Billy Packer Will Not Be Missed
July 17, 2008 by Kevin Hunter
Filed under Basketball
My reaction when I first that Billy Packer will be replaced by Clark Kellogg as CBS’ college basketball analyst was shock at first.
After all, Packer has been covering college basketball for CBS and NBC since 1975 and was on board for 34 consecutive Final Fours.
The 68-year-old Packer, who without a doubt was one of the smartest people to ever cover college basketball, he was opinionated and could break down a team or game like no one else in the business. Put him alongside with Dick Enberg, Jim Nance or the late Al McGuire and you were in for a great show.
But my second reaction was – good riddance!
As entertaining as his shtick was, Packer was a smarmy, arrogant know-it-all. He belittled any team not from a major conference such as the Pacific 10, the Big East, Big 10, or Big 12, and he never met a team from the ACC that he didn’t like no matter how bad they were (he did play basketball for Wake Forest in the early 1960’s).
As the years went on, Packer started losing some of his arrogant swagger (and sometimes his mind) and became older, bitter, way off base in some of his analysis and just plain annoying.
He was old grump who practically had a hissy fit one year when too many “mid-major” teams were let into the NCAA tournament. As far as he was concerned no mid-major teams belonged in the tournament – Ever! I thought he was going to walk out of the room!
During the 2000 season, Packer insulted and belittled a Duke University female student after the student asked for his press credential telling her, “You need to get a life. Since when do we let women control who gets into a college basketball game? Why don’t you go find a women’s game to let people into.”
There was also the famous incident in 1996 where Packer referred to then Georgetown star Alan Iverson as a “tough money” during a nationally televised game. Packer later apologized for the remark.
It’s been reported that Packer will pursue “other basketball projects.” What that means I don’t know, but I’ll bet it will have something to do with the ACC.
Kellogg, the former Ohio State and Indiana Pacers star in the 1980’s went to broadcasting after his playing career was cut short due to knee injuries. He’s been a studio analyst for CBS College Basketball for 16 years.
Kellogg will be a breath of fresh air. I certainly wish him the best of luck in his new role alongside Nance next season.
