• I am absolutely upset that a lot of innocent kids are going to be hurt by the transition in the world of college coaching. Please, please somebody from the NCAA think about that national letter of intent. Give youngsters the opportunity to be re-recruited and go elsewhere if desired if the coach that originally signed them departs. If they want to follow that coach to their next school, they should have to sit out one year.
• We are going to have a great, great night on May 18th down at the Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota, Florida. That evening, Mike Krzyzewski will be honored at a Jimmy V Foundation fundraiser. Over 500 tickets have been sold and a number of coaches will be in attendance, including Michigan State's Tom Izzo, Rick Pitino of Louisville, Gary Williams of Maryland and Mike Brey of Notre Dame to name a few. For all of you who would like to help as we are trying to raise $1 million for a research grant to battle melanoma, or if you are interested in purchasing tickets, please call 1-800-4-JIMMY V and ask for Joyce Aschenbrenner. Jimmy would be proud of the way coaches and fans have responded in an effort to beat cancer.
• If there was ever a perfect fit of a coach and a school, Tommy Amaker and Harvard are a super match. He is a natural for the Ivy League school, a man who has always made academics a strong suit. Remember his own career at Duke and you understand why he feels education is so important. Amaker should do a phenomenal job in Cambridge, Massachusetts as he represents the school in a first-class manner. I was thrilled to see him resurface after what happened at Michigan. He did have success at Seton Hall and Michigan and I feel he will make the Crimson a contender in the Ivy League.
• Texas A&M got a good one in Mark Turgeon. The former Wichita State coach has worked diligently in a tough situation because every game in the Missouri Valley is a battle, home and away. He is ready for the challenge following the superman-like performance by Billy Gillispie, so this will not be easy for Turgeon. The Aggies got a good one in the former Kansas point guard, who played under Larry Brown.
• At the Portsmouth Invitational, where kids get to showcase their talents in front of all sorts of NBA people, players got to upgrade their stock. According to several scouting gurus, athletic Russell Carter, who had a solid season for a Notre Dame team that made the big dance, improved his draft status. He had 28 points in the championship game, hitting 12-of-17 field goal tries. Wright State's DaShaun Wood earned Tournament MVP honors; he did a great job under first-year coach Brad Brownell in the Horizon League. Wood was originally recruited by Paul Bianciardi. Wood caught the attention of many scouts. Other noteworthy players who made the All-Tournament team included Iowa's Adam Haluska, Jamaal Tatum of Southern Illinois and Purdue's Carl Landry.
• It is vacation time in Siesta Key and at breakfast time, my favorite eating place (The Broken Egg) has been infiltrated by many Hoosiers fans. Let me tell you, Indians people are enthused and excited about the arrival of diaper dandy Eric Gordon. He is not the only one coming aboard and Kelvin Sampson created some excitement in his first season in Bloomington. Indiana recently signed 6-8 JUCO DeAndre Thomas from Chicago. With Gordon in the fold, it should be a special campaign. Indiana went unbeaten at home last season (15-0). Indiana should consider naming new facilities after The General, Robert Montgomery Knight. If you agree, send a note to the Indiana President's office in Bloomington. Nobody has brought more to Indiana athletics in the school's history than Knight.
• It was great to see that former Duke All-America and University of Pittsburgh radio analyst Dick Groat was named to the College Basketball Hall of Fame. I have met Dick many times over the years and he is a class act. Also in the latest class are Kareem-Abdul Jabbar, Austin Carr and former Knicks guard and Tennessee State star Dick Barnett.
• Time to switch gears and talk a little baseball, my friends. Yes, the little white ball! I think it is going to be a big year for Alex Rodriguez and he will hit 50 home runs! He is off to a big start already. It will be a special year as he has trimmed down and mentally he is prepared to put up monster numbers for the pinstripes. He will be the AL MVP. In the NL, Jose Reyes will have a banner season. He is about a lot more than just numbers; he has the intangibles that make the difference and he is my pick for MVP. I like Johan Santana as AL Cy Young and Carlos Zambrano of the Cubs for NL MVP. The inspiration of Lou Piniella will help. Delmon Young is the total package and will be the AL Rookie of the Year. My choice for NL newcomer is Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. I see fans in the Big Apple celebrating. The Yankees and Mets to meet in the World Series, with Joe Torre's Bronx Bombers taking the championship.
Dick Vitale coached the Pistons and the University of Detroit before broadcasting ESPN's first college basketball game in December 1979. Send him a question for possible use on ESPNEWS.
