Adams: Hey, Dick ... Dick ... you're on the air

My e-mail: "Are you kidding me? Edwards can't carry Jesse Smithey's laptop. The L.A. Times would be making a big mistake if it hired Edwards over Smithey. But I would never say that publicly."

I'm not concerned about writing that at the top of my column because I know it will never appear in print. A copy editor will read it, chuckle, then delete it. That's how the newspaper business works.

Live radio is different, BABEEE! For example, take the News Sentinel's morning radio show, The Sports Page, which airs Monday through Friday from 10 to noon on The Sports Animal.

Maybe it's because of our newspaper background, but we don't feel compelled to beat you over the head with shameless self-promotion like most talk shows. It's not our style. In fact, the only reason I would even mention the name of Monday's famous guest - DICK VITALE! - is that he's germane to my story.

I now interrupt this column to answer an e-mail from executive sports editor Steve Ahillen, who blames me when our writers can't make it through an entire story without at least one incoherent sentence.

My e-mail: "Don't blame me. You're the one who hired Dan Fleser. I can't turn a hack into Rick Reilly."

Note to desk: How did you like my shot at Fleser? Just be sure to delete the previous two graphs.

Vitale, ESPN's Mr. Basketball, will be the color analyst for tonight's nationally televised game between Tennessee and Florida. He called The Sports Page on Monday at the request of host Mike Griffith.

But this wasn't your typical promo-the-big-game interview. That's because in a typical interview, both the interviewer and the interviewee know they're involved in an interview.

While connected to The Sports Page via cell phone, Vitale was carrying on a conversation in the Broken Egg restaurant in Siesta Key, Fla.

"Hey, Dick," Griffith said repeatedly, assuming Vitale eventually would realize he was on the air. Vitale continued his conversation, pointing out how Florida coach Billy Donovan had pulled him aside and told him in confidence that NBA scouts were making "a big mistake" by rating Florida player Joakim Noah ahead of teammate Al Horford.

"He (Donovan) said he would never say that publicly," Vitale said.

Moments later on an SEC teleconference, Donovan was asked about Vitale's comments.

"I never said that," Donovan said. "I'm not going to comment on anything I didn't say."

After receiving a call from "someone from Florida," Vitale called back to The Sports Page. He explained that he was doing Griffith a big favor by coming on the show, that he had an awful cell-phone connection earlier and that he was shocked to learn his conversation was on the air. It was all a big joke - "a non-story," he said.

As jokes go, that's almost as funny as Vitale offering journalistic advice.

Vitale called a couple of more times - off the air - to emphasize what a non-story it was. But in case I decided differently, he offered a quote.

"I was stupid and should have known better than making a statement like that in a situation where I think I'm playing with some fans and people," Vitale said. "I didn't have any idea I was on the air.

"But I'm wrong for fooling around in a situation like that. It's just not fair to Billy Donovan and his kids because Billy Donovan never said that. But what Billy said basically in a conversation earlier in the year is that how good Horford is."

Most of The Sports Page callers didn't think Vitale was kidding. You can decide for yourself by checking out the audio on Knoxnews.com.

As for me, I've lost interest in who said what to whom, or what impact it might have on the game, the Gators or Vitale's relationship with coaches or patrons of the Broken Egg restaurant. I'm more concerned with answering the rest of my e-mails, including one from a reader who questioned columnist's Mike Strange's knowledge of basketball.

My e-mail: "We're on the same page. Strange is so clueless, he actually thinks Al Horford is a better pro prospect than Joakim Noah. What a moron. But that's just between you and me."

Note to sports desk: Did I stick it to Strange or what? Just be sure to delete that last graph.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.