Eleven years later there is finally peace between Dick Vitale and The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz. Vitale called in to the ESPN Radio show on Thursday and brought up an incident from August of 2011, where he got so upset with Stugotz that he hung up on the show.
During the 2011 interview, Vitale called on then University of Miami President Donna Shalala to resign in the wake of the scandal stemming from booster Nevin Shapiro paying members of the football team. Stugotz fired back with questions about basketball programs and friends of Vitale’s in the sport and how much the NCAA looked the other way on.
“One of the biggest mistakes I ever made was the day we had that situation where I hung up on you guys,” Vitale said as a guest on Thursday’s show. “I felt so bad, because to tell you the truth, that’s not me.”
At the time, Vitale did not realize Stugotz was the one asking the questions. He blamed Le Batard for the incident. This week though, he changed his tune noting that the duo is very good at what it does.
“In this business, if you can survive, if you can survive year after year after year, you’re doing something right because it is so difficult, so subjective to a person or an administration. So you guys are doing a great great job. I just want some of the cash you’re making.”
Stugotz made it clear, just in case Vitale still was not aware, that he was the one at fault. He even did something very rare for himself. Stugotz apologized for his role in the beef!
“There’s a big weight off my back now, because ever since that day I haven’t been right,” Stugotz said. “So I apologize and I love you. We got made at each other. You blamed it on Dan. It was perfect. But I love you and I respect the hell out of you, not only for what you do for [the Jimmy V Foundation], but for what you are and what you do in general.”
