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What Dick Vitale, 85, said in emotional return from cancer battles at Duke-Clemson: 'My Super Bowl'
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- What Dick Vitale, 85, said in emotional return from cancer battles at Duke-Clemson: 'My Super Bowl'
CLEMSON — Dick Vitale thought this day would never come.
Vitale, 85, called No. 21 Clemson basketball vs. No. 2 Duke on Saturday at Littlejohn Coliseum with Dave O'Brien and Cory Alexander. It is his first time announcing a men's college basketball since April 3, 2023, when he called the international broadcast of the San Diego State vs. UConn national championship.
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Vitale overcame battles with melanoma, lymphoma, vocal cord and lymph node cancer to make his long-awaited return. Originally, he was going to return on Jan. 25 for Duke vs. Wake Forest, but was forced to postpone after falling at his home. He was ecstatic to be back.
On the ESPN broadcast during a timeout, Vitale shared what he endured to return to the game that brings him so much joy.
"This is like my Super Bowl to be able to sit courtside and do a game," Vitale said. "It beats the (mess) out of chemotherapy and radiation. I want to say all cancer patients out there, please listen to me: think positive, have faith and keep fighting and fighting and fighting. I know what you're going through, and it's not fun."
Vitale shared Friday that there were days where he thought he would never return to calling basketball games. He even thought he would never see his family again while getting chemotherapy.
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However, Vitale was uplifted from family, like his wife Lorraine and daughters Terri and Sherri, fans and friends, including former Villanova basketball's Jay Wright, Tennessee's Rick Barnes, Michigan State's Tom Izzo and Arkansas' John Calipari.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Dick Vitale return emotional after cancer battles for Duke-Clemson
