For the first time since joining ESPN, Dick Vitale will not be behind the mic for North Carolina/Duke. In other news, TNT’s Craig Sager says he hopes to return next month, and the first female SportsCenter anchor has passed away.
Vitale Not Assigned UNC/Duke
- ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale was not assigned to Wednesday’s North Carolina/Duke rivalry game, the first time since he joined ESPN in 1979 that he has not called the marquee matchup. Jay Bilas will serve as the lone analyst for the game. Vitale, who will instead call Kentucky/Tennessee on Tuesday, said in an interview with a local newspaper that while he is a “loyal, team player,” he will “absolutely miss being a part of North Carolina-Duke.” (tampabay.com, newsobserver.com)
Sager Says He Hopes to Be Back in March
- Turner Sports sideline reporter Craig Sager said Sunday that he hopes to return to TNT NBA coverage “probably around March 1, if everything goes well the next two weeks” (TNT, 2/15). Sager was responding to well-wishes by Knicks F Carmelo Anthony as part of an appearance on TNT’s pregame show prior to the NBA All-Star Game — just his third on-air appearance since he was diagnosed with leukemia last spring. (TNT)
First Female SportsCenter Anchor Dies
- Former SportsCenter anchor and ABC golf analyst Rhonda Glenn passed away Thursday at age 68. When she debuted on SportsCenter in 1981, Glenn not only became that show’s first female anchor, but the first woman to ever serve as a full-time sportscaster on a national network. (ESPN Front Row)
