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Packer Ruins His 100th Final Four Game
By Jamie Mottram | April 6, 2008
Before Memphis and UCLA had tipped, and after Jim Nantz said “hello” to “friends,” Billy Packer was congratulated on what would be his 100th Final Four game. That means Packer, who no one likes, his been calling college basketball’s premier event for 34 years.
Surely someone has penned a more informed, researched diatribe on all that is Billy Packer, play-by-play man, but it seems to come down to this: He doesn’t enjoy ball, and those who enjoy ball don’t enjoy him. To wit, he declared the Kansas-UNC game over with seven minutes left in the first half. Predictably, UNC stormed back to get within four later on, but Packer the curmudgeon had already said there was nothing to see here. Kansas had moved on.
This is why, in lieu of getting rid of him altogether, I propose that Mega March Madness and March Madness On-Demand be taken one step further by offering a Final Four simulcast. And on that simulcast, instead of getting Nantz and Packer, college hoops fans would get Gus Johnson and Bill Raftery, who everyone likes. As much as it may hurt the A-Team’s feelings, people would pay for this. Maybe not a shit-ton, but enough to affect the bottom line, if not for CBS and DirecTV, then certainly for fans. I mean, at least our ears would stop bleeding.
Topics: College Hoops, Media Bird Doggin', Old People | 8 Comments »
April 6th, 2008 at 11:44 am
Packer’s job is to simply question every single shot taken, even if the shot goes down. In fact, if it was up to Packer, no shots would be taken, ever.
And why the hell didn’t you utilize the “Die” tag for this one? That’s probably the only way to get him off these telecasts.
April 6th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
That’s a good point on the bonus MMOD. I would absolutely pay $10 for a channel on my cable box that had a different set of announcers, even if it was only for the Final Four. In fact, it wouldn’t even need Gus, just Verne and Raffy would do fine.
April 7th, 2008 at 8:55 am
Packer never shuts up. He cant stand it to not hear his voice. He must have a serious inferiority complex. Probably a small weener.
April 7th, 2008 at 10:21 am
Honestly, I like Packer. He does his homework and calls it as he sees it. Most color guys do neither,especially on the 4-letter. Sure, he’s ornery, but at least he attempts to provide some insight into the fundamentals of the game instead of repeating worn out cookie-cutter scripts and over-hyping every made shot.
April 7th, 2008 at 10:22 am
“This thread … is OVER!”
April 7th, 2008 at 11:43 am
I would love to have a Mike Patrick, Dick Vitale and Billy booth for the championship game.
April 7th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
I question Packer’s “research” when he does not even have email or use the internet. His words, not mine.
How else do you study team’s in 2008? Read their preseason fluff media guides or scroll through USA today? Seriously?
My 2 problems with Packer are that listening to him is like being lectured for 2 hours by some old dude.
Also, he loves to bring up some obscure fact or game from 50 years go that he twists to make relevant in the current game when in reality, it is pointless.
The over/under on these dumb historical tidbits are 3 for this evenings title game.
April 7th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Combining Vitale’s yin and Packer’s yang may rip a hole in the space-time continuum.