Checking Vitale
Here are the results from the tally on Dick Vitale's comments tonight, an experiment I set up in the Sauna earlier today.
Duke won the game 89-78.
2nd half tally:
pro-Duke: 23
pro-UNC: 18
anti-Duke: 4
anti-UNC: 9
Totals:
pro-Duke: 42
pro-UNC: 38
anti-Duke: 8
anti-UNC: 18
One thing about the negative comments Dick made. None of them were phrased, "they're doing very poorly with____." Only a few were phrased, "they're not_____." For the most part, they were phrased, "they've gotta get_____" or "they need to _____." So even his negative comments were phrased positively. Like I said- positive guy.
I didn't count any of his comments over replays, because any commentator will most likely go with the flow of the replay. If it's three examples of good Duke play, he's going to make three positive comments about Duke.
The biggest trend I noticed in Vitale's comments is he really goes with the flow of the crowd. With UNC losing most of the game, his positive comments came in bunches whenever the Tar Heels seemed to be making a run. The crowd would pick up and Vitale would start shouting acclaim for UNC. The Duke comments, on the other hand, had no discernible flow, as Duke was in control the whole way. It seems that Vitale is especially susceptible to getting caught up in the emotion of the crowd, since he's such an emotional guy himself.
There was one point when Vitale might have sounded anti-UNC to a Tar Heel fan. Around the 12:30 mark, Duke drew a charge. It was the right call, and Vitale noted that even he could see that call. Moments later on the other end, Duke was called for a charge, prompting Vitale to shout, "there's no way that was a charge!" The juxtaposition of the two comments was noticeable to me, and certainly would be noticeable to a peeved UNC fan. The UNC defender was certainly moving later in the play than the Duke defender had been on the obvious charge. Personally, I don't think it was a charge either. So while I can understand why a UNC person might shout, "Shut up Dookie V!" I think Vitale was correct.
Other than that one instance, there was really no reason for UNC fans to think Vitale was pro-Duke. The experiment supports my thesis; Vitale makes more positive statements for the team that's winning.
As for the game itself, I was really impressed with Duke's dominance. Tar Heel fans might argue that Lawson's absence was the difference, but I don't think that's the whole story. One player almost never makes all the difference. In fact, teams like Syracuse and UConn have responded positively, especially over the short run, when key players have left their respective teams. Especially in this rivalry, UNC should have been able to make up for Lawson's absence if they were equal in quality to Duke. Right now, Duke is the better team.
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At halftime its 42-39 Duke. Here's the tally on Dick Vitale's comments:
The pro's are plus or minus 2.5. The anti's are plus or minus 1. My attention waned a tad in the midst of Duke's run.
pro-Duke: 19
pro-UNC: 20
anti-Duke: 4
anti-UNC: 9
Those anti-Duke comments came early on, when UNC was leading. UNC also had the edge in the "pro" category at that point. When Duke went on their run, the anti-UNC comments built up, as did the pro-Duke comments. UNC's run at the end of the half triggered more pro-UNC comments.
In other words, its exactly what you'd expect from any commentator (not named Billy Packer).
I should explain that I've counted as "pro" comments any time he applies one of his trademarks to either of the teams, any time he talks favorably about the coach, and any time he agrees with a foul or other call by the ref in favor of the team. I haven't been counting any of his comments about Lawson's injury as negative (or positive).
One other note. I thought it was hilarious that after the female sideline reporter talked over a "recipe for a rivalry" graphic, Dick Vitale suggested that he thought she was going to supply a "recipe for lasagna." I thought that was hilariously sexist.
All I have to say about the SU game is I hate UConn, and I spent a couple minutes lying face down on the floor after the game ended. Good effort by the lads to bring it back after they gave up the ill-timed run. Just need four more wins to get to twenty. I think they can do it.
Duke won the game 89-78.
2nd half tally:
pro-Duke: 23
pro-UNC: 18
anti-Duke: 4
anti-UNC: 9
Totals:
pro-Duke: 42
pro-UNC: 38
anti-Duke: 8
anti-UNC: 18
One thing about the negative comments Dick made. None of them were phrased, "they're doing very poorly with____." Only a few were phrased, "they're not_____." For the most part, they were phrased, "they've gotta get_____" or "they need to _____." So even his negative comments were phrased positively. Like I said- positive guy.
I didn't count any of his comments over replays, because any commentator will most likely go with the flow of the replay. If it's three examples of good Duke play, he's going to make three positive comments about Duke.
The biggest trend I noticed in Vitale's comments is he really goes with the flow of the crowd. With UNC losing most of the game, his positive comments came in bunches whenever the Tar Heels seemed to be making a run. The crowd would pick up and Vitale would start shouting acclaim for UNC. The Duke comments, on the other hand, had no discernible flow, as Duke was in control the whole way. It seems that Vitale is especially susceptible to getting caught up in the emotion of the crowd, since he's such an emotional guy himself.
There was one point when Vitale might have sounded anti-UNC to a Tar Heel fan. Around the 12:30 mark, Duke drew a charge. It was the right call, and Vitale noted that even he could see that call. Moments later on the other end, Duke was called for a charge, prompting Vitale to shout, "there's no way that was a charge!" The juxtaposition of the two comments was noticeable to me, and certainly would be noticeable to a peeved UNC fan. The UNC defender was certainly moving later in the play than the Duke defender had been on the obvious charge. Personally, I don't think it was a charge either. So while I can understand why a UNC person might shout, "Shut up Dookie V!" I think Vitale was correct.
Other than that one instance, there was really no reason for UNC fans to think Vitale was pro-Duke. The experiment supports my thesis; Vitale makes more positive statements for the team that's winning.
As for the game itself, I was really impressed with Duke's dominance. Tar Heel fans might argue that Lawson's absence was the difference, but I don't think that's the whole story. One player almost never makes all the difference. In fact, teams like Syracuse and UConn have responded positively, especially over the short run, when key players have left their respective teams. Especially in this rivalry, UNC should have been able to make up for Lawson's absence if they were equal in quality to Duke. Right now, Duke is the better team.
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At halftime its 42-39 Duke. Here's the tally on Dick Vitale's comments:
The pro's are plus or minus 2.5. The anti's are plus or minus 1. My attention waned a tad in the midst of Duke's run.
pro-Duke: 19
pro-UNC: 20
anti-Duke: 4
anti-UNC: 9
Those anti-Duke comments came early on, when UNC was leading. UNC also had the edge in the "pro" category at that point. When Duke went on their run, the anti-UNC comments built up, as did the pro-Duke comments. UNC's run at the end of the half triggered more pro-UNC comments.
In other words, its exactly what you'd expect from any commentator (not named Billy Packer).
I should explain that I've counted as "pro" comments any time he applies one of his trademarks to either of the teams, any time he talks favorably about the coach, and any time he agrees with a foul or other call by the ref in favor of the team. I haven't been counting any of his comments about Lawson's injury as negative (or positive).
One other note. I thought it was hilarious that after the female sideline reporter talked over a "recipe for a rivalry" graphic, Dick Vitale suggested that he thought she was going to supply a "recipe for lasagna." I thought that was hilariously sexist.
All I have to say about the SU game is I hate UConn, and I spent a couple minutes lying face down on the floor after the game ended. Good effort by the lads to bring it back after they gave up the ill-timed run. Just need four more wins to get to twenty. I think they can do it.
Labels: Dick Vitale
posted by Prof. A at 9:54 PM
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