Dick Vitale stepping away from Saturday night ESPN games

Synonymous with College Gameday, Dick Vitale and his rambling and screaming was iconic. There are few people in America as passionate about anything as Vitale is with college basketball.

However, he’s had to take a small step away from his love, no longer the voice of prime time college basketball games on Saturday nights. USA Today interviewed Vitale, who was nothing but happy with his decision.

"Vitale will not be doing the prime time Saturday games, something he has done since 2005. That role will be going to Jay Bilas.But the longtime broadcaster has gotten a three-year contract extension, and he couldn’t be more upbeat. Even judged by the standards of Vitale’s upbeat nature.He doesn’t plan on cutting back at all.“ESPN has treated me like royalty,” Vitale told USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday. “They extended my contract, I’m really excited about it,”…“There aren’t many guys my age who can fill a schedule that I’m going to do,” he said. “I feel like I have the energy of a 25-year-old. I’ll match my energy, my passion, my love for game with anybody. I still have it and I hope to have for a number of years.”"

While not always the fan favorite in terms of analysis, not hearing Dickie V on those Saturday night games will be an odd feeling. A personal favorite was listening to him call the annual Duke vs. North Carolina matches.

However, Bilas is a great, relatively young analyst who I think can fill the role admirably. He certainly won’t be able to match Vitale’s enthusiasm, nor will he be expected. There isn’t anyone who is like Vitale, and college basketball fans are thankful he’s still around in some capacity.