Awesome, Baby - Dick Vitale Announces He's Cleared To Start Broadcasting Games Again After Battling Cancer, Successful Vocal Cord Surgery

Hell yes. We know Dick Vitale has battled cancer, returned for a little bit and then had to battle it again. But this is how you start March off. I'll say it for years and years to come. Dick Vitale is the voice of college basketball that every single person my age (mid-late 30s) knows. I know we've clowned on him a bit while calling games but the man lives and breathes the sport. He's the guy we all grew up with calling games. You hear his voice you just know it's college basketball time. There's something special about that, no matter what. 

Plus, we're at the point now where the majority of people who broadcast or cover the sport probably hate it. Can't watch a game without Karl Ravech talking about baseball, Dan Wolken complaining it's unappealing as we head to March, Jay Williams being Jay Williams. We need guys like Dickie V who love the sport around it more. I know as we get older we lose what we're used to around sports. Whether it's players retiring, coaches retiring or announcers retiring things change and it's awful. I like having the comfort of hearing the voices I know in the sport I love the most. 

I can't think of a better time to announce it then March too. It's perfectly on brand for Dickie V. Guy loves kicking cancer's ass and college basketball. We need to find a role for Vitale if he's not ready to call games next year. Give him a guest spot to pop up and just talk college basketball. Shit we do it for Lunardi, random guests and what not during games. Let Dick Vitale come in, say something about the Tampa Bay Rays and then hit us with the catchphrases that we grew up with. 

I have nothing but respect for Vitale though with what he's done to help battle children's cancer. It's remarkable. Another reason why I love that he's like yeah, I'm gonna be back baby. You think he's going to miss a Vandy/Georgia game? I don't think so. The guy is going to be dialed in. 

As always, fuck cancer.