Dick Vitale is always a favorite with college students at any area where he works for ESPN. (Vicky Graff)
Tennessee coach Rick Barnes met current ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale about 40 years ago.
The two became friends and Barnes would have Vitale come to Midnight Madness at Providence College when he was coaching there just to add to the atmosphere.
“One of the big highlights would be that we would have our students have a Dick Vitale sound-alike. It was one of the biggest hits that we had,” Barnes recalled during SEC Media Days.
Barnes admires the way Vitale has raised money for pediatric cancer and felt for Vitale when the ESPN star had his own battle with cancer that forced him to miss most of last season.
“I reached out and texted him. He texted me back, and he said, ‘What I need are prayers. I said, I promise you I’ll pray for you every day.’ I just decided the prayers that I was praying for him I would text to him,” Barnes said.
The Tennessee coach said Vitale would always text him back no matter how he was feeling. Barnes even attended Vitale’s charity gala in Florida this year to help raise money for pediatric cancer.
“As much as he wanted to get back to college basketball was his enthusiasm to want to do what he has done for, again, pediatric cancer and through his gala there and watching how he got back,” Barnes said.
“I just texted him just the other day, and he is excited about this coming basketball season and asked for prayers to be able to get through the whole thing. But he is more enthusiastic than ever.”
Barnes said no one can ever really thank Vitale enough for what he has done for college basketball and students who attend games that Vitale works.
“When he comes around and comes in to do games, it brings an extra element of excitement, I think, to the campus, to the game. I know our students love it,” Barnes said.
“When he is in the building, they’re all there early hoping they can catch a photo with him and do those types of things. But I’m glad he is healthy. Again, I think I speak for everyone and would thank him for what he has done for our college and our collegiate game.”
