Dick Versace
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TIMMY
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I sat at the table next to his once at Tufano's. I had my wife and in-laws in tow. He bought us a round. 
He was a nice guy when he wasn't coaching the other team.
He was a nice guy when he wasn't coaching the other team.Baltimore Bird
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I really enjoyed those games and was able to see most of them in person. He could really coach. RIP, DICK.
He coached that Jim Les/Hersey Hawkins led team in 85-86 that swept the MVC schedule and went 32-3. That team was talented and lost in the 2nd round to eventual champion Louisville and never nervous Pervis Ellison. The War on 74 was an epic event in those days!
I won the Dick Versace look a like contest my sophomore year. I went to the edge of the court and started yelling at the b u players during warmups. One of their asst coaches came over and told me to get lost or something more or less like that. I responded in kind and then a security guard pushed me away from the court and told me to take my seat. Loved, loved, loved when we beat bu with Dicky as their coach. What a fantastic rivalry that was.
Versace was a guy who was a lot more cultured in things than solely basketball. Which made his basketball culture & coaching really unique and effective. He was an educator at heart (he loved being a teacher and was massively successful at Gordon Tech) and deeply inquisitive. He could come off like a Dick at at times (go figure), and he certainly ran on the edges of NCAA by-laws (like, umm, most programs). He was on the Michigan State staff and maybe (haha who knows but you know he claims it) the key guy in getting Magic to wear the Spartans green.
I thought he was a damn good coach. He put out a very entertaining product and I'm not sure we'll ever see the likes of the fantastic coaching rivalry...and basketball...which encompassed Versace, Richardson, Smithson and Donewald - and some bit players in between - during the 80's Valley. GREAT basketball and heated rivalries every single week.
I liked ya, Dickie. God bless you, pal.
I thought he was a damn good coach. He put out a very entertaining product and I'm not sure we'll ever see the likes of the fantastic coaching rivalry...and basketball...which encompassed Versace, Richardson, Smithson and Donewald - and some bit players in between - during the 80's Valley. GREAT basketball and heated rivalries every single week.
I liked ya, Dickie. God bless you, pal.
1. His brother got the Medal of Honor in Nam. 2. I worked Smithson’s clinic and Dick was a participant. After the clinic I went to the Grand Hotel with Gene, Ron Ferguson, Norm Stewart and Dick. A truly memorable evening. The stories were phenomenal. Dick played the rivalry up for showmanship but personally he was a genuine warm human being.
That just had to be an enjoyable evening. I am envious Brick!
SgtHulka
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Kindred: Dick Versace was ‘a gift from above’ for Illinois State-Bradley rivalry
Versace was flamboyant and polarizing. He was comfortable being the foil for buttoned-up Redbird coach Bob Donewald and the villain to ISU fans. He was the Horton Field House protagonist
Hrtnfldhse
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Those 80"s games were gold. The article referenced the 2 technicals by Versace, which happened during the 82-83 season. We almost scored 6 points in a second when an alley oop off the inbounds pass to Rick Lamb rolled off the rim after the free throws. I remember the whole crowd chanting "Dick is a Dick". RIP, it's nice to know he was a nice guy away from basketball.
DannyCooksey
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He was a studio analyst in Chicago during the Bulls dynasty. He was really good and pretty funny. Obviously a great coach and a huge part of Valley hoops and our rival
rip
rip
longtimeredbird
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I am glad I got to see some of this rivalry when he was coaching Bradley. It was always a blast at those games. Love these stories and glad to know how much he played up the rivalry to help make it great for both programs and that he was a real good guy off the court. My favorite memories were games in Horton back in the day, but especially Bradley and Coach Versace.