Dick Vitale, a New Jersey native, is synonymous with college basketball, much like fireworks and watermelon are synonymous with the 4th of July. Nicknamed Dickie V by his devoted fans across America, Vitale's coaching career began at East Rutherford High School in the late 1960s.
As his career progressed, he went on to coach the University of Detroit and the Detroit Pistons of the NBA. However, he was fired as coach of the Pistons in 1979. Undeterred, Vitale immediately took a job at the startup cable network ESPN, partnering with Jim Simpson to call its first-ever college basketball game for $350 that same year.
As the popularity of college basketball skyrocketed in the 1980s, Vitale's fame grew exponentially as ESPN's #1 color analyst. Today, he is still working for ESPN, with fan clubs on college campuses across America and is often more popular with fans than the game he is covering.
Vitale is renowned for his catchphrases, including "DIAPER DANDY" (a freshman) and screaming "THATTA WAY" after a great play or slam dunk. In addition to his work as a motivational speaker, Vitale is also the author of several books, including "Vitale: Time Out, Baby!" and "Campus Chaos: Why the Game I Love is Breaking My Heart".
A Seton Hall graduate, Vitale currently resides in the Tampa area, where he has season tickets to the Devil Rays, with his wife Lorraine.
