I never watched Dick Vitale coach a game of basketball; instead I grew up in the Dick Vitale Era of college basketball, when “Dickie V” brought the game to life on a regular basis throughout the winter. Even meeting Vitale at his beloved Broken Egg in Siesta Key 10 years ago, his enthusiasm was palpable, despite basketball season being four months away.
That enthusiasm comes from one source:
Love.
And on Monday night in Detroit, the love went both ways between Vitale and his former school.
In his opening press conference, it took just one question for all the memories and emotions to overcome Vitale, as tears streamed down his cheeks – quite the sight for people so used to seeing the exuberant side of Vitale. But as he gained his composure, the stories that began to flow made it clear just how much the University of Detroit means to Dick Vitale.
A coach in New Jersey, Vitale admitted his goal was to coach at Rutgers before a chance introduction to former Titan Dave DeBusschere after a New York Knicks game set in motion a series of events that even Vitale could not believe.
At the recommendation of Willis Reed, DeBusschere contacted Bob Calihan, then the Athletics Director at Detroit. One thing led to another, and soon enough, Vitale was headed to the Motor City to lead the Titans.
As he remarked on more than one occasion last night, “"This has hit me more than any award. I don't know why. Without U of D there is no ESPN, no hall of fame and no financial awards.
"I am thinking about so many blessings I had because of this place. This place gave me the key and I took advantage of it.”
In four years, Vitale coached Detroit to a 78-30 record, reaching the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament after a 21-game winning streak. Included in the streak was a 64-63 win at eventual national champion Marquette, a game that Vitale looked back with fond memories on multiple occasions Monday night.
At a pregame banquet, Vitale regaled the crowd by recounting his pregame speech to the team, promising to dance at center court. And sure enough, he did just that after the last-second win.
What he didn’t know, however, was that at the Dick Vitale Court dedication later that night, footage of the game would be shown, so with his former players and coaches surrounding him, Vitale and team recalled one of the greatest moments in Detroit basketball history – complete with “Dickie V” dancing at center court on the film.
While the tribute aired, the love and bond between coach and former player was palpable. Players were high-fiving during the film, and you could visibly see the memories washing over the faces of Vitale, his wife Lorraine, and his team.
Just two years after leaving the University of Detroit, Vitale was off to ESPN, helping the network to grow and thrive in the last 32 years. But at the core of all of Vitale’s emotion, exuberance and excitement for college basketball is one thing: love.
Throughout Detroit last night, it was easy to see how a young coach fell in love with a university and the Titans in turn with their coach.
Tags: Detroit Mercy - Men's Basketball
