Bob Raissman’s Incredibly Specultive and Mind-Boggling Billy Packer’s-In-Trouble-Column
Media Gossip/Musings April 22nd. 2008, 11:30am
A most curious item turned up in Bob Raissman’s New York Daily News media column over the weekend: Is college basketball announcing fixture Billy Packer on thin ice at CBS? It’s a bizarre theory, based seemingly on the foundation of these four points:
* Packer’s racist history!
* Packer’s premature Kansas-UNC call!
* Packer popping off (sorta) in an interview with USA Today!
* CBS lost money this year!
Couple things we noticed: a) How come there are no quotes or references to conversations had on background with anyone at CBS? b) Why didn’t he reach out to CBS for comment? c) How come there is no reference to Packer’s current contract?
Uh, Bob, what does this sentence even mean?
“But it’s time to officially start wondering if some CBS execs are turning on Mr. Packer, the man who invented college basketball.
Who is wondering this? Raissman? His moles at CBS?
One of two things is afoot here: Either Raissman has absolutely nothing and he’s completely speculating, or he’s got a fantastic source deep in the bowels of CBS. It should be somewhat easy to discern if the latter is true – when was the last time Raissman broke a big CBS media story?
Billy Packer can’t dance around the stir at CBS (NY Daily News)
Bloggers are all over this; too many to count. A few thoughts can be found here, here and here.
30 Responses to “Bob Raissman’s Incredibly Specultive and Mind-Boggling Billy Packer’s-In-Trouble-Column”
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April 22nd, 2008 at 11:35 am
i never really understood the hate towards packer. then again, i only listen to him for a couple weeks, and even then im not really paying attention to what he’s saying.
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:37 am
Billy Packer…he’s the one who likes “Man-da-man,” if I’m not mistaken.
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:38 am
CoRM – no, that’s Bill Raftery.
Never heard of Bob Raissman, but he looks like he should be wearing a leopard print loin cloth and lifting weights at the circus.
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:41 am
I know little to nothing about any of these people. Is it uncool to like the “Man-da-man” call? When it comes to blowhard announcers I never know who I should and shouldn’t like.
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:41 am
I thought James Naismith invented basketball?
That means Billy Packer is even older than I thought.
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:42 am
even better: why didn’t he reach out to packer for comment?
it seems raissman was really reaching on this. but to be honest, with what cbs/mcmanus is going to do to katie couric, it’s not a big stretch to see cbs/mcmanus do the same to packer.
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:44 am
I actually rewatched the Memphis/Ku game last night. I’m with Spencer in regards to not really paying attention to what he’s saying during the game. I don’t really pay attention to any announcer unless it is just godawful (MNF – I’m looking at you). Anyhow, long story short, I rewatched the game by myself and he was spot on with many things and was more reserved than I recalled him ever being. He may be a loathsome, hate everything not-ACC individual, but he called a good game.
That being said, he’s gone. This rumor has been around since after the Sweet 16 weekend (prior to the completely overblown UNC/KU comment). He was completely chewed up on KC talk radio (once again, KU was up 40-12, most folks thought the game was over) and he the press seems to be more negative towards him every tourney. I’m sure CBS thought they’d get massive ratings with UCLA, UNC, and KU in the Final Four. Packer might be at fault, but CBS should take a hard look at making a 40 minute basketball game last 3 1/2 hours (on a freaking Monday night). And moving the Final Four from a Saturday/Monday to a Thursday/Saturday.
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:45 am
CRM – How do you not know Bill Raftery’s signature call? I would take away your man card, but it was revoked long ago.
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:46 am
/Packer fan here
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:48 am
Rafteryisms
ONIONS!!
“Send it in Jerome”
“The Kissss”
“man da man”
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:50 am
Nino – you forgot “nickle dimer”
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:51 am
the real reason(s) for the bad ratings are more possibly linked to your latter elements than packer. if packer was the source of bad ratings, they would have stunk for the 30+ years he’s been calling final four games.
i’m down the middle on packer. he can be an arrogant, bitter mofo but he catches all sorts of hell that is undeserved. he’s not my favorite by any means but i’d take him over snagglepuss (raftery) any day of the week.
as much as i hate raftery, if it’s a good game or a game i want to watch, he isn’t going to chase me away from the game.
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:54 am
Either Raissman has absolutely nothing and he’s completely speculating,
What? A journalist ran a column with no sources and pure speculation? What is this institution coming to? Good thing he’s not one of those bloggers in his underwear in mom’s basement.
Maybe he’ll get his professional journlist license revoked.
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:54 am
I figured the ratings were down because the games blew this year.
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:55 am
Everytime I see the phrase “mind-boggling,” I think of Dieon Sanders hosting the Miss USA pagent. Classic.
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:57 am
@ Jay
Yeah when NC, KU, UCLA and Memphis are in the Final Four nobody out side of NC, KU, UCLA and Memphis really give a rats ass. I think “the masses” only get interested if there is an cinderella or an incredible individual star. That is just my opinion.
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Personally, I would rather Raftery and Lundquist do the Final Four instead of Nantz/Packer. Nantz/Packer are probably among my least favorite announcers during the tournament.
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:08 pm
eh, there’s an interest, just not a passionate one. people care about who wins, but there’s hardly the furvor that comes with a non-major program crashing the party.
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:14 pm
I was talking about the tournament itself more than the Final Four. I didn’t watch as much in the early rounds because a lot of the games were decided by halftime.
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:16 pm
“But it’s time to officially start wondering if some CBS execs are turning on Mr. Packer, the man who invented college basketball.”
this sounds like something i wrote when i first got started writing blogs, something completely out of the blue with no tangible evidence to back up the statement.
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:16 pm
If we’re getting into Raftery-isms, this resource isn’t bad. My personal favorite: JAMBALAYA!
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Ok…let’s me address something..Bob Raismann is a terrible TV/columnist in NY that is more akin to Mushnick (who has no sources either) but unlike Mushnick he has no soul or ideology and just rambles out a column like he knows something. He has not had a source or been right since 1988 when he named Mad Dog..of Mike and the Mad Dog..Mad Dog…I am waiting for Neil Best (an actual Journalist who has sources and breaks stories) to report on this…My opinion (which is just as valid as Raismann) Packer and Jim Nantz are tight (at least when I hear Nantz say it on Mike and the Mad Dog)and Nantz is the voice of CBS sports at this point..I don’t see Packer going anywhere.
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:20 pm
I remember reading somewhere sometime that Saturday night is the least watched TV night of the week, and therefore gets the least amount of ad dollars. Maybe somebody can validate that.
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:23 pm
St. Bear…don’t have the article but you are right…it’s why ABC started to do the Saturday night football game..networks have been showing reruns of shows on Sat Nite…ABC has done pretty well with the football..more than they would with a first run show.
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:31 pm
That’s all they’ve got? “This game is over”. Packer’s got more douchebaggery than that.
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:52 pm
If they started the title game at 8 they would be in good shape because advertisers would pay top dollar to be in the second half starting at 9 rather than a second half starting at 10. I also think instead of Thursday/Saturday or Saturday/ monday they should probably be running the games Sunday/Monday or Sunday/Tuesday. Those would maximize the ratings you would get for the games by a ton.
April 22nd, 2008 at 1:17 pm
“I remember reading somewhere sometime that Saturday night is the least watched TV night of the week, and therefore gets the least amount of ad dollars. Maybe somebody can validate that.”
You are right, but this is an event. I think more people would have parties/goto bars if the final is on Saturday night. Just an idea.
And, yes, I was hungover the Tuesday after the Championship.
April 22nd, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Raissman might be the worst columnist in the city. And that saying something.
The thing about Packers comment? We’re still talking about it!
And he was right!
April 22nd, 2008 at 3:13 pm
One of two things is afoot here: Either Raissman has absolutely nothing and he’s completely speculating, or he’s got a fantastic source deep in the bowels of CBS. It should be somewhat easy to discern if the latter is true – when was the last time Raissman broke a big CBS media story?
Or…someone high up at CBS is floating ye olde trial balloon
April 22nd, 2008 at 3:19 pm
I can only hope Packers’ gone. I turn the TV down and turn the radio up when he does games.