Billy Packer in Jersey

[Gold Hoya]

USA Today link

CBS on-air assignments for regional games: Jim Nantz/Billy Packer on top seed North Carolina's East region, Dick Enberg/Jay Bilas on top seed Kansas' West region, Brown/Len Elmore on Florida's Midwest region and Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery on Ohio State's South region.

[Boz]

I don't know if I'd go thumbs down on that one.

Yes, clearly our #1 choice would have been Verne & Raf. But if we can't have that, CBS's signature team is not a bad second.

I mean, as nice as it's been having Jay Bilas drool over the Hoyas through the first two rounds (I'm thinking of having "Who's Your Daddy!" t-shirts made up), Dick Enberg is simply drooling in general these days. The guy can't call an accurate play-by-play to save his life.

As for J.B. and Elmore, blech.

[FrazierFanatic]

Bilas will counter the Packer ACC bias if we meet NC on Sunday. Even as an ACC alum, Bilas is in touch with reality.

[Dhall]

Gus Johnson is clearly the best play-by-play guy. Too bad he got the shaft.

[lichoya68]

PACKER NO NO NO NO GO HOYAS WIN ANYWAY PACKER NO NO NO NO GO HOYAS

[CO_Hoya]

dhall said:

Gus Johnson is clearly the best play-by-play guy. Too bad he got the shaft.

Agree.

Actually, pairing him with Bilas might work well - seems like they'd balance each other.

[lichoya68]

PS PACKERS THE WORST WORST WORST ACC ONOLY ONE LEFT AND BIG EAST TWOO HUMRUMPH

[Filo]

None of those pais bother me too much, although I am not real fond of Nantz / Packer. They'll have to do.

Gus Johnson is OK; I guess some people love the enthusiasm and excitement. But he is way too over-the-top with the drama for my taste.

I like Elmore a lot, so JB / Elmore would have been fine with me.

[Oh My!]

Am I the only one wondering what "HUMRUMPH" sounds like?

[dajuan]

Hearing Gus Johnson just screaming at the end of close games is the highlight of march madness.

In case you needed a reminder here's my favorite clip:

He is screaming for about 30 seconds starting at the 2:08 mark.
And then he caps it off with "With the caaaaaaaatch" at the 4:15 mark.

If anyone has more recent video I'd love to see it.

[aggypryd]

Raftery & Lundquist would be my first pick...

Elmore & J.B. would be a close 2nd...I think J.B. is a big JTII fan...or is that John Saunders?

[kghoya]

might as well get used to the packer nantz twosome

[FOTP]

No worries. I like that we get the "A" team even if the "A" team is pretty weak to me.

Nice stat: only 4 teams are repeat Sweet 16 representatives.

Georgetown, UCLA, Florida and Memphis.

Pretty impressive company to keep.

[VictorSkyPage]

that is somewhat disappointing, since I hate packer, but I agree that it's definitely a good sign that they've given us CBS's #1 guys..


matter of fact, this should have no bearing on me since I will be in the arena one way or another

[Hoya50]

maybe billy will break out some more "monkey" references.

[Big Dog]

goldhoya said:

USA Today link

CBS on-air assignments for regional games: Jim Nantz/Billy Packer on top seed North Carolina's East region, Dick Enberg/Jay Bilas on top seed Kansas' West region, Brown/Len Elmore on Florida's Midwest region and Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery on Ohio State's South region.

You could see this coming a mile away, even with Texas losing in Round 2. No way CBS wants to miss the chance to have its no. 1 team broadcast a potential UNC-Georgetown classic.

I feel bad for Gus. For several years now he'd have been the fourth play-by-play guy with Len Elmore on these games. But with J.B. moving in, he gets slotted down the chain.

Still, it shouldn't be too long before Enberg is pushed out. So Gus will be back in.

I still don't get why everybody hates Packer. Yes, he's a know-it-all. But he happens to know a lot. And for, oh, about 30 years, if he's doing your game, it means its a big game--and tends to mean your team is good.

[aggypryd]

hoya50 said:

maybe billy will break out some more "monkey" references.

LMAO!!!!

[AvantGuardHoya]

For some bizarre (?!) reason I can also tolerate Packer. He's never really rubbed me the wrong way. Must say, though, that when Enberg, Packer and Al McGuire did broadcasts, I liked McGuire way more -- even though Al wasn't particularly analytical. He just had this winning personality.

I was floored when I heard Pete Gillen speak recently -- his accent and speech pattern were eerily reminiscent of Coach McGuire. Must be that NYC thang ....

[RDF]

Well, Billy was there when we dropped down a notch after losing to Duke in '89. He's the guy who called our return to prominance against Duke last year--so who better to call our return to an entirely different level?

Vandy is not a gimme--these kids can play, are well coached, and are a true program that values education and atheltics. I like the matchup because they are a well run, CLEAN program and it's a battle that symbolizes what CBB SHOULD BE ABOUT.

As for the announcing teams--Enberg has to be getting a poem ready about the "length of Kansas team", the "rippling muscles of UNLV's Gaston Essengue", "UCLA's wonderful tradition"--he used to call Bruin games, and "Pitt's Jamie Dixons' heartwarming story about his sister"--that is enough material for Enberg to get very homoerotic and overly emotional about. BTW, how quick before he refers to Kevin Kruger as Lon? Bill Self as Roy Williams? Jamie Dixon as Ben Howland and Howland as Dixon?

[casualhoya]

billy packer is one tough monkey.

i may have a man-crush on jay bilas - easily the class of espn's analysts.

casually.