On CBS Sportsline today, columnist Gregg Doyel slams the idea of Duke’s biggest cheerleader (Billy Packer is a close second) becoming a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Some of the highlights of the column include:

“….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.”

“ 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.”

“He has become college basketball’s most recognized voice. But try something for me, please: Next time you’re driving a car, roll down your window. What’s the most recognizable voice on the road? The car missing the muffler — That’s Vitale. He’s loud. He’s persistent. He talks so much, he can’t stop.”

I take some degree of delight in how disgusted Doyel is by the thought of Vitale being enshrined in Springfield. Because, I kind of agree.

I don’t think Vitale has a case for enshrinement. He was sub-par as a coach and I think his on-air personality is polarizing at best. In the column, Doyel claims to have muted the volume whenever Vitale is calling a game. I’ve done the exact same thing and I think all of us have at one point or another (especially if Duke’s involved.)

Vitale’s as subtle as a RPG and I think his impact on college basketball is negligible. Consider this for a second: March Madness is one of the biggest sporting events in all of sport (second maybe only to the Super Bowl) and Vitale has no involvement. Does that mean people don’t care or don’t watch it? Hardly.

College basketball sells itself and it didn’t, and still doesn’t, need Vitale to help foster its growth.

Keep Dickie V out of Springfield.

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