Truth & Rumors > NCAAB

KU-UNC call Packer's last straw?

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Somewhere Billy Packer lost his bearings on "The Road to the Final Four" and found himself blustering on "The Road to Perdition." CBS cut its lead basketball analyst loose Monday. Packer, once a relatively non-descript player, made his bones as a college basketball analyst at NBC and CBS because he was smart, quick-witted and informative. As the years passed, however, he grew overbearing, arrogant, condescending, dismissive and petulant. One theory being advanced Monday was that Packer finally went too far during this year's Kansas-North Carolina NCAA semifinal when he declared the game over in the first half. It wasn't viewers he offended, it was network suits. Sure Kansas was up 38-12 at the time; but advertisers, and by extension, network executives don't take kindly to broadcasters who tell viewers there is no reason to watch anymore. Packer should have known better. But he thought he knew better than anyone.

Dallas Morning News

Billy Packer, Doug Pensinger/Getty Images Billy Packer, Doug Pensinger/Getty Images
Comment has been removed
July 15, 2008  08:21 AM ET

Billy Packer is king of the ****. I am hopeful that his career is OVAH.

July 15, 2008  08:27 AM ET

He should've been gone LONG before that incident ever occurred. He had gotten to the point where he thought he was bigger than the games he was supposed to be calling.

Hopefully, nobody will be dumb enought ot hire that windbag after this.

July 15, 2008  08:33 AM ET

At least they did not replace him with that gasbag Raftery!

July 15, 2008  08:34 AM ET

Larry B, he may have made the right call. Still, you don't bite the hand that feeds you. The man came to believe that he mattered when he didn't. I won't miss him.

July 15, 2008  08:45 AM ET

Who's worse, Billy Packer or Larry Merchant?

July 15, 2008  09:03 AM ET

And the Mid-Major schools celebrated with songs, and carbonated non-alcoholic beverages, and with much rejoicing. No longer would they be forced into the shadows, hidden from the world by the 9th best ACC team come tournament time. The Evil One was leaving.

July 15, 2008  09:04 AM ET

At least Billy was Billy....not some goofball riding a 30 year old schtick to death. Why couldn't Vitale be the one to get "T.O. BABY" ?

July 15, 2008  09:06 AM ET

The fact that the team he hates with a passion, UNC, had some small part in him getting fired is sweet justice!

July 15, 2008  09:10 AM ET

But he was right... it was over.

July 15, 2008  09:16 AM ET

Every school felt he hated them...that was Billy. But as far as calling the game...the guy had insight. No one else offers that. So if you want to mindlessly rah, rah your team, congratulations you're now down to fluff and hype. For those of us who might have been interested in unabashed candor, defensive schemes and coaching strategies...prepare for a dumbed down version of the game....fluff and hype.
Rah, rah Go team go!

July 15, 2008  09:17 AM ET

This is a long time over due, He has been very negative towards the ACC and even more so against UNC. I wish him well in his 'retirement' and hope that his departure from CBS includes all games with Jefferson Pilot as well.

July 15, 2008  09:25 AM ET

Who cares?

July 15, 2008  09:25 AM ET

Who cares? This is no story. Find something else to write about.

July 15, 2008  09:40 AM ET

Thank You God!

July 15, 2008  09:42 AM ET

I can't believe some of you ACC fans are actually saying he was negative toward your teams. That is so far from the truth. One of the biggest problems people had with him is his bias toward the ACC and Duke and Carolina. If you talk to Duke fans they will tell you he loved UNC and vice versa.

Packer always thought he knew more than everyone else. When your in the position he was in, even if you think that, you cant let others know you think that way.

I'm glad Packer is gone, I just dont know how good Clark Kellogg will be. Jim Nantz is money though.

July 15, 2008  09:44 AM ET

RightasRain, no-one disputes the man had insight. Most people had problems with him when he stopped analyzing games and started acting like collage basketball deity.

July 15, 2008  09:51 AM ET

Gus Johnson should announce everything in life.

July 15, 2008  09:54 AM ET

A decision that should have been made about 8-10 years ago. Packer once upon a time Packer, Al McGuire, and Dick Enberg made a great broadcast team. But somewhere Packer became a bitter egomaniacal troll.

Remember his comments to the female Duke students who dared ask for his press credentials? Or his "tough monkey" comments about Allen Iverson, or when he griped about St. Joe's seeding during that awesome season they were having. Packer fogot that his job was to promote college basketball. Long overdue.

 
July 15, 2008  09:55 AM ET

Ya, I agree, I used to love Billy Packer, but his senility was becoming evident. And anyone who thinks Packer hated the 'Heels are high. That guy was so one-sided towards the ACC I thought he was actually their spokesman.

Clark Kellogg is a dork and can't imagine the same guy that makes me mute the pregame and halftime shows (well, him and Seth Davis) will do any better though.

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