[McDunkin]

Yesterday, Dick Vitale went on The Dan LeBatard Show to discuss the scandal at Miami and the implications it could have on college sports. After LeBatard started off the interview with a few fairly benign questions about the Miami scandal, to which Vitale gave the expected media-speak answers (other than his assertion that Donna Shalala must step down as president of the University of Miami), LeBatard asked him about John Calipari and the scandals that have followed him at Massachusetts and Memphis. Vitale brushed it aside, saying that the NCAA has never implicated Calipari. LeBatard’s co-host Jon Weiner (aka Stugotz) then chimed in with the statement/question: “Best guess, Dick. Best guess. I know you are friends with him, but best guess. John Calipari has cheated at some point in his life.” Vitale responded first with silence, then said “Alright, let’s go to the next point.” After some discussion where LeBatard cleared up the fact that it was his co-host who had asked the question, Vitale suggests that there should be laws against boosters like Nevin Shapiro.

When Vitale went on to state that none of the major coaches he knows would have tolerated what happened at Miami (citing Roy Williams, Mike Krzyzewski, and Bob Knight as examples), Stugotz suggests that every coach or program has committed at least one NCAA infraction even if only unknowingly. After Vitale got upset at him and brought up the prostitutes, Stugotz clarified by saying that he never implied that other programs were using prostitutes or doing things as big as Miami is accused of doing. Despite this clarification, Vitale becomes increasingly infuriated at the radio hosts and hangs up. Partial clip below:

 

While Kentucky fans are widely applauding Vitale for defending Calipari, it seems more like Vitale is on a crusade to defend college basketball, or college sports as a whole, instead of a single coach or program. Although Stugotz’s initial question/statement about Calipari was indelicate, his follow-up questions about programs unknowingly violating rules are valid ones. Unfortunately, it seems that Vitale was so incensed by the earlier question or the storm surrounding the NCAA right now that he was unwilling to hear it. Perhaps if Vitale had stayed on the phone long enough to engage in a reasonable conversation, they could have discussed Krzyzewski’s “controversial” phone call to Alex Poythress or Sam Gilbert’s association with John Wooden‘s UCLA dynasty (OK, maybe that would have set him off). In any event, although many college basketball fans (particularly Kentucky fans) will support Vitale in this case, he does come off as petulant and condescending here.

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[surveParticipant]

plus one for the title alone…

[surveParticipant]

plus one for the title alone…

[surveParticipant]

plus one for the title alone…

[Cardinal_FanParticipant]

 Every1 knows Calipari is dirty!!! He’s been busted at 2 schools but has never owned up just always ran away. He had to know about Marcus Camby & Derrick Rose. Its only a matter of time b4 Calipari gets caught. UMass and Memphis were good programs but were no where near under the microscope as much as the UK program is constantly. What’s in the dark always comes to light.

[Cardinal_FanParticipant]

 Every1 knows Calipari is dirty!!! He’s been busted at 2 schools but has never owned up just always ran away. He had to know about Marcus Camby & Derrick Rose. Its only a matter of time b4 Calipari gets caught. UMass and Memphis were good programs but were no where near under the microscope as much as the UK program is constantly. What’s in the dark always comes to light.

[Cardinal_FanParticipant]

 Every1 knows Calipari is dirty!!! He’s been busted at 2 schools but has never owned up just always ran away. He had to know about Marcus Camby & Derrick Rose. Its only a matter of time b4 Calipari gets caught. UMass and Memphis were good programs but were no where near under the microscope as much as the UK program is constantly. What’s in the dark always comes to light.

[tuck243Participant]

D. Rose is going to get his GED… LOL… GED? It’s a rumor, but that shows you how ridiculous J. Cal is… It’s sad to think this isn’t happening at other insitutions…  Dick is wrong for not owning up to this terrible situation that is College Sports.  For everyone to sit and point at "The U" like how could you let this go on they better clean up in house before they become the pot calling the kettle black.  The ish at the U goes on everywhere, but maybe not to THAT instent…  Look if Nevio didn’t get busted or kept his mouth shut NO ONE would’ve known.  And these fools were out in the OPEN with all of this.  The reason Nevio didn’t get help from players because he wasn’t the ONLY one giving the players money.  The same with the Reggie Bush situation, they have no loyalty to you.  Do you realize how long they been receiving gifts and money from folks?  

The funny thing is it’s actually worse in College Basketball than Football.  15 kids compared to 60+ kids in football.  A buddy of mine went on recruiting trips for football to 4 different schools.  ALL had a chick waiting in the room with a cash payment.  He wasn’t even in the top 100.  Can you imagine what happens at schools like UNC? With how competetive Jordan is?  UCONN was the reason Gary Williams didn’t recruit at AAU events. NO ONE plays fair.  Look at Mike Beasley, his mentor got a job as an assistant with KSU so Mike can come there.  If you look around at other programs you will see it too…

AAU is probably the most corrupt system of them all.  With shoe companies paying for everything and agent runners going after these kids early it’s no way to contain it.  I remember when Jarryed Bayless didn’t go to the ABCD camp because his high school and AAU team was sponsered by NIKE.  Dick didn’t want to open the lid on this situation because he’s an ambassador for the NCAA.  I just hate when people comment on situations with their nose in the air KNOWING similar ish is going on elsewhere. Dick is hella wrong for this and should have just kept his mouth shut because his loves UK, DUKE, UCLA, and UNC are doing similar ish too…  Now he looks dumb and basically said YEA we do it too, but NOT as bad as the U… LOL… A sin is a sin Dick.

[tuck243Participant]

D. Rose is going to get his GED… LOL… GED? It’s a rumor, but that shows you how ridiculous J. Cal is… It’s sad to think this isn’t happening at other insitutions…  Dick is wrong for not owning up to this terrible situation that is College Sports.  For everyone to sit and point at "The U" like how could you let this go on they better clean up in house before they become the pot calling the kettle black.  The ish at the U goes on everywhere, but maybe not to THAT instent…  Look if Nevio didn’t get busted or kept his mouth shut NO ONE would’ve known.  And these fools were out in the OPEN with all of this.  The reason Nevio didn’t get help from players because he wasn’t the ONLY one giving the players money.  The same with the Reggie Bush situation, they have no loyalty to you.  Do you realize how long they been receiving gifts and money from folks?  

The funny thing is it’s actually worse in College Basketball than Football.  15 kids compared to 60+ kids in football.  A buddy of mine went on recruiting trips for football to 4 different schools.  ALL had a chick waiting in the room with a cash payment.  He wasn’t even in the top 100.  Can you imagine what happens at schools like UNC? With how competetive Jordan is?  UCONN was the reason Gary Williams didn’t recruit at AAU events. NO ONE plays fair.  Look at Mike Beasley, his mentor got a job as an assistant with KSU so Mike can come there.  If you look around at other programs you will see it too…

AAU is probably the most corrupt system of them all.  With shoe companies paying for everything and agent runners going after these kids early it’s no way to contain it.  I remember when Jarryed Bayless didn’t go to the ABCD camp because his high school and AAU team was sponsered by NIKE.  Dick didn’t want to open the lid on this situation because he’s an ambassador for the NCAA.  I just hate when people comment on situations with their nose in the air KNOWING similar ish is going on elsewhere. Dick is hella wrong for this and should have just kept his mouth shut because his loves UK, DUKE, UCLA, and UNC are doing similar ish too…  Now he looks dumb and basically said YEA we do it too, but NOT as bad as the U… LOL… A sin is a sin Dick.

[tuck243Participant]

D. Rose is going to get his GED… LOL… GED? It’s a rumor, but that shows you how ridiculous J. Cal is… It’s sad to think this isn’t happening at other insitutions…  Dick is wrong for not owning up to this terrible situation that is College Sports.  For everyone to sit and point at "The U" like how could you let this go on they better clean up in house before they become the pot calling the kettle black.  The ish at the U goes on everywhere, but maybe not to THAT instent…  Look if Nevio didn’t get busted or kept his mouth shut NO ONE would’ve known.  And these fools were out in the OPEN with all of this.  The reason Nevio didn’t get help from players because he wasn’t the ONLY one giving the players money.  The same with the Reggie Bush situation, they have no loyalty to you.  Do you realize how long they been receiving gifts and money from folks?  

The funny thing is it’s actually worse in College Basketball than Football.  15 kids compared to 60+ kids in football.  A buddy of mine went on recruiting trips for football to 4 different schools.  ALL had a chick waiting in the room with a cash payment.  He wasn’t even in the top 100.  Can you imagine what happens at schools like UNC? With how competetive Jordan is?  UCONN was the reason Gary Williams didn’t recruit at AAU events. NO ONE plays fair.  Look at Mike Beasley, his mentor got a job as an assistant with KSU so Mike can come there.  If you look around at other programs you will see it too…

AAU is probably the most corrupt system of them all.  With shoe companies paying for everything and agent runners going after these kids early it’s no way to contain it.  I remember when Jarryed Bayless didn’t go to the ABCD camp because his high school and AAU team was sponsered by NIKE.  Dick didn’t want to open the lid on this situation because he’s an ambassador for the NCAA.  I just hate when people comment on situations with their nose in the air KNOWING similar ish is going on elsewhere. Dick is hella wrong for this and should have just kept his mouth shut because his loves UK, DUKE, UCLA, and UNC are doing similar ish too…  Now he looks dumb and basically said YEA we do it too, but NOT as bad as the U… LOL… A sin is a sin Dick.

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