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The Times-Picayune is marking the tricentennial of New Orleans with its ongoing 300 for 300 project, running through 2018 and highlighting 300 people who have made New Orleans New Orleans, featuring original artwork commissioned by NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune with Where Y'Art gallery. Today: Buddy Diliberto.


The icon: Bernard "Buddy" Diliberto

The legacy: Reflecting on the night in 1980 that Buddy D protested the Saints' ineptitude by delivering his entire sportscast with a bag over his head, The Times-Picayune wrote: "It was quintessential Diliberto, a former sportswriter who became a television legend on WVUE and WDSU in the '60s, '70s and '80s in spite of his cosmetic shortcomings and catastrophic vocals - or maybe because of them." Diliberto wore his heart on his sleeve right along with local sports fans, whose hopes, passions and frustrations he gave voice to over five decades.



The artist: Gabriel Flores, WhereYart.net.

The quote: "It was an unbridled, non-stop passion for sports that kept Buddy D young at heart despite the march of time. On TV, he was anything but a telegenic personality. On radio, he packed anything but a suave, velvet-voiced delivery. But he knew his craft. And what he didn't know, he didn't mask. There was no pretense to the man. Instead there was a unique genuineness that connected."
- Longtime Times-Picayune sportswriter Peter Finney, on the occasion of Buddy Diliberto's death in 2005

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Vrillon82

I dunno, maybe he was so influential to the point the Saints organization was listening and it caused their short comings.

It seemed the Saints biggest success was after he passed.

I remember listening to Buddy D on Radio for years and honestly disagreed with alot of what he said.

CheramieIII

I grew up on Buddy. Damn his voice is one of the most recognizable ever.

Audiotom

Mit two bee she

The Dude

That’s so weird. I was thinking about him yesterday. A shame how he’s never mentioned. No shout out on the radio show ( I expected a BUDDY D’S point after as they did after Hap). No picture or references in the dome of any significance. A shame. I too grew up on him. I’ve posted this before but I Moved to Charlotte for a couple years and after about a week of living there is when he died. Talk about homesick. Couldn’t even get the station on the air to listen to the tribute. I called the station and talked to one of the producers/call screeners about Buddy, the Saints, and life in general. Got to hear some funny stories about working with him. He was pretty shook up about it. I wound up getting him to leave me on hold so I could listen to the show over the phone. He let me stay on hold for a couple hours tieing up a call in line.
Pisss me off.
Players and coaches are professionals and they aren’t going to let a local media talk show host effect their play. A good coach wouldn’t let that happen so even f it did, it would be because of poor coaching. Those guys have to deal with opposing teams players giving them **** all the time. It’s a coaches job to get players mentality tough.
We had some bad coaches back then but callers and media had nothing to do with it.

"Where life had no value, death, sometimes, had its price. That is why the bounty killers appeared."

SmashMouth

Will you wear a dress in his honor if the Saints win a second SB?

The Dude

Sure will!

foreverfan

You should wear one of your wife's dresses since you no doubt fit in it.
You just have to tell Pam she won't want it back.
Think about it Smash... that could save you some money.

saintsfan1976

The last time I saw Buddy D in person I was walking through the Hyatt to watch our Saints beat the Rams in their first playoff victory in history. I’ll be thinking about you today Buddy.