Charles Barkley tells Billy Packer to “Shut the Hell Up”
"I don't let people say stuff to me and get away with it..."
It only took Charles Barkley about 3 weeks to respond to Billy Packer's critical comments about the new TV deal that will add Turner Broadcasting to NCAA basketball tournament coverage.
The former lead color commentator for CBS's tournament coverage told USA Today he doesn't believe NBA announcers are qualified to enter the college fray when they haven't been watching games all season.
At halftime of the Mavericks - Knicks game on TNT Thursday night, Barkley pulled no punches in his response to Packer:
"I don't let people say stuff to me and get away with it. Hey, Billy Packer, you might be right. We might not be very good and know all the players and all the teams on college basketball. I don't know any players on Wofford or UNC-Asheville. You are absolutely right.
But stop being a jackass. Listen, we're going to do a good job and I know you said, 'They should've went to ESPN.'
There was one problem. ESPN didn't have $11 billion. We did. That's why we got it.
So sit back, enjoy the March Madness with Greg Gumbel, Clark Kellogg, Jim Nantz, and all of us. And shut the hell up!"
Barkley and Packer are, historically, two of the most brutally honest analysts in broadcasting.
Packer may have worn out his welcome at CBS a few years ago, but it's time to bring him back to face Barkley in a cage with Gus Johnson and that ridiculous Canadian guy calling the action.
Okay, I'd settle for Barkley and Packer sharing a studio this March.
Sadly, that's not likely either.