Dick Vitale picks UNC to win it all, Dick Baddour gets ready for it

North Carolina

Dick Vitale picks UNC to win it all, Dick Baddour gets ready for it

Sports announcer and celebrity Dick Vitale greets the Tar Heel fans before the game.

By Tim Hall

Apr 1, 2009

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It's widely known that college basketball analyst Dick Vitale has an affection for the ACC. He never misses the chance to call a Duke vs. North Carolina game on ESPN, and he frequently has triangle hoopsters as his "diaper dandies" of college basketball.

So to no surprise Vitale sees the favored light blue as the last team standing late Monday night in Detroit.

"I gotta get a TO baby and I gotta run," Vitale told Mike Maniscalco on 99.9 The Fan's Sports Lunch on his way out the door. "But I think Carolina will celebrate and I think Roy Williams and North Carolina will win the national title."

Tar Heel point guard Ty Lawson has certainly played well in his three NCAA Tournament games so far, averaging just a shade over 20 points per game. Tack on 20 assists and only two turnovers in those games played. Vitale said a Lawson with a healthy right big toe is like sticking an engine back in the Rolls Royce car. Surprisingly, it isn't big man Tyler Hansbrough who is most reliable on Lawson.

"I think personally he affects the game of Danny Green," Vitale said. "Green goes up a big notch with the presence of Lawson who creates space for him because of his penetration ability. We saw Green in the ACC Tournament where he shot 3-25 and there was no doubt they missed Lawson."

Athletics Director Dick Baddour joined the show to talk about what goes into planning Final Four week. Logistically, Monday and half of Tuesday the department looks at the big picture and develops an overall plan on how to get the team to Detroit. Then on Tuesday and Wednesday more details are focused on.

"I'm glad I don't have to play because Saturday morning I start to get a little up-tight," Baddour joked on 99.9 The Fan on Thursday. "I don't know that I'm the most fun to be around come Saturday afternoon but it's okay, my family can deal with it!"

Baddour and his colleagues actually began to prepare for the team's run through the NCAA Tournament as soon as the brackets came out on selection Sunday.

"Coach Williams wouldn't want me to say this but once we're in the tournament we start doing some planning, we can look ahead and say it's Memphis, we know it's this hotel, we know we'll have these kinds of issues," Baddour said. "When we were in Memphis we were doing a series of meetings thinking about the Final Four...what we can do to make the transition better."

It turns out for Dick Baddour planning on the Final Four ahead of time was the right call. The Tar Heels are there for the 18th time, more than any other school in history.

Most Recent Comments

RE: Dick Vitale picks UNC to win it all, Dick Baddour gets ready for it

I guess I'm one of the few that likes Vitale. The stuff he says sometimes just cracks me up! Now if you want to talk about annoying, let's start a blog about DAN F'ING BONNER!!!

RE: Dick Vitale picks UNC to win it all, Dick Baddour gets ready for it

I am not wild about Dookie Vitale, but he is consistent. Vitale picked UNC at the beginning of the season, and he has stayed with them despite some bumps in the ACC road.

Hopefully the Tar Heels can maintain their recent momentum. Everyone knows that they have the talent to win it all. The only question is whether or not they can provide 40 minutes of intense determination, teamwork and focus at both ends of the court. The truth of the matter is that any of these 4 remaining teams can claim the prize next Monday. One of the best examples of that fact is NC State's stunning and glorious defeat over a loaded Houston team.

RE: Dick Vitale picks UNC to win it all, Dick Baddour gets ready for it

Dick Vitale is probably one of the nicest guys in broadcasting, but that doesn't change the fact that he is the most annoying guy in broadcasting. I have to turn the audio off and put Woody on the radio if Dickie's doing the accouncing. Raycom is a rinky-dink broadcasting company, but at least it spared us listening to Dickie V most of the year. IMO Jay Bilas is one of the best sports analysts - he's articulate, clear and concise - no BS.

RE: Dick Vitale picks UNC to win it all, Dick Baddour gets ready for it

who cares what that A@@whole thinks.

RE: Dick Vitale picks UNC to win it all, Dick Baddour gets ready for it

Its not such a shock that hes picking the Heels this year. I mean, they are one of the 4 teams left so its at least a 25% chance he'll be right. Its not so off the wall that hes picking them.

When the Heels have had their time, and are not contenders (yes it will happen) then Vitale will choose one of the teams who are. To be sure, no one really expected him to pick a Miss. state or a Rutgers did they?

By the way im picking Villanova myself. Yep I have that same 25% chance too.

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North Carolina