Before the Blue Devils' matchup against North Carolina March 4, The Chronicle's Andrew Yaffe sat down with ESPN analyst Dick Vitale to talk about the Duke-UNC rivalry, J.J. Redick, Blue Devil bias in the media and more.
AY: How impressive is the Duke-Carolina rivalry?
DV: Both programs set the standard of excellence from this standpoint: Not only do they win, not only do they basically graduate players, but they do things the right way according to the rules, according to the NCAA regulations. You never hear about any violations, you don't hear about cheating. You hear about intense competition. It's the best rivalry in all of college sports. Some people could say Ohio St.-Michigan, but being a basketball lover, and only being eight miles apart from each other, this is so special. And usually, this game features great players, great coaching, and there's usually a lot at stake. Teams highly rated nationally.
I have probably done 40 [Duke-UNC] games, I don't know exactly. And you know what, I still get, when I walked in outside, all the kids mobbed me, I got goosebumps. I'm 66 years old and I act about 12 in this environment. They make you feel so young. They're so passionate about their teams, I think it's phenomenal.
AY: What role do the Cameron Crazies play in Duke's success?
DV: They provide so much adrenaline, they're such a part of the Duke atmosphere. It's a combination, it's a formula. It starts with winning-without winning, they're not the factor they are. But they play a part in the winning. Great coaching, great players, winning, and super fans usually equates to success, and that's what they're all about. They're a vital part to the success of the Duke program. The adrenaline, the lift they give the kids, you can't measure it.
AY: Digger Phelps called you "the ambassador" of college basketball. What are your thoughts on that?
DV: I'm very thankful that he feels that way. My role has been, since I got hired, to be an analyst. This is my same personality when I coached. I was labeled Mr. Enthusiasm by the Detroit media before I ever got in television. I just tried to be myself and it's been a love affair. I've had 27 years of a love affair with kids across this country. They treat me like royalty. They pass me up the crowd and all that jazz... You can't plan for those things. My point is, they make you feel so good. All I've tried to do is promote the game. I have a great love affair for the game... Let me tell you, basketball has been better to me than I have been to basketball. It has given me a life that has exceeded my dreams.
AY: What are your thoughts on J.J. Redick's season and where do you rank him in the annals of ACC history?
DV: Well, he's a true definition of a player getting the maximum out of his ability. I've watched him grow from a freshman who could stand still and shoot to become a prolific scorer, learning how to balance the use of the three-point shot with the medium range shot.... If you look over the history of the ACC, and Dick Vitale says this-people I could respect may not agree with me-he'd be in my top-20 of all-time [players] in the conference. There's been a lot of great players in this conference: Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, David Thompson, Johnny Dawkins, Perkins, Worthy, John Lucas, Lenny Bias, Mark Price, the list goes on-and he'd be in my top 20.
AY: People say you are biased toward Duke. How do you respond to that?
DV: I've always tried to be objective. I just reverse the question, I've done so many Duke games in 27 years-what has been the common denominator is those years? Always top five in America, always winning, wins five consecutive ACC Tournaments. Six players who go on to be Defensive Players of the Year, all kinds of National Players of the Year, all kinds of 25-win seasons, 10 Final Fours, three national championships. What is there for me to rip Duke? Sure, I love going to Duke and doing games. I love great basketball, I love excitement, and this has anything that anybody who loves basketball should really want. But Duke is part of society in that we have a mental situation where a lot of people like to hate the guy that's on top-whether it's Duke, the Yankees, Notre Dame in football.
I don't apologize for praising Duke. I would apologize if they were 14-14, 16-12 and I'm singing their praises, then a person would have a right. Duke's 27-2. Mike Krzyzewski is in the Hall of Fame, he's going to coach the Olympic team. What is there not to praise? Anybody that makes that statement-yeah, I hear some of that from some people, and I laugh at it. Anybody that knows basketball knows that's not a valid argument. All that is is somebody that hates Duke and hates people on top.
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