Screw Billy Packer

I love Noah. I love his chest beating and his scowls. It has little to do with basketball, however.

 

Agree. During the title game someone (not Noah) made a steal and passed it ahead to someone else (not Noah) who made a layup while being fouled. Noah runs down the court after the play is over, catches the ball as it comes through the hoop and starts making all his crazy gesticulations while screaming and posturing.

That's why I think he's a piece of crap. If he makes that play and wants to dance around like a douche, thumping his chest, that's fine with me even though, frankly, I find that shit annoying. But to run around like a mental patient when <b>he didn't even do anything</b> is too much for me to bear.

 

Nothing concrete on this - but it seems as if Packer has been doing more interviews this year defending himself and his style (Dan Patrick, Jim Rome) than normal. Might be he is hearing footsteps? I've never understood his appeal. He doesn't seem happy to be there, he says he tries to be like a referee and not be noticed, but as a viewer I do notice that he seems like he's angry about something. I've always wondered what his deal was, does he have a pact with the NCAA? Something on Jim Nantz? Or is it the Howard Cosell syndrome. People love to hate him.

 

Patrick Sparks.

 

I'm guess you're one of the young guys who thinks he should take over the "mic."
Verne Lundquist and Bill Rafferty were nothing short of excellent this year at the tourney. They sound like they enjoy doing what they're doing. They make it fun. Sure, Lundquist misses a player here and there. Every announcer does. He's still tremendous.

 

I would love to hear Lundquist and Raftery do the championship game ,,, forget Somnescent Nantz and pompous packer...
Those two are the best

 

Raftery is great to listen to...

"... and the kiss..."

 

Hate to disagree with someone named Budcrew, but different strokes for different folks, I guess. I've heard Raftery is a nice man, and he seems enthusiastic enough, but I absolutely can't stand to listen to him.

To me, he's worse than Vitale, who is a self-parody. Raftery shouts almost everything he says to the point of sounding like a drunk at the end of a bar, and his pet phrases aren't exactly clever. He sounds like a hack. Worse, he sounds obsolete. He adds nothing, except his little pet phrases, like man-to-man!, which you can't understand, anyway.

What's interesting is that the top three analysts -- Packer, Vitale and Raftery -- are all white men in their 60s. Why can't they find new blood? I watched the women's game the other night, and, while I think Mike Patrick is an ingratiating, over-the-hill blowhard who always sounds out-of-breath, I thought Doris Burke was very good.

 

Seconded.

 

I can't agree with your point about Raf -- I love him. But Burke is very good. She should be on men's games -- and NOT on the sidelines, either -- in the booth.

 

Can't wait to hear Nantz get melodramatic and sappy about the azaelas, blue skies and green grass this weekend.

 

Nope, I'm not one of those who thinks he should be on the mic. I have no desire to be an announcer, and I wouldn't be any good. I'm just sick of these guys. There have got to be better announcers out there. I agree about Raftery ... what does he add to the broadcast. "man to man!" "onions!" "the kiss!" "send it in!" ... we get it, you made that shit up. But a color guys job is to explain the game and give analysis, not spit bullshit he and his drunk buddies thought would be funny if he said on the air 30 years ago. That's all he does. Vitale, too, needs to go.

Anyone see Packer's latest. He was on a TV interview with some buddy of his, and the other guy said something about coming down to the final four to be Packer's runner. Packer says, "You always say you're coming to the Final Four, but you always fag out on that one." Needless to say, the fags aren't very happy about his choice of words.