This PTPer's Gotta Go, Baby!

When it was announced in early 2006 that ESPN had purchased the rights to Monday Night Football, sports fans around the country breathed a sigh of relief. No longer did the average sports fan have to drink themselves stupid leading up to and during America’s longest running television program. Aside from using football as an excuse to drink, so many Americans had come to the conclusion that drinking was the best way to deal with the about-to-be-senile John Madden. If being so sloppy that focusing on the game was enough of an accomplishment, fans would be able to block out the always whimsical hall of fame coach. But, thanks to ESPN’s efforts, Monday Night Football can slowly, but surely, gain back a somewhat sober audience.

However, while John Madden’s artistic talents have been removed from football prime time, there is another over-the-hill, getting way too old sports commentator who we only value for simple catch phrases as a figure head. Dick Vitale, time to go. Actually, it was time to go right after a video game was based on one of your catch phrases, Dick Vitale’s ‘Awesome Baby’ College Hoops, made in 1994. Since then, not much has changed, ‘Awesome Baby’ is still your thing, unaltered for 15 years, and, you still love Duke, actually Mike Krzyzewski, more than anything in the world. The lone difference, your partner in crime, Mike Patrick, is running out of ear plugs.

Vitale has been quietly tarnishing his reputa-- wait, his most noteworthy coaching accomplishment had to do with wooing grades for a high school player who eventually flunked out on his own. Under his tutelage, Les Carlson went from one of Jersey’s best high school ballers to a depressing Wikipedia entry in Dickie V’s biographical page. Right, he’s a hall of fame broadcaster. Inducted in 2008. At least Madden went to Canton as a coach.

Fortunately, ESPN has already begun the process of Vitale’s removal, not allowing Vitale to cover last years NCAA tournament (despite CBS’s requests). Assuming Vitale will honor his contract through the 2012-2013 season, ESPN will hopefully has plans to continue to remove Vitale from the college basketball spotlight.