More wisdom from Mr. Vitale

[TMC]

Did anyone else catch this?

Saturday night, Miami at Carolina. Calling the game for ESPN were Dan Shulman and Dick Vitale. At about the 13:50 mark of the 1st half, Vitale is commenting on other games (he often seems incapable of talking about the game that is actually being played in front of him). He says (I think this is pretty close to an exact quote):

"Louisville has won like four in a row that have been right to the wire. Rick Pitino is an absolute genius in those kind of games."

So, according to Mr. Vitale, we can be sure that, if Pitino was coaching a close game, perhaps in the NCAA tournament, with his team up one with 2.1 seconds left, he would employ his "genius" to devise a defensive scheme that would preserve the victory? Perhaps by choosing not to guard the guy inbounding the ball for the other team? That would be unforgettable.

Sorry. It's just that, nearly seventeen years later, it's still fun to rub a little salt in that wound.

[CDu]

Did anyone else catch this?

Saturday night, Miami at Carolina. Calling the game for ESPN were Dan Shulman and Dick Vitale. At about the 13:50 mark of the 1st half, Vitale is commenting on other games (he often seems incapable of talking about the game that is actually being played in front of him). He says (I think this is pretty close to an exact quote):

"Louisville has won like four in a row that have been right to the wire. Rick Pitino is an absolute genius in those kind of games."

So, according to Mr. Vitale, we can be sure that, if Pitino was coaching a close game, perhaps in the NCAA tournament, with his team up one with 2.1 seconds left, he would employ his "genius" to devise a defensive scheme that would preserve the victory? Perhaps by choosing not to guard the guy inbounding the ball for the other team? That would be unforgettable.

Sorry. It's just that, nearly seventeen years later, it's still fun to rub a little salt in that wound.

And clearly Pitino couldn't have made any improvements as a coach in those 17 years to make him a genius in late-game situations, right?

[BlueintheFace]

I mean, he's not incorrect. Pitino might be the best X's and O's in-game coach in the country.

[Edouble]

It's just that, nearly seventeen years later, it's still fun to rub a little salt in that wound.

Well, I for one get more excited thinking about Laettner hitting the shot for Duke, as opposed to against Kentucky. Maybe if I lived in Kentucky I'd feel differently.

I'm also biased because I love Rick Pitino as a coach. His teams are always really fun to watch.

[Olympic Fan]

These things are always tough to quantify -- and a close win or loss doesn't always reflect on a coach. For instance, anybody who saw the recent Louisville-Kentucky game would not call Pitino "a genius in these situations" even though the Cards won on a last-second shot.

First, Louisville choked away a seven-point lead in the last minute -- actually in about 19 seconds of game-time. Kentucky tied the game with 20 seconds left, then dropped back to defend against a last second shot. Louisville held the ball near midcourt to play for the last shot. Okay, no problem with that ... but as the clock ticks down under 10 seconds, Louisville doesn't run a play. Nobody moves and Sosa stands there 40 feet out, slowly dribbling the ball. Finally, with two seconds left, Sosa takes one dribble toward the basket and launches a 35-foot shot -- it's good and Louisville wins.

But is that the shot you want in that situation?

Louisville has won a number of close games in a row -- Kentucky by 3 at the buzzer; Villanova by one (when Villanova missed two free throws and two shots from dead under the basket in the final four seconds ... more great coaching?); Notre Dame in OT (although the final margin was 14); and now Pitt by six (and it certainly helped that with Pitt down four and 20 seconds left, Blair missed a chippie inder the basket).

Sometimes you just get lucky.

Sometimes you don't ... just before its recent run of good fortune, Louisville lost to UNLV by one and to Minnesota by six.

And if you go back to last year, Pitino was 2-5 in games decided by three points or less -- so just when did Rick Pitino become such a genius in end-game situations?

[tommy]

When was the last time anyone really thought Vitale knew or communicated anything of real substance about the game, or articulated opinions that could be backed up by facts? Sure, he's got tremendous enthusiasm for the game, which is great, but he's a knee-jerk supporter and apologist for just about any coach and anything he does, so we've got to accept that for as long as ESPN foists him upon us.

The only thing worse than turning on the TV and finding out Vitale is calling the game is turning it on and finding he's calling it with Mike Patrick.

But is sure is nice when we get somebody else, isn't it??

[SMO]

When was the last time anyone really thought Vitale knew or communicated anything of real substance about the game, or articulated opinions that could be backed up by facts?

I don't know, but did you hear Hugh Jackman was voted Sexiest Man?

[weezie]

The only thing worse than turning on the TV and finding out Vitale is calling the game is turning it on and finding he's calling it with Mike Patrick.

Truly, I'm laughing good one!

[DukeUsul]

I caught Vitale and I think Patrick doing the UNC-UVA 1984 game on ESPN Classic the other night. I thought I was listening to a totally differernt crew. It was like night and day.

I love Vitale, but he really needs to be in the studio as a talking head and ambassador for the sport, not providing in-game analysis.

[tommy]

I don't know, but did you hear Hugh Jackman was voted Sexiest Man?

Whaaat? They didn't consider me? C'mon People Magazine!!! Why not me? Why not meeeeeeeee??? Aren't I sexy too? Aren't I?????? Heh-heh-heh!