‘Devastated & heartbroken’: Felon accused of making fake pledge to Dick Vitale’s charity
SARASOTA, Fla. — A Florida man is facing charges after investigators said he used a false name and identity to try to buy a luxury car and two properties. >> Read more trending newsSarasota County Sheriff’s deputies announced charges against Robert Schnepf in a news release, and said the convicted felon also used a false identity to pledge money he didn’t have to sportscaster Dick Vitale’s charity. At a Sarasota car dealership, deputies said the man, still identifying himself as “Banagino,” agreed to buy a 2002 Mercedes-Benz valued at more than $132,000. The manager at the car dealership introduced the man to Vitale, who founded The V Foundation. Deputies said they identified “Banagino” as Robert Schnepf, 48, a two-time convicted felon.
wftv.comDick Vitale to get award named after his friend Jim Valvano during Wednesday’s ESPYS
Vitale, after fighting cancer, will get the Jimmy V Award at the ESPYS. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images/Getty Images)Dick Vitale, the longtime ESPN college basketball broadcaster, will be the recipient of the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance on Wednesday night at the ESPYS award ceremony. The award is given to a person “who has overcome great obstacles through perseverance and determination.” Vitale announced in April that he is cancer-free. Valvano’s speech the night he received the award, given only weeks before his death, has become a classic. Vitale can be seen in the clip below helping Valvano to get up the stairs and onto the stage to accept his award.
wftv.comESPN's Vitale rings bell in celebration of being cancer free
Dick Vitale Health Basketball FILE - ESPN sportscaster Dick Vitale poses before an NCAA college basketball game between between Texas A&M and Arkansas at the Southeastern Conference tournament Saturday, March 12, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. Longtime college basketball broadcaster Dick Vitale is celebrating after finishing chemotherapy at Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Florida. “Ring that bell.”This time, Vitale wasn't calling a big dunk or a clutch play by another college basketball star. For nearly as long as Vitale has been a part of college basketball, he has been fighting against cancer. A prominent fundraiser for children’s cancer research, Vitale is planning his 17th annual Dick Vitale Gala in early May in Sarasota.
wftv.comDick Vitale returns to court, gets recognized at SEC tourney
College basketball icon Dick Vitale made an appearance at the Southeastern Conference Tournament on Saturday, getting recognized for his contributions to the sport, the league and his fight against cancer. He hadn't made an in-person appearance at a college basketball game since calling reigning national champion Baylor’s 57-36 victory against Villanova in mid-December. For nearly as long as Vitale has been a part of college basketball, he has been fighting against cancer. A prominent fundraiser for children’s cancer research, Vitale is planning his 17th annual Dick Vitale Gala in early May in Sarasota. ___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25Copyright 2022 The Associated Press.
wftv.comEarly madness: Top 6 teams lose on same day for 1st time
An unpredictable college basketball season took an unprecedented turn Saturday, when the top six and seven of the top 10 teams lost. Gonzaga, Arizona, Auburn, Purdue, Kansas and Kentucky all went down, marking the first time in AP poll era (1948–49) that the top six teams lost on the same day. 9 Texas Tech also lost, setting another record for most top-10 teams losing in one day. The pandemonium shouldn't have been much of a surprise the way this college basketball season has gone so far. ___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25Copyright 2022 The Associated Press.
wftv.comDick Vitale taking extended break from ESPN college hoops
Villanova Baylor Basketball ABC/ESPN basketball analyst Dick Vitale sits at midcourt prior to an NCAA college basketball game between Baylor and Villanova, Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Ray Carlin) (Ray Carlin)Dick Vitale is taking an extended break from the airwaves to rest his voice. The Basketball Hall of Fame announcer said tests showed he had lymphoma and the treatment plan involved steroids and six months of chemotherapy. Because he will be away from college basketball broadcasts, Vitale said he didn’t want people to fear that he had a setback in his cancer recovery. ___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25Copyright 2021 The Associated Press.
wftv.comSports announcer Dick Vitale cries as he returns to television amid cancer battle
Dick Vitale emotional as he returns to television. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 23: ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale waves before calling a game between the No. 2 UCLA Bruins at T-Mobile Arena on November 23, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)LAS VEGAS — Legendary ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale returned to television Tuesday for his first time since receiving a cancer diagnosis and could not hold back his emotion. Vitale has been with ESPN for more than 40 years, and called the network’s first-ever major NCAA basketball game in 1979.
wftv.comAwesome, baby! Dick Vitale ‘cancer clear’ after melanoma removed
Dick Vitale 'cancer clear' College basketball announcer Dick Vitale revealed his is "cancer clear" after having a growth removed from his face in June. Vitale had surgery on June 28 to have the growth removed, according to Sports Illustrated. He was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008. “If you take nothing else away from my personal cancer story, please remember this -- DON’T WASTE TIME!” Vitale wrote on ESPNFrontRow.com. If you see or feel something, even if it’s not bothering you or infected, get it evaluated,” Vitale wrote.
wftv.comFlorida Senators vote to name FSU men's basketball team national champs
click image Photo via FSU Hoops/TwitterIts becoming a thing for Florida politicians to declare victory off the field.Late Friday, hours after most sports in America went dark because of the spread of COVID-19, Florida senators voted 33-2 to pass a resolution (SR 1934) declaring Florida State Universitys mens basketball team national champions. Joe Gruters, a Sarasota Republican and Florida State alum, justified his claim in part because of a tournament prediction by basketball TV announcer Dick Vitale. 1 seed, were declared the winner of the ACC postseason tournament when it was canceled due to COVID-19.In 2018, Florida lawmakers jumped on board efforts to proclaim the University of Central Florida as college football national champions. The logic: Alabama defeated Georgia in the college football championship game, after Auburn had defeated Alabama. And the UCF Knights, who were not invited to the college playoffs, completed an undefeated season by beating Auburn in the Peach Bowl.
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