Wednesday, July 30, 2003

By Mike White, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Dickie V. had one question for Howie G.

"Howard, where is the shower? I'm drenched."

	Five-Star campers are all ears as Dick Vitale delivers his message. (Steve Mellon, Post-Gazette)

Dick Vitale, the mouth of college basketball, had just been through a 70-minute workout at Garfinkel's Five-Star Basketball Camp at Robert Morris University. His yellow ESPN polo shirt was soaked. He continually wiped sweat from his brow as he gulped ice water. He was spent.

But Vitale's workout consisted of only one exercise -- talking.

He makes a living talking. Yesterday, he talked to 515 high school boys' basketball players. OK, he did more than talk. He shouted. He cajoled. He pleaded. He begged.

This was Vitale as you've never heard him. He never uttered "diaper dandies" or "PTPers" or "Awesome, Baby." He talked to the campers about life lessons, urged them to chase their dreams but also to think about more than basketball. He begged them to stay away from drugs and told them to use the "magical words" more often.

"Learn to use these words more: 'I love you' and 'thank you.'"

Besides his work for ESPN, Vitale, 64, also gives motivational speeches around the country to corporations. Yesterday was his first Five-Star effort in 15 years.

"I think he's one of the most recognizable media people of all time, right up there with Howard Cosell," said Garfinkel. "But he's also one of the greatest motivational speakers. You hear Dick Vitale give a speech, you never forget it."

"I never really liked him that much before today," said Ryan Jones, a 6-foot-4 sophomore from Coudersport, Potter County. "Now, I think differently about him. He inspired me."

Here were some of Vitale's messages:

"You have to watch every decision you make. Look at Kobe Bryant. I don't know what happened in that room with that girl. But I'm telling you Kobe made a bad decision. He shouldn't have been where he was and he shouldn't have ever been in that situation."

"I'm going into my 25th year with ESPN and I've never been late for a meeting because I respect people. Some of you guys come late to school all the time, thinking you're cool. You're not cool. You have no respect for yourselves or other people."

On former University of Maryland star Len Bias, who died of a drug overdose in 1986. "That's not a story. It's a fact. I beg with you guys. I plead with you. I can't tell you how I've seen drugs destroy so many lives. And don't give me peer pressure. Be stronger than that. Be proud. Look in that mirror and say, 'I'm the best I can be. I don't have to do that.' Stay away from drugs. It will bring you to your knees."

"You guys talk about the best players around. A lot of you say Tracy McGrady because he can do this and that with the ball. I guarantee you never say Tim Duncan. But you know why he's the best? Because he does everything so fundamentally sound and he's a good person."

When he was done, Vitale was given a standing ovation.

"My wife gets very worried when I speak because she's worried I'm going to have a heart attack," Vitale said afterward. "But I love kids, I love people, and God gave me a gift to communicate. If I was able to save one, two or three kids who were maybe going to go off the wrong way, this was worth it."

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