By Erich R Pilcher

March.

This month alone brings hopes of spring. It takes us away from the doldrums of winter. Our clocks spring ahead an hour, we start thinking about summer vacations, college students entering spring break, and so forth. It is a great time of the year. It also brings us one of, if not the greatest event in all sports. The National Collegiate Association of America (NCAA) Division 1 Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Or, commonly known as March Madness.

Every year 68 teams compete over three weeks in a single-elimination tournament period to crown the National Champion. There are magical moments, stars are born, upsets happen, buzzer-beaters and Cinderella teams. It is pure magic. It encapsulates all that is beautiful and elegant in the world of sports. To have such a great event, there must be a magical voice to tell the audience the story. Sadly, one of those voices will not be around this season and it dampens the magical madness a great deal.

Richard John Vitale, known as “Dickie V” has been a college basketball analyst mainstay since 1979 when his coaching career ended when he was a part of ESPN’s first college basketball broadcast. For the next 40 plus years, Vitale would provide the soundtrack to the college basketball season. His unique voice and catchphrases would become a part of common vernacular.

“Diaper Dandies (talented freshman), “P.T.P’er”(prime time player or great player), “Dipsey Doo Dunkeroo” (an exciting dunk), “Super Scintillating, Sensational (said when a great play occurs or to describe a great player) and “Awesome baby” (used to show excitement), among many others. You more than likely have heard these phrases because they don’t even just transcend basketball, they transcend sports, they have become a part of society. That just shows the popularity Vitale has due to his passion and knowledge.

This past August, Vitale announced he was undergoing treatment for a melanoma that had been discovered by doctors. Then in October (right before the start of college basketball season) Vitale was diagnosed with Lymphoma and sought treatment. He made his triumphant and emotional return to the booth in a Final Four rematch between Gonzaga and UCLA. He cried pregame, but he delivered a performance that was the standard of Vitale. It was as if the world returned to normal. Dickie V had reclaimed his throne.

Sadly, it was short-lived. January 24 Vitale announced via Twitter (following his absence after the aforementioned game) that he was diagnosed with dysplasia on his vocal cords and would need to rest. This effectively ended the season for Vitale. Despite this Vitale has been active on Twitter giving analysis that is on a character limit. But because of Vitale’s limitless knowledge, drive and passion he gives the people what they want within those character limits. Because Vitale has limitless character.

When speaking of Vitale, one would be remiss to not speak of his charitable endeavors. With the same love, joy, and passion he exudes in college basketball broadcast, he does for the V Foundation (click the link to donate). Named after the late North Carolina State Head Coach James “Jimmy” Valvano or Jimmy V (his 1983 team won the national title with an epic upset of the Houston Cougars in the title game). Vitale has worked tirelessly to raise over 290 million dollars for cancer research. Most notable 100% of every penny raised goes to cancer research.

To me, this college basketball season has felt a touch empty without Vitale. So many moments have felt diminished without his exuberance, his excitement, and his love. This March those catchphrases that echoed through our television speakers and brought unbridled excitement to the game are not there. There will be no Dickie V upset special picks on Selection Sunday and no overwhelming joy when Cinderella strikes a sledgehammer to a majority of the nation’s brackets breaking them and the pieces falling to a faint memory.

However, at this time of the year, I do not think Vitale would want us to be sad and glum. He would want us to be excited, to enjoy the madness. To embrace next three weeks. Vitale recently announced he has already won March Madness, his doctors advised he is cancer free. So as we watch let’s loosen vocal cords and in our best Dickie V voice scream “Awesome Baby” at our televisions. Because even if this March will not be the same without him, it is only because no March has been the same because of him.

WRITERS NOTE: I myself have lost many family members to the horrible disease that is cancer. In honor of Dick Vitale being cancer free, or if you have lost anyone to this disease, I would like to ask you to click the link below to donate to the V Foundation. You can contribute in the memory of someone you have lost, do it in your name or remain anonymous. Remember, 100% of ALL DONATIONS go to cancer research. Any amount helps. Thank you for your consideration.

https://donate.v.org/give/353765/#!/donation/checkout?c_src=Homepage&c_src2=DonateButton