Sports Quote of the Day: Dick Vitale Inspires With a Double Dose of Optimism

Dick Vitale is one of the most colorful personalities in college basketball.

The legendary broadcaster has been with ESPN almost since its inception, thrilling fans and informing the sports world for nearly 47 years. His exuberance and joy for the sport are palpable in every single telecast. Ever since Vitale's first broadcast, a Wisconsin-DePaul game on Dec. 5, 1979, his organic optimism and frenetic brand of excitement have permeated the college basketball world.

Prior to broadcasting, Vitale rose through the New Jersey high school basketball coaching ranks in the 1960s on his way to an assistant coaching position at Rutgers University in the early 1970s. That led to the head coaching gig at the University of Detroit and ultimately a brief stint as coach of the NBA's Detroit Pistons.

Away from the court, the 86-year-old Vitale inspires with his work raising funds for pediatric cancer research through the V Foundation.

Two Lessons for the Price of One

Vitale is a fountain of seemingly boundless enthusiasm, so it should be no surprise that he can squeeze two life lessons into a single powerful quote.

Why It Matters

Any high achiever will tell you that pessimism is the enemy. Vitale reinforces that notion here, along with a nod to the Golden Rule of treating others the same way you would like to be treated. He walks the walk with his charitable work, including the annual Dick Vitale Gala, which has raised more than $105 million for the V Foundation.