Pardon the length of this post, but I found this hilarious, so I had to put it up. You may remember a day or so ago when I championed Gregg Doyle for calling out Coach K. Well Gregory is back to normal again today with an article on why Dick Vitale shouldn't be in the Hall of Fame.

The Highlights....

• -If Vitale makes it into my Hall of Fame, I'll disown the damn thing. You can have it if Vitale, who didn't achieve greatness but who had greatness thrust upon him like a pie thrust upon a clown's face, gets in.
• -And who is more dedicated to the preservation of coaches than Dick Vitale? Nobody. He spends much of his air time talking about the brilliance of the home coach, and the visiting coach, and 20 or 30 others along the way.
• -Witness that recent incident from a Florida restaurant, where he told a fellow diner some damaging remarks UF coach Billy Donovan had made to Vitale "in confidence." As if that weren't enough, Vitale didn't realize his cell phone was on, that he was talking to a live radio audience in Knoxville, Tenn. Truth is, that was most insightful thing Vitale has said in years. If it was anyone but Vitale, I'd have felt bad for the guy. Because it was Vitale, I just felt like laughing.
• -I'd call him a sycophant, but the dictionary defines sycophant as "a servile self-seeker who attempts to win favor by flattering influential people." Vitale isn't trying to flatter coaches; he's titillating them through the television set. It's gross.
• -If I sound resentful, well, you're damn right. I resent the fact that I can't watch marquee games on ESPN without having to endure his inanity or mute the sound. Those are the only options. Close-captioning doesn't work, because a transcript of the disjointed nonsense coming from Vitale's mouth might cause blindness.
• -Dick Vitale? In the Hall of Fame? This is a cause worth fighting. The Hall is sacred and mystical, like an ancient redwood. When one of those gets threatened, some guy comes along and chains himself to the tree. Today, I'm that guy. The Hall of Fame is that tree. Dick Vitale is the chainsaw. Only harder on my ears.

Okay Gregg.....where in that rant did you explain why he shouldn't be in? I'm confused. Okay he annoys you......I can't stand Hubie Brown (one of the driving forces to start this site), but I don't have a problem with him being in the Hall.

Dickie V is very polarizing.....in fact he may even define the word. What I don't understand is how you can argue that he hasn't brought more attention to the game through an unrivaled passion. You call him a "sycophant", but what do you call the countless hours spent at Basketball Camps and with the Jimmy V Foundation (many appearances which he's definitely not getting paid for)?

I think the Sports World could call you a sycophant for your past two articles. Why write un-popular opinions about two very popular figures? Maybe to get your name out? There's nothing wrong with that but let's call a spade a spade here.

Like most of my pieces for this site I'm going to use the phrase......."That's not even the funny part" here. The most hilarious part is if you click on the comments section someone called him out, and Gregg Doyle didn't like it.

Wow...what an arrogant, unwarranted article. To me it seems like Doyle chose his words to decribe Dick Vitale from a novel about jealous rage that insues when one person realizes he will never be anything more than someone who writes articles from his home computer getting paid 40 grand a year. The Hall of Fame is just that. The Hall of "FAME". Who is a greater voice for college baskeball than Dick Vitale? No one said you have to like him or his style. You have to respect him. - Commenter

Aww. Did I hurt your witty-bitty feelings? Get a clue, brother. Vitale hasn't been great since 1984, when he started copying himself. Every year he becomes a biggery self-parody. And spell my name right, knucklehead.- (The real) Gregg Doyel

You definitely didn't hurt my feelings...I could care less...but obviously something got to you. The fact that I misspelled your name is full of meaning. I won't be the last. Look Doyle...I would rather you write something that had purpose and meaning, than try to make yourself a name by just being pompous. If thats the road you want to travel down then great...just don't expect to become more than you are. It doesn't take talent to write that "column" that you wrote, It takes a keyboard and a chip on your shoulder. Glad you got that covered. Your right...it does feel good to chop someone down at the knees. Too bad I didn't have five more extra minutes left in my day...I could probably have a job like yours. - Commenter

Did I say it felt good to chop someone down at the knees? I did not. It hurts. Hurts bad. I have remorse right now over what I wrote today. I feel the need to tell you I'm joking. So: I'm joking.- (The real) Gregg Doyel

Good...now that you're done with your childish name calling, and not making a single point.....let me tell you this. The dude who invented the shot clock is in the HOF.....I think there's room in YOU'RE Hall of Fame for Vitale.

Over My Dead Body (Gregg Doyle: CBS Sportsline)

UPDATE: Doyle was apparently just on the Dan Patrick show and got into a verbal sparring match with him about this article. Doyle brought up that he got a 32 on the Wonderlic Test and challenged Dan to beat his score. Yeah we get it....you went to Harvard. Big whoop....wanna fight about it?

Seriously though....people (well just RUTS) are saying he's done nothing for the sport. Dick Vitale is/was one of the driving forces for ESPN to carry as many games as they do. He's like Howard Stern....you listen (watch) whether you like him or not.

Whether you like Dick or not he is one of the main reasons the sport is where it is today. We can just call him a television pioneer, and also....I rather enjoy the coach talk. Not all game though.