For almost exactly two years, Baton Rouge sports radio host Jordy Culotta has tenaciously called out Dick Vitale’s coverage of the NCAA investigation into LSU’s basketball program. Culotta and Vitale have engaged in heated arguments both on-air and on social media over the issue.
The cause for a potential notice of allegation stems from 2019, when LSU men’s basketball coach Will Wade was suspended by the school after being named in an FBI investigation regarding payments to recruits. But more than whether or not the NOA will eventually be handed to LSU from NCAA, Culotta and many Tigers fans feel Vitale has an agenda against them.
The issue came up again Sunday, during ESPN’s coverage of the LSU-Alabama SEC Tournament final featuring Vitale and Karl Ravech on the call, which seemingly upset Wade.
“I talked to him the day before the game. He said he was going to talk strictly about basketball,” Wade later said. “And he gets on there, and there’s all sorts of other stuff. What I said is the truth.”
Culotta tweeted the quote from Wade, garnering the attention of Vitale and fellow sportscaster Tim Brando who joined in to offer the beloved college basketball analyst some support.
Last year, Culotta said his issue with Vitale is because of “the irresponsible reporting by one of the faces of college basketball and the irresponsibility that ESPN has allowed this guy to get away with on Twitter.” He highlighted Vitale’s frequent tweets criticizing LSU and Will Wade, while taking a softer stance on other college basketball coaches who have committed wrongful actions. But the 81-year-old Vitale still maintains he’s been more than fair in his coverage of LSU and Wade.
Brandon Contes is a former reporter for BSM, now working for Awful Announcing. You can find him on Twitter @BrandonContes or reach him by email at Brandon.Contes@gmail.com.
