Before I began my interview with Dick Vitale, I thought that I'd have to transcribe half the interview in all capital letters. This is the guy, after all, who coined phrases like "SLAP A LAPPER NAPPER!" and "DIAPER DANDY!" as well as ending every other sentence with "BABY!" I figured Dick would be the same maniacally energetic personality in a phone interview that he is on TV. It's not exactly the case. While Dick's love of basketball (and all sports) shines through at all times, it seems Dickie-V looks to save his energy for game-time. In celebration of today's release of the download-only NCAA Basketball 09: March Madness Edition today on Xbox Live, and Selection Sunday this coming weekend, here's my recent conversation with Dickie-V, touching on his playing, coaching, and broadcast career, and his involvement with the EA Sports college hoops series.

GameSpot: I know that you have, obviously, some coaching experience and a lot of broadcasting experience. But I'm wondering if you can tell me about your playing days.

Dick Vitale: You know, I was a marginal player at best. I had no speed, I had no quickness, couldn't defend anybody. I like to think I could shoot the ball. But I played some high school basketball, very limited, like a Division2 college level. I played at Seton Hall Paterson Division, played a year or two. But I put all my time, really, in trying to go to clinics, learn about the game and then coached on the junior high level, the high school level, the collegiate level, the professional level. And then went to television, where for 30 years I got the best record in America, because we'd never lose a game, man. I've won over a thousand games.

More from Dickie-V, after the jump...