Billy Packer
Encyclopedia
Anthony William "Billy" Packer (born February 25, 1940 in Wellsville, New York
) is a former American sportscaster
for CBS Sports
and a published author.
in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
. He attended Wake Forest University
in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
from 1958 to 1962 and played guard on the school's basketball team
for his last three years (in his day, freshmen were not eligible for varsity sports), leading Wake to two ACC
titles and the 1962 Final Four
. He was a member of the Delta Nu chapter of Sigma Chi Fraternity.
After graduation, he had a brief stint as an assistant coach for his alma mater. In 1972, Packer began his career in broadcasting in Raleigh, North Carolina
, when he was asked to fill in as an analyst for a regionally televised ACC game. Packer became a regular the next season.
(1974–1981) and then CBS
(1981–2008). He has covered Atlantic Coast Conference basketball games since 1972, and formerly covered the league for Raycom Sports, a division of Raycom Media. Packer won a Sports Emmy Award in 1993.
In 2005, Packer received the Marvin Francis Award for "notable achievement and service in coverage of the ACC," as reported by The Washington Post
.
On July 15, 2008, CBS announced that Packer would be replaced on the network's lead broadcast crew by Clark Kellogg
, marking the end of 35 straight years of NCAA tournament
color commentary coverage.
In March 2009, he returned to the studio with Bobby Knight
for Survive and Advance, a NCAA tournament preview show produced by Fox Sports Net
.
on network television
broadcasts of NCAA basketball. He covered every NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
, including the Final Four
, from 1975 to 2008. His broadcast teammates included Curt Gowdy
, Jim Thacker, Dick Enberg
, Al McGuire
, Gary Bender
, Brent Musburger
, and (from 1991–2008) Jim Nantz
and Verne Lundquist
(usually pre-Championship Week
when Nantz was covering the NFL
and/or golf). When working games for Raycom Sports
, Packer's on-air partner was Tim Brant
. When Nantz covered the 1992 Winter Olympics
for CBS
, Packer's on-air partner was Mel Proctor
. Packer also did play-by-play alongside Al McGuire for two games (a February 6, 1994 contest involving Purdue
at Iowa
and a February 27, 1994 contest involving Indiana
at Minnesota
) while Jim Nantz was covering the 1994 Winter Olympics
for CBS.
made a game-winning slam dunk
as North Carolina State upset Houston
to win the NCAA title
, Packer said, "They won it...on the dunk!"
After the University of Arizona
won the 1997 national title
, Arizona star player Miles Simon
celebrated on the court. Observing the scene, Packer said, "Simon says... championship."
. He purchased Picasso ceramics and displays them in makeshift plexiglass and plywood work desk he had created. Packer directed his interest in politics into approaching 123 random women, without identifying himself, asking them if they'd vote for Hillary Clinton.
and Villanova
, Packer described Hoyas star guard Allen Iverson
as a "tough monkey." Packer later apologized, insisting he was actually trying to praise Iverson's relentless play. Significantly, neither Iverson nor Georgetown coach John Thompson
said they were offended by the remark. Thompson told USA Today
he doesn't "have to explain to anybody about Billy being a racist because he's not."
students for allegedly sexist comments he made before a men's basketball game in Cameron Indoor Stadium. According to published reports, when the students asked Packer to show his press pass, he responded, "Since when do we let women control who gets into a men's basketball game? Why don't you go find a women's game to let people into?" Packer apologized after the comments were published in Duke University's student-run newspaper, The Chronicle.
head coach Phil Martelli
, when he questioned the #1 seed that St. Joe's was given by the NCAA committee. The Hawks ended up being defeated in the elite eight (losing on a three pointer by John Lucas III of Oklahoma State with 6 seconds left, 64–62) to a team many believe would have been a 1 seed if the Big 12 tournament had ended earlier. This is similar to his criticism of Larry Bird
's undefeated Indiana State University
team getting ranked #1 in the media polls and being given a #1 seed in the 1979 tournament. Indiana State eventually made the final game, losing to a Michigan State team led by Magic Johnson
.
An important dimension of this particular controversy is that CBS assigned Packer to cover the 2004 East Rutherford Regional. Saint Joseph's was playing in this regional, and the Hawks' semifinal opponent was none other than Wake Forest, Packer's alma mater. To add further interest to the conversation, Packer pointed out on the air that his Wake Forest team had actually eliminated Saint Joseph's from the tournament when he played in the early 1960s. While many fans and media observers were expecting fireworks from Packer in this game, there were never any unpleasant or even remotely controversial moments from the contest, which was won by Saint Joseph's. Packer and Martelli actually shook hands at courtside during practice the day before the Wake Forest-St. Joe's game, and when St. Joe's played Oklahoma State in the regional final two days later, there were no incidents to speak of.
and Florida State University were left out altogether. His comments caused a backlash among fans of mid-major conferences such as the Missouri Valley Conference
, which Packer had singled out for getting four teams in; and the Colonial Athletic Association
, both of whom ended up having successful tournament showings (Bradley University
and Wichita State University
making it to the Sweet Sixteen and George Mason University
advancing to the Final Four). Packer complained on Selection Sunday that teams from these two conferences had won just one game between them in the past three years' tournaments, despite committee chairman Craig Littlepage
repeatedly telling Packer and his colleague Jim Nantz
that past tournament performance was not a factor in determining the field. A week later, Packer tried to defuse the controversy by saying, on CBS airwaves, that he was "often wrong, but never in doubt." (March 19, 2006)
and North Carolina
, the Jayhawks jumped out to a 38–12 lead, at which time Billy Packer declared, "This game is over." However, the Tar Heels clawed their way back in the second half, cutting the deficit to 4 points midway through the second half, though Kansas finished strong to win 84–66. Pundits have noted that this may have been an ominous allusion to Packer's future career as a broadcaster, which was "over" when CBS announced over the summer of 2008 that Clark Kellogg
would be taking over the lead color commentary duties.
, the all-sports radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina
and continues his show in syndication. Brandt Packer produced golf
telecasts for ABC Sports
and is now a producer with the Golf Channel.
Wellsville, New York
Wellsville, New York is a village and a town in Allegany County, New York, USA.*Wellsville , New York*Wellsville , New York----For other places with this name, see Wellsville....
) is a former American sportscaster
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
for CBS Sports
CBS Sports
CBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
and a published author.
Early life
Packer is a graduate of Liberty High SchoolLiberty High School (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania)
For schools with similar names, see Liberty High School.Liberty High School is a public high school located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the United States....
in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 74,982, making it the seventh largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie,...
. He attended Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, with a 2010 population of 229,617. Winston-Salem is the county seat and largest city of Forsyth County and the fourth-largest city in the state. Winston-Salem is the second largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and is home to...
from 1958 to 1962 and played guard on the school's basketball team
Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball team participates in the Atlantic Coast Conference and their homecourt is the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Their only Final Four appearance was in 1962 and through the years they have produced several NBA players. The Demon Deacons have...
for his last three years (in his day, freshmen were not eligible for varsity sports), leading Wake to two ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
titles and the 1962 Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
. He was a member of the Delta Nu chapter of Sigma Chi Fraternity.
After graduation, he had a brief stint as an assistant coach for his alma mater. In 1972, Packer began his career in broadcasting in Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, when he was asked to fill in as an analyst for a regionally televised ACC game. Packer became a regular the next season.
Broadcasting career
Packer first worked at the network level with NBCCollege Basketball on NBC
College Basketball on NBC is a former television program created and produced by NBC Sports that broadcast NCAA Division I men's basketball games. The program existed in some shape or form from 1969–1998. From 1969–1981, NBC covered the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament...
(1974–1981) and then CBS
College Basketball on CBS
College Basketball on CBS presented by State Farm is a presentation of men's NCAA Division I basketball games on CBS...
(1981–2008). He has covered Atlantic Coast Conference basketball games since 1972, and formerly covered the league for Raycom Sports, a division of Raycom Media. Packer won a Sports Emmy Award in 1993.
In 2005, Packer received the Marvin Francis Award for "notable achievement and service in coverage of the ACC," as reported by The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
.
On July 15, 2008, CBS announced that Packer would be replaced on the network's lead broadcast crew by Clark Kellogg
Clark Kellogg
Clark Clifton Kellogg, Jr. is the VP of player relations for the Indiana Pacers as well as the lead college basketball analyst for CBS Sports and former player in the National Basketball Association.-High School:...
, marking the end of 35 straight years of NCAA tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
color commentary coverage.
In March 2009, he returned to the studio with Bobby Knight
Bobby Knight
-Indiana:When Indiana University was seeking a new coach in 1971, they turned to Knight. Knight was given the nickname "The General" by former University of Detroit and Detroit Pistons coach-turned-broadcaster Dick Vitale....
for Survive and Advance, a NCAA tournament preview show produced by Fox Sports Net
Fox Sports Net
The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...
.
Broadcasting partners
For more than three decades, Packer served as a color commentatorColor commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
on network television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
broadcasts of NCAA basketball. He covered every NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
, including the Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
, from 1975 to 2008. His broadcast teammates included Curt Gowdy
Curt Gowdy
Curtis Edward "Curt" Gowdy was an American sportscaster, well known as the longtime "voice" of the Boston Red Sox and for his coverage of many nationally-televised sporting events, primarily for NBC Sports in the 1960s and 1970s.-Early years:The son of a manager for the Union Pacific railroad,...
, Jim Thacker, Dick Enberg
Dick Enberg
Richard Alan "Dick" Enberg is an American sportscaster. He currently provides play-by-play for telecasts of San Diego Padres baseball on 4SD, following a long career calling various sports for such networks as NBC, CBS, and ESPN...
, Al McGuire
Al McGuire
Al McGuire was the head coach of the Marquette University men's basketball team from 1964 to 1977. He compiled impressive numbers throughout his coaching career, resulting in his induction to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992, and was also well known for his colorful personality.-Early life:He...
, Gary Bender
Gary Bender
Gary Bender is a retired American sportscaster and 2008 inductee in to the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. He officially retired, April 13, 2011, from Fox Sports Arizona network after 18 years calling the NBA Phoenix Suns games.-Early career:...
, Brent Musburger
Brent Musburger
Brent Woody Musburger is an American sportscaster for the ESPN and ABC television networks. Formerly with CBS Sports and one of the original members of their legendary program The NFL Today, Musburger has covered NASCAR, NBA, MLB, NCAA football and basketball games. Musburger has also served as a...
, and (from 1991–2008) Jim Nantz
Jim Nantz
James William Nantz, III is an American sportscaster, known primarily for his work with CBS Sports television.-Early life:...
and Verne Lundquist
Verne Lundquist
Merton Laverne "Verne" Lundquist, Jr. is an American sportscaster, currently employed by CBS Sports television.-Early life and career:Lundquist was born in Duluth, Minnesota...
(usually pre-Championship Week
Championship Week
Championship Week is an annual basketball showcase of conference tournament games in the United States, which decide NCAA bids in early to mid-March. It typically lasts a little under 2 weeks, before basketball post-season play begins. The minor and mid-major conferences typically begin...
when Nantz was covering the NFL
NFL on CBS
The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:...
and/or golf). When working games for Raycom Sports
Raycom Media
- History :Although Raycom Media dates its birth to 1996, the core of the company was formed in 1992 when Atlanta native Bert Ellis formed Ellis Communications. He eventually controlled 13 television stations and two radio stations....
, Packer's on-air partner was Tim Brant
Tim Brant
Tim Brant is an American sportscaster and Vice President and Director of Sports for ABC 7 / WJLA-TV in Washington DC. He has spent nearly thirty years covering sports nationally for CBS and ABC....
. When Nantz covered the 1992 Winter Olympics
1992 Winter Olympics
The 1992 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 8 to 23 February 1992 in Albertville, France. They were the last Winter Olympics to be held the same year as the Summer Olympics, and the first where the Winter Paralympics...
for CBS
Olympics on CBS
The Olympics on CBS was a sports telecast that aired on CBS Sports. The last airing of the telecast was for the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano.-1960s coverage:...
, Packer's on-air partner was Mel Proctor
Mel Proctor
Mel Proctor is an American television sportscaster, actor, and book author.-Biography:A Denver, Colorado native, Proctor has called play-by-play for such teams as the Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals, San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Clippers at various points in his career...
. Packer also did play-by-play alongside Al McGuire for two games (a February 6, 1994 contest involving Purdue
Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball
The Purdue Boilermakers basketball team is a college basketball program that competes in NCAA Division I and is a member of the Big Ten Conference. Purdue basketball holds the record for most Big Ten Championships with 22, along with being the only program in the conference to boast winning records...
at Iowa
Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball
The Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball team represents the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, as a member of the Big Ten Conference and the National Collegiate Athletic Association. They currently play in 15,500-seat Carver-Hawkeye Arena, along with the school's women's basketball, wrestling, and...
and a February 27, 1994 contest involving Indiana
Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball
The Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Indiana University . The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the NCAA. The Hoosiers play on Branch McCracken Court at the Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana on the IU...
at Minnesota
Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball
The Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball team represents the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Golden Gophers have played in the Big Ten since the conference began sponsoring basketball in 1905...
) while Jim Nantz was covering the 1994 Winter Olympics
1994 Winter Olympics
The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 12 to 27 February 1994 in and around Lillehammer, Norway. Lillehammer failed to win the bid for the 1992 event. Lillehammer was awarded the games in 1988, after having beat...
for CBS.
Memorable calls
On April 4, 1983, after Lorenzo CharlesLorenzo Charles
Lorenzo Emile "Lo" Charles was an American college and professional basketball player.Charles was a graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School...
made a game-winning slam dunk
Slam dunk
A slam dunk is a type of basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air and manually powers the ball downward through the basket with one or both hands over the rim. This is considered a normal field goal attempt; if successful it is worth two points. The term "slam dunk" was...
as North Carolina State upset Houston
Houston Cougars men's basketball
The Houston Cougars men's basketball team represents the University of Houston in Houston, Texas in U.S. NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The university is a member of Conference USA...
to win the NCAA title
1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 52 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 2, 1983, and ended with the championship game on April 4 at The Pit, then officially known...
, Packer said, "They won it...on the dunk!"
After the University of Arizona
Arizona Wildcats men's basketball
The Arizona Wildcats basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of NCAA Division I. They are currently coached by Sean Miller.Arizona has a long and rich...
won the 1997 national title
1997 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1997 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1997, and ended with the championship game on March 31 in Indianapolis, Indiana...
, Arizona star player Miles Simon
Miles Simon
Miles Julian Simon is a retired American professional basketball player.Simon was born in Stockholm to an American father and a Norwegian mother. He played guard for the University of Arizona Wildcats men's basketball team, where he formed a formidable backcourt duo with current Miami Heat point...
celebrated on the court. Observing the scene, Packer said, "Simon says... championship."
Controversy
Packer is known for his eccentric behavior off camera and sometimes controversial statements. He involved himself in high profile legal cases hiring a psychic to find the weapon in the O.J. Simpson murder case and started a legal defense fund for Richard JewellRichard Jewell
Richard A. Jewell was an American security guard who became known in connection with the Centennial Olympic Park bombing at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
. He purchased Picasso ceramics and displays them in makeshift plexiglass and plywood work desk he had created. Packer directed his interest in politics into approaching 123 random women, without identifying himself, asking them if they'd vote for Hillary Clinton.
Iverson comment
In 1996, during an on-air broadcast of a game between GeorgetownGeorgetown Hoyas
Georgetown's nickname is The Hoyas, but its mascot is "Jack the Bulldog." Various breeds of dogs have been used by the sports teams as mascots since the early 1900s. Several notable bull terriers like Sergeant Stubby and "Hoya" were used at football games in the 1920s, as was a Great Dane in the...
and Villanova
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
, Packer described Hoyas star guard Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson
Allen Ezail Iverson is an American professional basketball point guard and shooting guard. He was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the number one pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1996–97 season...
as a "tough monkey." Packer later apologized, insisting he was actually trying to praise Iverson's relentless play. Significantly, neither Iverson nor Georgetown coach John Thompson
John Thompson (basketball)
John R. Thompson, Jr. is an American former basketball coach for the Georgetown University Hoyas. He is now a professional radio and TV sports commentator...
said they were offended by the remark. Thompson told USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
he doesn't "have to explain to anybody about Billy being a racist because he's not."
Apology to Duke students
In 2000, Packer publicly apologized to two Duke UniversityDuke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
students for allegedly sexist comments he made before a men's basketball game in Cameron Indoor Stadium. According to published reports, when the students asked Packer to show his press pass, he responded, "Since when do we let women control who gets into a men's basketball game? Why don't you go find a women's game to let people into?" Packer apologized after the comments were published in Duke University's student-run newspaper, The Chronicle.
Martelli feud
In 2004, he was involved in an on-air spat with Saint Joseph's UniversitySaint Joseph's Hawks men's basketball
The Saint Joseph's Hawks men's basketball team represents Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Its home court is the Hagan Arena. The team's only Final Four appearance in 1961 was removed from the NCAA records due to a gambling scandal. Through...
head coach Phil Martelli
Phil Martelli
Phil Martelli is an American college basketball coach and current coach of the Saint Joseph's Hawks men's basketball team. He maintains an impressive resume, having led Saint Joseph's to five NCAA Tournaments and four NITs. He has averaged 20 wins per season in his thirteen years with the...
, when he questioned the #1 seed that St. Joe's was given by the NCAA committee. The Hawks ended up being defeated in the elite eight (losing on a three pointer by John Lucas III of Oklahoma State with 6 seconds left, 64–62) to a team many believe would have been a 1 seed if the Big 12 tournament had ended earlier. This is similar to his criticism of Larry Bird
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
's undefeated Indiana State University
Indiana State University
Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
team getting ranked #1 in the media polls and being given a #1 seed in the 1979 tournament. Indiana State eventually made the final game, losing to a Michigan State team led by Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
.
An important dimension of this particular controversy is that CBS assigned Packer to cover the 2004 East Rutherford Regional. Saint Joseph's was playing in this regional, and the Hawks' semifinal opponent was none other than Wake Forest, Packer's alma mater. To add further interest to the conversation, Packer pointed out on the air that his Wake Forest team had actually eliminated Saint Joseph's from the tournament when he played in the early 1960s. While many fans and media observers were expecting fireworks from Packer in this game, there were never any unpleasant or even remotely controversial moments from the contest, which was won by Saint Joseph's. Packer and Martelli actually shook hands at courtside during practice the day before the Wake Forest-St. Joe's game, and when St. Joe's played Oklahoma State in the regional final two days later, there were no incidents to speak of.
2006 comments on mid-majors
In 2006, Packer again hit sports headlines after blasting the inclusion of mid-major teams in the NCAA tournament, when larger conference teams like University of CincinnatiCincinnati Bearcats men's basketball
The Cincinnati Bearcats basketball team is the NCAA Division I men's basketball program of the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio. They currently compete in the Big East Conference and are coached by Mick Cronin. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in...
and Florida State University were left out altogether. His comments caused a backlash among fans of mid-major conferences such as the Missouri Valley Conference
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
, which Packer had singled out for getting four teams in; and the Colonial Athletic Association
Colonial Athletic Association
The Colonial Athletic Association is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose full-time members are located in East Coast states from Massachusetts to Georgia. Most of its members are public universities, with five in Virginia alone, and the conference is headquartered in Richmond,...
, both of whom ended up having successful tournament showings (Bradley University
Bradley University
Bradley University, founded in 1897, is a private, co-educational university located in Peoria, Illinois. It is a small institution with an enrollment of approximately 6,100 undergraduate and postgraduate students and a full-time faculty of approximately 350....
and Wichita State University
Wichita State Shockers men's basketball
The Wichita State Shockers basketball team is the NCAA Division I men's basketball program of Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas. They currently compete in the Missouri Valley Conference...
making it to the Sweet Sixteen and George Mason University
George Mason Patriots men's basketball
The George Mason Patriots men's basketball team represents George Mason University and competes in the Colonial Athletic Association of NCAA Division I...
advancing to the Final Four). Packer complained on Selection Sunday that teams from these two conferences had won just one game between them in the past three years' tournaments, despite committee chairman Craig Littlepage
Craig Littlepage
Craig Littlepage is an American athletic director at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia...
repeatedly telling Packer and his colleague Jim Nantz
Jim Nantz
James William Nantz, III is an American sportscaster, known primarily for his work with CBS Sports television.-Early life:...
that past tournament performance was not a factor in determining the field. A week later, Packer tried to defuse the controversy by saying, on CBS airwaves, that he was "often wrong, but never in doubt." (March 19, 2006)
"This game is over"
In a semi-final game at the 2008 Final Four between Kansas2008-09 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team
The 2008–09 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team represented the University of Kansas in the 2008-09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, the Jayhawks' 111th basketball season. The Head Coach was Bill Self, serving his 6th year...
and North Carolina
2008-09 North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team
The 2008–09 North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Head Coach was Roy Williams. The team played its home games in the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, the Jayhawks jumped out to a 38–12 lead, at which time Billy Packer declared, "This game is over." However, the Tar Heels clawed their way back in the second half, cutting the deficit to 4 points midway through the second half, though Kansas finished strong to win 84–66. Pundits have noted that this may have been an ominous allusion to Packer's future career as a broadcaster, which was "over" when CBS announced over the summer of 2008 that Clark Kellogg
Clark Kellogg
Clark Clifton Kellogg, Jr. is the VP of player relations for the Indiana Pacers as well as the lead college basketball analyst for CBS Sports and former player in the National Basketball Association.-High School:...
would be taking over the lead color commentary duties.
Family
Packer is also the author of Hoops, Why We Win, and a number of other basketball books. He has two sons in the sports media. Mark Packer was a sports radio host for WFNZWFNZ
WFNZ "610 AM The Fan" is a Sports Talk format radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina.-History:WFNZ signed on in 1941 as WAYS . For much of the 1960s through early 1980s, it was Charlotte's top-rated Top 40 station under the moniker "61 Big Ways." The morning show was aired on both WAYS and...
, the all-sports radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
and continues his show in syndication. Brandt Packer produced golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
telecasts for ABC Sports
ESPN on ABC
ESPN on ABC is the brand used for sports programming on the ABC television network. Officially the broadcast network retains its own sports division; however, for all practical purposes, ABC's sports division has been merged with ESPN, a sports cable network majority-owned by ABC's parent, The...
and is now a producer with the Golf Channel.
Career timeline
- 1972–2008: Raycom/Jefferson Pilot Sports (ACC Coverage) Analyst
- 1974–1981: NBC SportsNBC SportsNBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
Lead College BasketballCollege Basketball on NBCCollege Basketball on NBC is a former television program created and produced by NBC Sports that broadcast NCAA Division I men's basketball games. The program existed in some shape or form from 1969–1998. From 1969–1981, NBC covered the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament...
Analyst - 1981–2008: CBS SportsCBS SportsCBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
Lead College BasketballCollege Basketball on CBSCollege Basketball on CBS presented by State Farm is a presentation of men's NCAA Division I basketball games on CBS...
Analyst
External links
- Knight talks basketball, retirement with announcers Nantz, Packer - April 2, 2008
- Bio on CBS SportsLine
- A conversation with Billy Packer from CSTV's Hoops Odyssey Blog - March 18, 2007
- ESPN.com article detailing Billy Packer's recent monopoly on broadcasting NCAA Final Four games - Bill Simmons, March 21, 2007
- Billy Packer's "fagging out" comment to Charlie Rose as aired on Jimmy Kimmel Live - April 3, 2007
- Billy Packer Made the Right Call - video from News & Observer website, March 20, 2008.
- http://underscorebleach.net/jotsheet/2005/03/billy-packer#comment-317256