Legendary college basketball analyst Billy Packer, who called 34 Final Fours, dies at 82
Packer was CBS' lead college basketball analyst for 27 years
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Billy Packer
- Thread starter smashmouth5
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www.cbssports.com
Packer may have been no Duke fan (I think there is a story about him not being recruited by Duke when he wanted to go there), but he was one of the guys who put the ACC on the map and then became a national broadcaster who remembered his Tobacco Road roots. He was opinionated but knew the game after having played it at a high level.
What I didn't know until I just looked it up is he was born in New York State and had a Polish name (like Coach K's) and his family changed it to more Americanized. I thought he was always a Southern guy.
What I didn't know until I just looked it up is he was born in New York State and had a Polish name (like Coach K's) and his family changed it to more Americanized. I thought he was always a Southern guy.
When Billy Packer's kids were small he lived about 15 minutes from our home and he later moved to Bermuda Run just outside Winston Salem. I had the privilege to play 18 holes with him in the Crosby Golf tournament few years back. He had a story to tell on about every hole. He said he had no plans to get into broadcasting but one day Jim Thacker was going to do a broadcast and needed another person and Packer said he was asked and never stopped. I enjoyed when Al McGuire and Packer did the games. They would be two steps ahead and their focus was on the game at present.
