Billy Packer Kicks Ass

It is no secret that Billy Packer is a personality that attracts a lot of opinion and controversy amongst fans. Our most recent Packer-related conversation can be found by clicking here.

But tonight, you can officially throw out almost all of your Packer criticisms. Tonight, Billy Packer enters the StateFansNation Hall of Fame (at least for a while). I am not kidding.

In this article on CNNSI, Billy Packer stepped to the plate and delivered a grand slam in his last at bat to finish the game by hitting for the cycle. Packer earned an all-access card to any conversation amongst any of my closest NC State friends.

And what about the lack of support Sendek received from those who should have been his most loyal enthusiasts? Will that scare away anyone?

“Nobody is going to be bothered by that, at least the person who’s hired won’t be,” Packer said. “If somebody is bothered by that, he shouldn’t be a candidate anyway. You’ve got to be more competitive than that.”

Thank you, Billy Packer!!!

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

I swear to God that I honestly think that many of the whiner-wolves out there honestly thought that NC State was going to have to shutter our basketball program after losing Herb Sendek. They literally believed that nobody in the country would come to State because we fans weren’t happy with a coach that created the second worst performance in NC State history and one of the worst three performances amongst coaches allowed to coach a decade in ACC history.

Thank you, again Mr. Packer.

Fans General Media NCS Basketball Quotes of Note

15 Responses to Billy Packer Kicks Ass

  1. NCSU4LIFE 04/07/2006 at 10:56 PM #

    “Whoever takes the North Carolina State job has to look at the Roy Williams and Mike Krzyzewski factor,” CBS college basketball analyst Billy Packer said. “A guy who is in another part of the country certainly is not going to make a lateral move.”

    Who was he referring to here?

  2. StateFans 04/07/2006 at 11:03 PM #

    Memphis to NC State is not a lateral move. 🙂

  3. Mr O 04/07/2006 at 11:06 PM #

    Probably talking about Barnes leaving Texas to go to NC State.

  4. Chip 04/07/2006 at 11:50 PM #

    I for one have always liked Packer. Basically, because my Carolina friends absoluely hate him. But after today I have another reason to like the guy. Thanks Billy. Also thanks to Coach John Thompson. He didn’t pile on us when given the opportunity like Feinstein. At least these 2 old schoolers don’t think we are off our rockers for wanting more.

  5. WAWolf 04/07/2006 at 11:54 PM #

    Unbelievable. I take back (almost) every mean thing I ever said about him. It’s finally refreshing to hear a media/coach type speak the plain truth (i.e., demolishing the “angry, unrealistic fans” myth) that the rest of them seem so reluctant and afraid to admit.

  6. Dan 04/08/2006 at 1:12 AM #

    First, let me say that I was one of the more ardent supporters of Coach Sendek and one of the bigger critics of those who wished for him to leave.

    That being said, the national media’s blindness to the real reasons Sendek left borders on ridiculous. Everyone who knows the situation knows that Sendek had at least the moral support of everyone who normally matters to a coach. Every coach who ever existed has to put up with criticism. Hell, they were trying run off Joe Paterno at Penn State. Not the people that mattered to Jo Pa though. That sort of criticism doesnt make a coach leave.

    The reasons Sendek left, I believe, were two fold.

    1) Money. A 50% raise is a 50% raise. Its a lot of money and a lot of people would have a hard time turning that down if they didnt love where they were. If they didnt love a school like a Joe Pa loves Penn State. That should tell us the level of love Herb Sendek had for NC State. Not that that is the only thing that could make a coach turn down the bigger money:

    2) ASU offered the path of least resistance. No K and no Roy to compete against. Its a win-win for coach who doesnt relish a challenge and doesnt have deep ties to where he is. One that doesnt have the drive, the self belief (or ego whatever you want to call it), and ambition to take on the biggest challenges.

    Sendek basically took the easier job that paid more money. Its the smart play and Herb’s a calculating guy. But I think by leaving, Herb proved at least one point made by those that wanted change. Herb didn’t relish the opportunity the NC State job provided. He saw UNC and Duke as an excuse to finish third or as two huge obstacles keeping him from his goal.

    I dont think it is too much to want a coach who looks at Roy and Coach K and sees them as the opportunity to do something truly great and not as something standing in the way of something great.

  7. Jason2413 04/08/2006 at 5:32 AM #

    I was a very strong supporter of Coach Sendek, but in no way do I think will how he left be a detriment to getting a new coach. Things just drug out with Sendek, the whole deal with the fans was a long term issue, any coach with a brain will be able to see that. This won’t be the case with a new coach. I expect us to get a great hire. Please let it be John Calipari!

  8. BJD95 04/08/2006 at 8:33 AM #

    I have always been a Packer fan. He’s a grumpy old man who is willing to call ’em like he sees ’em, regardless of conventional wisdom or how the typical ass kissers operate.

  9. class of 74 04/08/2006 at 9:48 AM #

    ^Me too! Billy has always been honest in expressing his feelings.

  10. StateFans 04/08/2006 at 10:10 AM #

    (1) Money. A 50% raise is a 50% raise. Its a lot of money and a lot of people would have a hard time turning that down if they didnt love where they were. If they didnt love a school like a Joe Pa loves Penn State. That should tell us the level of love Herb Sendek had for NC State. Not that that is the only thing that could make a coach turn down the bigger money

    For the record, the initial indications that Sendek was getting a big raise at ASU was…well…an “exaggeration” (is the nice way to put it). I know that it will be a ‘shock’ to some of you that Team Sendek’s version/spin of the situation differs significantly from reality, but Sendek is reportedly making between $900k and $1Million at ASU.

  11. vtpackfan 04/08/2006 at 11:47 AM #

    Packer and Rafferty are more favorite tv color commentators. They say the stuff your buddy sitting next to you at the game would. Not always wrong, but unpredictible. If I had final four tickets in the front row with Vitale sitting nearby I would go stand in the beer line and watch the game on the consession tv.

  12. SixPack 11/01/2006 at 1:51 PM #

    Packer can be a pain in the tush if you’re a STATE fan but I remember
    him way back when he and Bob Thacker (“Packer and Thacker”) were the
    ACC commentators for B-Ball (that dates me for those that remember).

    To Packer’s credit he is a fountain of knowledge re ACC B-Ball history and
    (I believe) a real proponent of our conference versus Big 10, Big East, etc.

    I’ll be a little easier on him after today !

  13. bTHEredterror 11/02/2006 at 12:39 AM #

    Raftery is the Greatest VT!! Onions! The Kiss! He’s like Madden for college basketball, and he always comes off like a kid on Christmas morning. Even when he is watching a snoozer.

    I heard Packer make pretty much the same comments back when the search was raging. I think Billy has always been pretty fair to the Pack. Carolina fans don’t like him because doesn’t bow down to them. He gives them what he gives everybody else, even his Deacs. His honest opinion of the situation.

  14. MrPlywood 11/02/2006 at 3:37 AM #

    I don’t have a problem with Packer. He’s got his subjective opinions just like any TV guy, and I always thought his observations about games were valid. Interestingly though, the sports media in the Northwest cannot stand him. Specifically, the guys at KJR-AM Sports Radio in Seattle just loath him, but I’m not sure why. Maybe they think he’s too ACC centric, but then why wouldn’t he be? lol

    I’ve heard some of those NW guys call games (Huskies, WASU Cougars, PAC 10) and they stink, so they really don’t have a leg to stand on…

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. StateFans Nation » Blog Archive » 1989: ‘Worst Call in NCAA Tournament History” - 02/27/2007

    […] For all of those that choose to ‘hate’ on Billy Packer (we are trying to get hip here at SFN), you have to give Packer credit for calling this play before it even happened. Additionally, he never hesitated to criticize the horrible call at the very moment that it happened. A little later, Packer referred to the call as “the worst call in NCAA Tournament history”. (A little more on Packer here) “Nowhere near a walk….no steps at all. Not even close. Should have been a basket and a foul.” […]

Leave a Reply