Dick Vitale visits campus

Nicholas Valenzuela Arizona Daily Wildcat Veteran sports announcer and former basketball coach Dick Vitale speaks on "The Game of Life" Friday in the Memorial Student Union Senior Ballroom. Vitale told the audience of about 300 that, "An All-American is an ordinary kid with an extraordinary desire to excel."

"A lot of us have a dream and really want to be something special. But if you want to realize your dreams, you have to give all your body and all your spirit and go do something with it," Vitale told a crowd of about 300 people gathered in the Memorial St udent Union Senior Ballroom.

Recognized throughout the sports world as a guru of college basketball, Vitale was head coach of the University of Detroit men's basketball team in the mid-70s. In 1978, he moved on to the television broadcast booth after a brief stint coaching the NBA's Detroit Pistons.

He gained notoriety for his expertise and enthusiasm for college basketball as a colorful commentator for ABC and ESPN.

Vitale said success in life and in sports is achieved through desire and work ethic. He said coaching basketball taught him that the best players always achieved greatness through hard work - not raw talent.

"An All-American is an ordinary kid with an extraordinary desire to excel," he said.

Vitale told of his experience as a young coach, trying to recruit Magic Johnson out of high school. He said he made numerous trips to Lansing, Mich. to lure the young star to play college basketball at Detroit.

He said he would find Johnson early in the morning, shoveling snow off the basketball courts at his neighborhood playground so that he could practice.

"I would stand there watching him and say, 'that is a winner, please God, please let me have Magic,'" Vitale said.

But Johnson never played for Vitale. Instead, he chose Michigan State, where they won the national championship in 1979.

Vitale's speech, "The Game of Life" was sponsored by the Associated Students of the University of Arizona.

Moving from subject to subject in the tangential style that made him famous as an announcer, Vitale shared stories about his coaching career, his daughters, old friends and various sports heroes.

Telling the crowd about his childhood in New Jersey, Vitale said he always dreamed of coaching basketball. He was inspired by the dedication of his father, who worked 40 years in a coat pressing factory to support the family.

"My father worked long and hard, but he was a proud man because he was the best damn coat presser in the business," he said, his eyes swelling with tears. "He taught me to have pride, have a dream and always try to be my best."

Vitale said he would never have coached in the NBA without the encouragement and guidance of his father. He urged students to reach out and build loving relationships with family and friends.

"Make your parents proud of what you do and how you act," he said. "Most importantly, don't ever forget where you came from."

Vitale also warned students about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

"I know that you drink a lot in college, but you need to be intelligent. You can throw all of your dreams out the window if you don't think," he said.

Despite several receptive ovations, most students in attendance said they wanted to hear Vitale talk more about basketball.

"He is caring, passionate and blindly optimistic, but I think he could have conveyed his message a little better by staying focused on basketball," said Nick Sakoyannis, a finance senior.

With the basketball season winding down, Vitale offered his thoughts on the UA's post season chances. Despite recent losses in conference play, he said the Wildcats could be a major threat in the NCAA tournament.

"Don't be surprised if they show up in the top five of my pre-season rankings next year," Vitale said.

Outside the ballroom, Vitale autographed copies of his fifth book, Holding Court. Vitale joked that only in America could a guy like himself write five books.

"My friends say that's five more than I've ever read."