If you read my most recent article, in which I referred to the way Billy Packer tosses out stereotypical remarks like hotcakes, you may have been listening a little closer to the games he has been broadcasting.
It didn’t take long for Packer to fire one out. In fact, it happened early in the second half of the first game he announced on Friday—the Davidson/Gonzaga game.
Gonzaga’s starting point guard, Jeremy Pargo, is black. Davidson’s point guard, Jason Richards, is white.
As I was making scrambled eggs in the kitchen with the volume on the TV turned up loud, I heard Billy Packer say this:
“Boy, Richards is clever with that basketball. He’s been able to consistently drive right by Jeremy Pargo—and that’s surprising. I would’ve thought Pargo would have the advantage in the quickness department.”
Good Lord, Billy. Why didn’t you just say, “I can’t believe this white kid can get by this black kid—usually blacks are a lot quicker!”
This isn’t even surprising. Packer has done this for ages.
To the average viewer, this sort of remark may not seem to be offensive. And maybe Packer doesn’t think he is offending anyone. This sort of comment has been prevalent in sports broadcasting for years now, and the older commentators may not yet realize that it’s complete bullsh*t.
I, for one, think it’s ridiculous. I think there is no place for this kind of crap. It brings up images of Al Campanis, the Dodger front office member whose overboard racial generalities towards blacks were seen by a national audience on ABC’s Nightline in 1987.
It wasn’t the first time Billy Packer has spewed out an ignorant racial remark, and sadly, it won’t be the last. I hope a large number of people pick up on this and send letters to CBS, so that hopefully someone will talk to Packer.
Billy: This crap needs to stop.
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6 months ago
The most recent comment that he made doesn't necessarily need to be taken in the racial sense.
What if Pargo was known as one of the fastest guards in the NCAA, and Richards was not. What Packer said is simply, "I thought that Pargo was the faster guard."
You're probably right, though. I don't listen much to Billy Packer, as I tend to lower the commentary of basketball games because of all the stupid comments they say (I heard the phrase "tenacious defense" at least five times yesterday).
If I would've heard Packer's comment, I don't think I would've thought much of it. Thanks for pointing it out, and now I will keep an ear out for more of broadcaster's blunders.
Good article!
from 6 months ago
Nice article but what is your point...blacks are usually NOT quicker than whites? I know because I'm not black I can't feel what you feel, but I sure don't think that's a stereotype.
Seriously, guys like Billy Packer love the game of basketball and to bring racism into it is demeaning to their work. I suppose if you listen hard to any public figure who talks for a living, you're bound to find something. It's a good thing you and I don't have our every word out there to be scrutinized.
Keep up the good work Jux.
6 months ago
You also forgot to breakdown the "boy, Richards is clever with the basketball" portion of the quote. Conciously or subconciously, the racial profiling goes on. White players are deemed "intelligent with the ball" or they "always make the smart play" while black players are "athletic freaks". Rarely do you hear a white player making "athletic" plays or black players "smart with the ball" and so on. It happens in every sport. Pay attention to anything and evrything, white recievers are "possesion guys", black recievers are "speedsters" or "burners". Sadly, its something that will always be there, and it goes both ways.
6 months ago
He was not being racist he was stating what he saw and he saw that richards was being clever with the basketball. This article is stupid. Your the one bringing race into it. Maybe pargo is really the faster guard and it was surpringing that richards was going by him, then should packer have thought oh well i can't say that cause people might think i'm racist. He was calling the game and stating fact not being racist, so please shut up.
6 months ago
I've watched some Gonzaga games on TV over the past few years, and one of Pargo's strengths on the court IS his quickness. I've always thought he's one of the faster players in college basketball. Maybe Packer has made racist remarks in other instances - I haven't paid that close of attention to his broadcasts - but this is clearly not one of them.
6 months ago
Billy Packer is a horrible analyst, but I see no racism in this example. If you're going to make an accusation like that, you better be able to back it up a little better. Shame on Bleacher Report for making this the top story on its home page.
6 months ago
I agree with Jordan, why is this the Number 1 article. Is this non-racial comment really the most important writing right now? You just made it racial and there was no connection between his comment and race. And Cody, really, "White players are deemed 'intelligent with the ball' or they 'always make the smart play' while black players are 'athletic freaks'. Who ever said that? Athletic freaks? This article is not very intelligent, so why is it number 1?
from 6 months ago
Dan, listen to the broadcasting or pre/post-game analysis more closely next time. Good white basketball players have "High basketball IQs" like Kevin Love or motors like Tyler Hansbrough. Good black basketball players have often been referred to as athletic freaks.
It's not necessarily racism or anything but subconsciously these labels are more prevalent toward certain types of players. You can find exceptions, but that's just kind of how it is. A white player with freakish athletic talent is Chase Budinger but I've heard little or no praise about this. Derrick Rose seems to have a very high basketball IQ but all everyone talks about is his gifted athleticism.
This particular example may have not been the strongest because we're not sure what information Packer knew about Pargo, but these types of comments happen all the time. It's not really racist, it's just making general assumptions about players which may or may not be true
6 months ago
Disagree with the article all you want, but if you think it's "not very intelligent," then write one that is and have it go the front page.
"Shame on Bleacher Report"? Come on.
6 months ago
This may not have been quite as racist as some of his previous comments (remember the Iverson "tough little monkey" flap?) but considering Packer played in the segregated ACC you have to wonder if he honestly believes those stereotypes.
6 months ago
Usually racism lies more in the eye of the beholder than in the actions of the imagined offender. Billy Packer is annoying, but making a race issue of benign comments like the ones about speed and intelligence is libel. If you truly believe what you are saying in your article, you need to retool how you think about race - or rather how much you think about it.
6 months ago
I'm just not seeing the racism in thinking a guard that is supposed to be extremely quick should be able to out-quick a guard who isn't supposed to be as quick.
And THAT is as good a commentary as anything Billy Packer said all weekend.
But not a racist remark...I don't believe his was either.
from 6 months ago
Speaking of "good commentary"...where was it this weekend? I'm sure I heard "tenacious defense" at least five times, maybe more.
I had to mute the TV it was so bad. I honestly think I could've done a better job than some of those commentators did.
6 months ago
the thing with packer is he is lazy. he doesn't prepare, he knows nothing about these teams other than something that has received national attention. so he falls back on stereotypes. he sees a white player and if he doesnt know anything about him, he assumes the guy isn't quick. same thing for a black player. he is not the only announcer who does this either.
6 months ago
This is just ONE example of a stereotypical generalization that Packer employs quite often...
In this case, yeah, maybe Pargo IS quicker... but the fact that he remarked on Richards' cleverness and smarts just doesnt sit right...
This article is not supposed to be really focusing on this particular example as a terrible racist remark...
but it just illustrated my exact point that I had brought up in my previous article
Packer is terrible... he says the same thing over and over again.. and he always loves to remark on how smart whites are.. and how quick and athletic blacks are
Whether its true or not.. its old and tired and it's dumb to me
6 months ago
What about the time Billy Packer commented on Zach Randolph, "wow, Zach Randolph has got some huge lips!" - That was totally irrelevant to the game he was calling..in fact, it wasn't even a Michigan State game. He just blurted it out for seemingly no reason at all.
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