DICKIE V ON THE MEND

In case you missed it, ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale underwent surgery Tuesday to treat ulcers on his left vocal cord and is expected to be off the airwaves until at least February.

According to published reports, everything went according to plan.

Vitale will continue to provide his observations on ESPN.com and his own Web site, dickvitaleonline.com, while he recuperates.

In addition, while he’s out Vitale is looking to raise another $1 million for the V Foundation to honor Payton Wright. To make a donation go to http://www.dickvitaleonline.com/.

Payton Wright died in May of a rare from of brain cancer. She had just turned five.