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Four questions for Dick Vitale

Pat Rooney, Special to the Rocky

Published January 6, 2009 at 10:41 p.m.

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Hall of Fame announcer Dick Vitale never has been at a loss for words. That form has been holding true during his whirlwind visit to Colorado.

In town to broadcast tonight's Nuggets game against the Miami Heat, the longtime ESPN announcer indulged in a diversion Tuesday, greeting fans at the LoDo Tattered Cover and signing copies of his new book, 50 Fabulous Players & Moments in College Basketball, which chronicles the top athletes and moments from Vitale's 30 years of calling games for ESPN.

Vitale took a few minutes to chat with the Rocky about the book, which benefits the V Foundation's fight against cancer (to make a contribution or buy a copy of the book, visit DickVitaleOnline.com).

No. 1: What was the biggest challenge coming up with the lists for the book?

When you think about 50 best players, there are 150 All-Americans in 30 years. So there are All-Americans you ultimately are going to leave off. We batted around about it. I had some people help me. My name is on the book, so I made the final decision.

There were some players where I said, "How can I leave him off?" The one thing the book did for me, it brought back so many memories. Mike Krzyzewski said to me, "When I looked at the book, man did it bring back feelings and emotions of things that happened." And that's what we were trying to do.

No. 2: Who were the toughest omissions?

We have a list in the back. Guys like Reggie Miller, a great player at UCLA. Charles Barkley at Auburn. Mark Price. They didn't make the list. We've got 30 national players of the year, so automatically they were going to be a factor.

No. 3: What are your favorite campuses to visit?

It's special to go down to Kansas. Rock Chalk, Jayhawk. They have such a passion for basketball. The Cameron Crazies at Duke - it's so unique and special, the intensity, the emotion. You go to (Kentucky's) Rupp Arena, they probably are the most incredible fans with such a love and admiration for college basketball and the blue and white. You go to the museum - I call it the museum, the Dean Dome (at North Carolina). You look at all the jerseys and all the greats that have played there. I get goose bumps at a lot of these places still. I really get a feeling, hearing the crowds getting their chants and going wild. There is something about a college environment.

No. 4: How much homework have you done for this NBA broadcast?

Basketball is basketball to me. I'm still going to try to bring my spirit, my enthusiasm. I think one thing I have going for me is a lot of these players I've seen grow up, watching them grow from "Diaper Dandies" like Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony.

I'm crushed that Melo is not going to be playing. Not as crushed as George Karl, but maybe as crushed as Melo and the rest of the Nuggets players.