Random thoughts on Dick Vitale

Dick Vitale got inducted to the hoops Hall of Fame this year while several other deserving candidates got left out; most notably, Dennis Johnson. This caused many basketball purists to get upset.

Charley Rosen wrote of Vitale's induction: "The Mouth That Roared, a.k.a. The Shill That Shrilled ... his induction only proves how much the game has been sullied by hype."

Mark Kriegel wrote: "Dick Vitale wasn't a player. His coaching career — culminating with a 34-60 record for the Detroit Pistons — was a failure. And while the Hall recognizes media members with its Curt Gowdy Award (a distinction Vitale has already won), one cannot be enshrined as a mere broadcaster. So, again, how the hell did he get in? Is he insightful? Thoughtful? Provocative? Courageous? No, no, no and no. He's loud. He's a salesman."

Personally, I think Dicky V deserves to be in the hall because he's been such an incredible salesman for the college game. Seriously, who's done more to promote college basketball -- essentially an unwatchable sport until March -- than Vitale? Sure, he's kind of a clown, but his image, which is also one of passion and positivity, has become synonymous with the college game. And that's a good thing.

I actually have a funny story about Vitale. He used to own a restaurant on Siesta Key in Sarasota, Florida. I think it was called the Broken Egg or something. One time I went there with my parents and we sat at a table directly next to Vitale and his wife. He seemed extremely gracious, smiling and shaking hands with people as they occasionally came up to his table to say hi.

When people weren't coming up to him he was reading the sports page of a paper and going over the box scores of some college games. At one point I heard him say, "eleven rebounds, this kid's gonna be amazing, amazing..." to his wife, who never looked up from her magazine. And that went on for about ten minutes -- Dickey V scouring the box scores, gushing about players, and his wife ignoring him. It was hilarious, but also endearing.

So I'm glad Vitale got into the hall. He's truly passionate about the sport and its players.

Of course, the fact that Dennis Johnson didn't get elected is just awful. Really just unforgivably awful.