1. Let me preface everything I’m about to write by saying that if you are a fan of Texas or NC State, I could totally understand why you would’ve hated Tuesday night’s First Four telecast on TruTV.
However, for everyone else reading who doesn’t care about the Longhorns or Wolfpack, the pairing of Charles Barkley and Dick Vitale on the game was tremendous television.
“This is one of the greatest nights of my life.”
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) March 18, 2026
Really nice words here from Charles Barkley to Dick Vitale on calling a March Madness game together. pic.twitter.com/szZMxFQBh3
You knew going in that with Barkley and Vitale paired together, the two would dominate the telecast, but there was an additional twist. Play-by-play caller Brian Anderson was having issues with his voice from the very start of the game. So, Anderson ended speaking as little as a play-by-play guy ever has during a game. The broadcast basically ended up being a Barkley-Vitale podcast. And it worked.
It was a First Four game, so in the grand scheme of things it’s not that important and the payoff of hearing two sports media legends together ended up being extremely entertaining. I can’t fully explain why, but if you would’ve just had a Barkley-Vitale alt cast or had them in a room doing an actual podcast, it wouldn’t have been as enjoyable. There was something unique about the two of them having conversations while a game was taking place in the background. The presentation was unusual, yet enjoyable because there were momentary breaks here and there where Anderson would have to chime in and do some play-by-play, but then Barkley and Vitale would get back to discussing NIL, the state of college basketball, their lengthy careers and a variety of other topics.
A hoarse Brian Anderson tries to call Texas-NC State around Dick Vitale and Charles Barkley's NCAA basketball talk. Vitale attempts to get back on track after several minutes of NIL and transfer portal discussion. "Guys, we got a game going on!" pic.twitter.com/0B4hmQ8Khd
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 18, 2026
Chemistry is not something that can be manufactured and executives who throw broadcast crews together never know if the chemistry will be there. But Vitale and Barkley played off each other very well. Again, would you want this on a Final Four game? Absolutely not. Did it keep me locked into a First Four game that I might not have paid that close attention to? Absolutely.
Vitale: “You’re one of the top players ever to play!”
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) March 18, 2026
Barkley: “The game is easy when you got a big ass.” pic.twitter.com/Ac4GjmQXsV
Let’s hope the Barkley-Vitale pairing becomes an annual tradition at the First Four.
2. With viewership numbers up across the board in sports thanks in large part to a change in the way Nielsen measures audience, it’s no surprise that CBS’s men’s bracket selection show would be up year-over-year. Sunday’s show drew 6.4 million viewers, the best for the selection show since 2014.
That’s good momentum for the tournament, which will be up from last year. It’s just a matter of how much of an increase CBS, TNT, TBS and TruTV will see.
3. Anthony Edwards is so likable in this “trash talking” video with President Obama to promote the opening of Obama’s Presidential Center this summer.
Ant Edwards. President Barack Obama.
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) March 17, 2026
It began at Team USA Training camp and turned into a game of one-on-one we didn’t know we needed. pic.twitter.com/bJXdxMXVa7
4. If you enjoy awkward and uncomfortable moments, you’ll want to watch former NBA player Kenyon Martin confront a podcast producer about mocking his speech impediment.
Things got tense on the Gilbert Arenas show when Kenyon Martin halted the broadcast, confronted an employee from the show live on air, and called him out for making a video mocking his speech impediment. When he’s been to his home and meet his wife and kids👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/txBdaYyYzz
— joebuddenclips/fanpage (@Thechat101) March 17, 2026
5. On a recent SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast, I called the WBC an “exhibition.” Someone on the cesspool formerly known as Twitter went nuts and sent me a nasty response because he was all bent out of a shape that I called the event an “exhibition.”
Here’s all you need to know about why the WBC is nothing but an exhibition.
Mark DeRosa on not using Padres closer Mason Miller in the 9th: ‘‘Honoring the Padres. Had we taken the lead, he was coming in, but I wasn't going to bring him in to a tie game.’
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) March 18, 2026
6. This week’s SI Media With Jimmy Traina features a conversation with Sports Business Journal reporter Richard Deitsch about all the latest sports media news.
Among the topics discussed: NBC naming Jason Benetti as its play-by-play voice for Sunday Night Baseball while passing on hiring a full-time lead analyst in order to use local broadcasters each week; CBS’s decision to use Nate Burleson as a studio host for the NCAA tournament; why Pat McAfee’s value to ESPN continues to increase; what Fox will do for a No. 2 college football play-by-play caller with Benetti gone; Charles Barkley and Dick Vitale calling a First Four game together; the WBC and much more.
Following Deitsch, Sal Licata from SNY TV andThe Sal Licata Show, joins me for our weekly “Traina Thoughts” segment. This week, we talk about the NFL free agency, the NBA’s decision to cancel “Magic City Night” in Atlanta, the WBC, the Oscars and the absurd price of concert tickets.
You can listen to the SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast below or on Apple and Spotify.
You can also watch SI Media With Jimmy Traina on YouTube.
7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: It was 25 years ago today that The Sopranos aired one of its most powerful and intense scenes. The reason the show was what it was is because every single viewer wanted Dr. Melfi to tell Tony what happened to her, but she didn’t. This was so well-done.
Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Google. You can also follow Jimmy on X and Instagram.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as The Charles Barkley-Dick Vitale Pairing Was Entertaining and Enjoyable.
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