In a 1979 column, my former Pantagraph boss, Jim Barnhart, wrote: “Dick Versace is all class … most of it third.”
Versace had been hired as Bradley coach in 1978 and quickly became an easy target for the sports editor covering Illinois State basketball. Jim unloaded in the column with all he had and the ISU fan base loved every word.
“Give it to him!” they said, in one form or another.
Even in the newsroom, there was a sense Versace was getting what he deserved. We may not have cheered, but inside, we were smiling.