Legendary college basketball commentator Dick Vitale expressed devastation over Yahoo Sports' recent coverage of the Federal Bureau of Investigations' probe into 'pay-to-play' scandals that over the years became prevalent in the so-called "underbelly" of the NCAA, on Friday, February 23.
"I am CRUSHED reading this but not SHOCKED at these alleged happenings/the sleazy characters prey on these kids when in 8th grade," the 78-year-old ESPN broadcaster tweeted upon coming across the bombshell report. "This is a nightmare for NCAA & college basketball!"
Vitale would return to Twitter several more times throughout the day to share a mix of emotions. Twenty minutes after posting the article he informed followers that he had gotten in contact with a coach who promised that the information unearthed by reporters Pat Forde and Pete Thamel is "just the beginning." But then just after noontime, Vitale came back around to warn readers not to "RUSH to JUDGEMENT on hoops scandal" and to "wait until all the FACTS come out."
Forde and Thamel rocked the sporting world by unveiling some of the findings from an FBI review of over 4,000 intercepted phone calls over the course of a year. Over 20 Division-1 programs are believed to have poured monetary resources into unethical recruitment practices involving at least 25 players. Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky and Michigan State are just some of the schools associated with the probe, which pivots much of its focus on the workings of former NBA agent Andy Miller, his associate Christian Dawkins, and his ASM Sports agency.
Vitale steered his focus towards Miller in the last couple of posts he released for the day, with him stating in one tweet that the once prominent representative was caught promising DeAndre Ayton $100K.
