The only thing I dislike about March is that Billy Packer always becomes a cause.
Two seasons ago he said something innocuous before the NCAA basketball tournament about St. Joseph's that turned Philadelphia, fans of underdogs and portions of the Eastern Seaboard against him.
Last season, George Mason coach Jim Larranaga invoked Packer before and after every unlikely NCAA tournament victory, which was almost daily since his team went all the way to the Final Four. The coach was angry about a comment Packer made about mid-major teams such as his on Selection Sunday.
Now it's North Carolina fans that are upset because of Packer's interpretation of Gerald Henderson's foul on Tyler Hansbrough Sunday. I didn't hear Billy's call since I was in the Dean Dome.
And I don't want to hear it. But those of you who have memorized every sentence, phrase, syllable and vowel email or call to tell me that Packer said the contact was unintentional and the foul was not flagrant.
I disagree, but so what? Packer might still believe what he said, and if he doesn't, he's not going to publicly announce that he was wrong.
I think Packer is the best commentator in basketball and among the best in sports. He's the one who does not kneel in front of the coaches, the one who does not consider a tough question, "So, K, was that one cream and one sugar?"
I know Billy, and I'm not writing this because he's a better person than he is a commentator. He's not. He's also not anti-North Carolina. He's anti-George Mason.
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