FORT WORTH, Texas — According to a press release, SCWA is pleased to welcome Dick Vitale, college basketball’s top analyst and ambassador, as its 2023 keynote speaker.
Vitale called ESPN’s first-ever major NCAA basketball game — and since then over 1,000 games.
A wide array of national magazines, ranging from Sports Illustrated, Sport and The Sporting News to People, and Travel & Leisure have highlighted his career and life achievements.
The SCWA convention attendees are in store for a great morning, enjoying Vitale’s enthusiastic, passionate, sometimes controversial — but never boring — style.
Known as Dickie V to his legions of fans all over America, this New Jersey native is to college basketball what fireworks and watermelon are to the 4th of July.
“I’m living the American dream,” Vitale once said. “I learned from my mom and dad, who didn’t have a formal education, but had Doctorates of Love. They told me that if you gave 110 percent all the time; beautiful things will happen. I may not always be right, but no one can ever accuse me of not having a genuine love and passion for whatever I do”.
Vitale’s passion and enthusiasm have led to:
- Vitale being selected for 14 Halls of Fame
- Serving as a Famed ESPN Sports Analyst & ESPN’s #1 color analyst
- Named NSAA Sportscaster of the Year
- Successful College and Pro Coaching Career
- Inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
- Recipient of the Curt Gowdy Award
- College Sports Information Directors of America – Keith Jackson Eternal Flame Award.
And while his knowledge, preparation and enthusiasm are unparalleled, his “Vitale-isms” have unwittingly taken on a life of their own: “Awesome, Baby!” “DIAPER DANDY” “THATTA WAY” “Unbelievable!”
And, it’s not all about Sports, added the press release.
Vitale is on the Board of Directors of The V Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to finding a cure for cancer and founded by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano.
The organization has since raised over $130 million for cancer research.
His work took on new meaning as Vitale the faced his own Lymphoma cancer scare and has recently celebrated by “ringing the bell” announcing he is cancer free.
Join SCWA and hear Dick Vitale’s inspiring keynote at the SCWA 2023 Convention & EXPO on Feb. 22-24, 2023 at the Fort Worth Convention Center.
Register at www.swcarwash.org.
