fond of Duke and Coach K as Vitale is, just less animated about it.

minus one...  your way off

[Jacks DC]

Are you serious? Knight was very well informed.

Knight discusses Xs and Os and game trends as he see them.  His comments about not needing to reach in when you have a ballhandler trapped were insightful.  Vitale, although annoying, is like an encyclopedia of college basketball as it currently stands and has a better grasp of individual players and coaches and their respective talents.

[Benny B]

Knight discusses Xs and Os and game trends as he see them.  His comments about not needing to reach in when you have a ballhandler trapped were insightful.  Vitale, although annoying, is like an encyclopedia of college basketball as it currently stands and has a better grasp of individual players and coaches and their respective talents.

I'm not so sure... Vitale and Knight likely have the same knowledge of a team (they haven't seen that season) going into a game, and both are certainly being fed the same information from the producers during the game.  The difference is Vitale's presentation of the information makes it sound like he's well (or better) informed, when actually he is not. 

TV anchors, politicians, some business leaders... these people only have half a clue what they're talking about, but they can communicate in a way that makes them seem like an expert on the subject.  Dickie V shares the same talent.

[brewcity77]

TV anchors, politicians, some business leaders... these people only have half a clue what they're talking about, but they can communicate in a way that makes them seem like an expert on the subject.  Dickie V shares the same talent.

I remember a conversation with someone who used to work for ESPN. Vitale showed up on the set of SportsCenter and knew nothing about the team he was supposed to discuss. Not sure which team it was, but he asked the guy "what can you tell me about X?" The guy did some quick research, got their leading scorer, and fed some info to Vitale. Moments later, Vitale goes on air screaming "Oh baby, look out for the X's, and this kid (blank), leading them in scoring, is phenomenal, I love him, baby!"

As Benny said, Dickie V has a talent for turning a minute amount of information into the appearance of expertise. But he's only as encyclopedic as the producers that are feeding him the fuel for his schtick.

[willie warrior]

Saw Dickie V 3 or 4 times at our hotel--breakfast and in lobby. The guy with him all the time was Schwab (Sp?). I am told he is ESPN's stat guru. Guess Dickie goes nowhere without him.

[Skatastrophy]

Are you serious? Knight was very well informed.

Knight calling Buycks "Books" last night cracked me up

[w0bbie]

Knight calling Buycks "Books" last night cracked me up

He also mispronounced O'Tule into something that sounded more like odle-ay

[RJax55]

Knight was great. Refreshing to have a broadcaster actually talk about what's happening on the court.

Its really too bad he just didn't retire from IU in mid-90's and go into broadcasting. Could have saved himself from all the trouble that tarnished his legacy and could have been one of the top color man in the game.

[mug644]

Knight was great. Refreshing to have a broadcaster actually talk about what's happening on the court.

Its really too bad he just didn't retire from IU in mid-90's and go into broadcasting. Could have saved himself from all the trouble that tarnished his legacy and could have been one of the top color man in the game.

You mean like becoming the winningest coach of all time? It wouldn't have happened if he went straight from IU to broadcasting.

His coaching legacy is secure. And should be.

[Brewtown Andy]

He also mispronounced O'Tule into something that sounded more like odle-ay

Says the guy who mistyped Otule's name....

[RJax55]

You mean like becoming the winningest coach of all time? It wouldn't have happened if he went straight from IU to broadcasting.

His coaching legacy is secure. And should be.

Both Boeheim and Coach K will surpass Knight's total of 902 victories.

Its a great achievement, but Knight's legacy as a great basketball coach was well-secured before achieving that record.

If he retires in mid-90's, Knight still goes down as one of the greatest coaches of all-time, and without the tarnish of his IU dismissal.

[wildbill sb]

Knight was great. Refreshing to have a broadcaster actually talk about what's happening on the court.

Its really too bad he just didn't retire from IU in mid-90's and go into broadcasting. Could have saved himself from all the trouble that tarnished his legacy and could have been one of the top color man in the game.

Sort of like what another guy did about 33 years ago. (Has it been that long?)