Polarizing Packer gets fresh view of tourney

Billy Packer ...

Quick, what was your reaction?

Anger? Respect? Hostility? Admiration?

You had one. You felt something. It is what made Packer so distinguishable broadcasting the NCAA Tournament for 34 years. What made him the guy you loved to scream at but couldn't turn off. The guy you loved to disagree with but always listened to. The guy North Carolina fans swore wore Duke underwear and Duke fans swore slept under a Carolina bedspread and Wake Forest fans swore was a traitor.

It always happens this way. The people who create the most dialogue, who offer the most opinion, who supply the most substance, who generate the most response usually are the most controversial figures.

Think about it: Is there anything at all interesting about Digger Phelps, other than to discover if he can match the color of his Sharpie pens to his dress shirts for an entire tournament or if he has some sort of high-stakes wager on the number of monotonous statistics one can report while appearing to conduct an orchestra in less than 60 seconds?

Packer is different. Always has been. If you sit on the side that insists the CBS coverage of this year's tournament is better without his judgment on games, the point of his March significance is proven.

One way or the other, he made you react.

The fact that at times it might have meant wanting to wrap your head in cellophane and dunk it in water is of little importance.

"I've heard it my whole life," said Packer, 69. "I certainly wouldn't have done anything differently. Even now, walking through the casino here, people are screaming, 'Why the hell do you always root against us!' That's OK. It means they have an opinion."

For the first time since 1974, Packer won't call a Final Four when college basketball's biggest weekend arrives in Detroit next week, his seat next to Jim Nantz being occupied by a younger and less provoking Clark Kellogg.

Don't kid yourself. A little arrogance makes good television, and Kellogg won't stoke the fire in the assertive manner Packer did. Forget whether you agreed with him on most points or not. CBS made the decision to go in a safer direction. It's not always the best way.

Packer instead will view the national semifinals and title game as he has the tournament's opening two weeks, inside the Wynn Las Vegas race and sports book. He has teamed with Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight for the Fox Sports Net series "Billy Packer's Survive and Advance," in which the two analyze tournament games and interact with fans along with special guests.

Jerry Tarkanian will join the show Sunday evening. So will former Duke star Christian Laettner. Bill Russell and David Thompson and Denny Crum and Isiah Thomas and Quinn Buckner already have made appearances. These aren't just names within college basketball history. They're giants.

"I had been thinking about this project for years, knowing there would come a day when I wouldn't be broadcasting anymore," Packer said. "My buddies would always say, 'Billy, we know you have a good seat, but you don't know what it's like until you experience the tournament from Vegas.' It's like Jack Nicholson in 'The Bucket List.' Something I have always wanted to do.

"I've lived my life in periods. I never thought, 'This is my last game playing or broadcasting.' When I played my last game (at Wake Forest), that was it. That part of my life was over.

"Same with broadcasting. I only knew I wanted my last game to be the national championship and a really neat game, and it worked out with (Kansas-Memphis last year). I don't miss the broadcasting part because I never think about it."

He has heard from UNLV fans here the past few weeks about how he mistakenly referred to the Mountain West Conference as the Big Mountain. Heard it and moved on, like with most things.

But while his show at the Wynn doesn't deal with the gambling side of the tournament, Packer knows the city well enough to realize the importance it holds in the game nationally.

"I realized quite some time ago what a big ally college basketball has in Las Vegas," Packer said. "I'm not so sure the (oddsmakers) wouldn't make a terrific (tournament) selection committee in regards to the value of the teams. They would have more to lose if they were incorrect, much more than the current committee.

"The NCAA would never admit it publicly, but they know it to be true. Las Vegas is the biggest insurance policy the NCAA and college basketball has."

Like him. Don't like him. Respect his opinion. Want to wrap your head in cellophane. It doesn't matter.

We can't have enough people who create dialogue. Packer continues to play the role flawlessly. Always has.

Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ed Graney can be reached at 702-383-4618 or egraney@reviewjournal.com.