R.I.P. Billy Packer...

[1eyefishing]

Longtime Final Four broadcaster Packer dies at 82

Longtime college basketball commentator Billy Packer, the voice of the NCAA tournament for more than 30 years, died Thursday night. He was 82.

www.espn.com

Gone after a long career as a commentator/analyst.
He came to Wake Forest as a freshman the year my dad was a senior on the basketball team. Freshmen were not eligible to play varsity basketball but his following 3 years he was integral to the team. I remember dad heading down to mid court to speak with him during a couple games of the few we attended in the seventies...

1959...

 

[1eyefishing]

Dad, 1958...

 

[kingfish]

I'm sure he was a good guy if you knew him. I didn't care for him. His distain for any school that wasn't Duke, NC, UCLA or Kansas in the elite 8 to the finals was blatantly obvious. Absolutely despised the fact that mid major schools were allowed to compete in the NCAA tournament and you could tell how much he disliked when a small school upset a "blue blood"

 

[Flash]

Wasn't he on the ACC broadcasts (CBS or ABC) back in the 70's early 80's??

 

[1eyefishing]

Wasn't he on the ACC broadcasts (CBS or ABC) back in the 70's early 80's??

Alot.

I'm sure he was a good guy if you knew him. I didn't care for him. His distain for any school that wasn't Duke, NC, UCLA or Kansas in the elite 8 to the finals was blatantly obvious. Absolutely despised the fact that mid major schools were allowed to compete in the NCAA tournament and you could tell how much he disliked when a small school upset a "blue blood"

He was pure ACC. The crowned conference of basketball for decades back in the day.
The way SEC is king of the hill in football these days.

Dad had a large circle of collegiate and professional athletes that he was friends with. I was a teenager in the seventies and largely unaware of peoples professional or political slants.
Dad introduced me to quite a few well known stars that I shook hands with and I felt quite privileged to get a glimpse of his cohorts.
Benny Mcrae
Sonny Jerguson
Arnold Palmer
Bones Mckinney
Rick Barry
Charlie Scott
We went to quite a few games where dad had to hunt someone down who was on the field or the court.
I regarded them all as big men, and not speaking of stature.

 

[Flash]

I enjoyed him on the ACC games