Leave it to Dickie V to create his own language… Vitale-isms! For those who are unfamiliar with Dickie V’s trademark lingo, we have provided a glossary of Vitale-isms and their English translations! Like ... Diaper Dandy: sensational freshman, and Space Eater: big guy.
Vitale-isms
- All-mystique: inconsistent
- Blender: an unselfish player
- Bringing a W: getting a win
- Cream Puff Delight: coach who plays an easy schedule
- December: ZZZZ time because teams have been loading up on patsies
- Diaper Dandy: sensational freshman
- Dipsy-doo Dunk-a-roo: flashy slam dunk
- Dishes the Rock: passes the ball
- Doughnut Offense: team without a center
- Dow Joneser: up-and-down, inconsistent player
- Drillin' Reggies When They Need Pete Roses: taking long shots when they need short shots
- High Riser: good leaper (see Skywalker)
- Human Space Ship: big player
- Isolation Man: great one-on-one player
- Key or Engine: the player who leads the team
- Knee-Knocker: close game
- M&Mer: a mismatch
- MIAer: player who disappears
- Mr. Pac Man: eats you alive on defense
- N.C.: no contest
- Perimeter J: a jump shot
- P.T.: playing time
- P.T.P.: a prime-time player
- Prime Time: good basketball, what people pay to see
- Q.T.: quality time
- Shoots the Area-Code J: shoots from long distance
- Skywalker: good leaper (see High Riser)
- Slam, Bam, Jam: an impressive slam dunk
- Space Eater: big guy
- Strawberry Shortcake: NCAA tournament time, when the underachievers get their just desserts
- Surf and Turfer: superstar
- 3-D Man: he drives, he draws, he dishes
- Times Square: playing slow-tempo
- Trifecta: three-point basket Indianapolis
- Raceway: up-tempo
- Wilson Sandwich: what you get when your shot is rejected in your face
- Xs and Os: used to explain strategy
Dick Vitale's Teams
- All-Alcatraz Team: players expected to have breakout seasons
- All-Airport Team: players who look good in airports but get no playing time
- All-AT&T Team: long-distance bombers
- All-Avis Team: players who try harder
- All-Diaper Dandies Team: top freshman players
- All-Frank Lloyd Wright Team: coaches who are master architects building a program
- All-Innovative Team: great point guards
- All-Marco Polo Team: best transfer players
- All-Michelangelo Team: coaches who are brilliant artists at work
- All-Overrated Team: players who have been built up as stars but don't deliver
- All-Potential Team: players who need to start living up to the billing they received in high school
- All-Rip Van Winkle Team: players who are sleepers
- All-Rolls Royce Team: superstars at their positions
- All-Solid Gold Preseason Team: the five best players by position
- All-SportsCenter Team: coaches who need PR
- All-Used Car Salesman Team: coaches who are good salesman
- All-Volkswagen Team: players who aren't superstars but are dependable
- All-Wacko Team: coaches who display unorthodox methods and styles
- All-Windex Team: players who clean the glass (i.e., great rebounders)
- All-World B. Free Team: players with the best names