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Dick Vitale makes March Madness predictions, talks bracket challenge against Punxsutawney Phil

By Sam Richmond

Jan 28, 2015; South Bend, IN, USA; ESPN commentator Dick Vitale calls the game between the Duke Blue Devils and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center. Notre Dame defeats Duke 77-73. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 28, 2015; South Bend, IN, USA; ESPN commentator Dick Vitale calls the game between the Duke Blue Devils and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center. Notre Dame defeats Duke 77-73. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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ESPN’s Dick Vitale gave his thoughts on the 2015 NCAA tournament and discussed why he’s going head-to-head with Punxsutawney Phil in a bracket contest.

We all have that one person in our March Madness pool that we badly want to beat. For ESPN’s Dick Vitale, that person isn’t even a person: it’s famed groundhog Punxsutawney Phil.

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Vitale is going head-to-head with Phil in an epic bracket challenge as a part of Allstate’s March Mayhem Challenge. Vitale has participated in the challenge the past two years, beating the Georgia Aquarium’s sports-predicting dolphins in 2013 and, Joel, the Fort Worth Herd’s one-ton longhorn in 2014.

While this is a friendly competition that benefits the V Foundation and the Groundhog Club, Vitale wasn’t afraid to talk a little smack about Phil to FanSided prior to the two competitors unveiling their picks on Tuesday in Indianapolis.

“He’s a great prognosticator,” Vitale said. “But he only deals with one prediction all year, so i think fatigue might play a vital role. I make predictions all year and I think Phil will get tired when we get down to the later rounds and I’ll ultimately win.”

It’s hard to fault Vitale for being confident, considering the bold picks Phil made Tuesday, such as Purdue defeating Kentucky in the Round of 32.

On the other hand, Vitale has the undefeated Wildcats running the table.

“I think Kentucky is just too talented for the rest of the field,” Vitale said. “34-0 is no fluke. They have all the components you’d want in a team. They have size, they have depth, they have backcourt play, they have (Karl-Anthony Towns), they have coaching, they have a winners mentality, they’re unselfish. What is there not to like about Kentucky?”

Still, Vitale doesn’t view Kentucky as unbeatable. He says that Notre Dame has a shot at knocking them out in the Midwest regional final.

“The Irish are the kind of team that might be able to do some damage,” Vitale said. “They can make the 3 — there’s nothing more important for a team going against Kentucky than being able to knock down threes. If they can make their threes, they have a chance to beat them.”

While Vitale’s bracket features top teams Villanova and Virginia meeting in the East regional final, he said he wouldn’t be stunned if either team got knocked out early.

Vitale told us that Michigan State is a “dangerous team” and that he could see them beating Virginia in the Round of 32. He also sees NC State and Louisville as possible threats to the No. 1 seeded Villanova Wildcats.

As for possible first-round upsets, Vitale says Georgetown needs to be careful against Eastern Washington.

“I watched Eastern Washington beat the (Indiana Hooisers) at Indiana and was very impressed with their offensive game,” Vitale said. They have (Tyler Harvey) who can really score. That could be a dangerous team.”

The NCAA Tournament begins with Hampton and Manhattan facing off in the First Four round Tuesday night at 6:40 p.m. ET on truTv.

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