PF Clark Kellogg (CBS CBB Analyst)

[Buckskin86]

Wednesday, July 16th, 2008

Clark Kellogg is the man

I got more texts and emails about the Billy-Packer-out-Clark-Kellogg-in news then I did about the Pau-to-the-Lakers trade. It?s not that the latter wasn?t a huge move relevant to my job, but friends and co-workers know three things about me: 1-I have a passion for watching college basketball on TV. 2-I hate Billy Packer as an announcer. 3-I love Clark Kellogg as an announcer (praise I have shared with him personally at Pacer games in the past, and which he accepted graciously.) Anyway, in my second issue as Editor-in-Chief (#107), I was only too happy to green light an Old-School on Kellogg, which Alan Paul did a beautiful job on (as usual). Anyway, while we continue to build an Old-School archive for the site, I figured now was a great time to run Alan?s story?Congrats to Clark and enjoy the piece.

?Ben Osborne

SPOTLIGHT STRIKES TWICE

You know Clark Kellogg as one of college basketball?s finest television analysts. But did you know that he was once a star player in high school, college and?for an all-too-brief time?in the NBA? Read and learn.

By Alan Paul

Clark Kellogg is such a ubiquitous presence on TV during March Madness that hoops fans should be forgiven for thinking he was born with a mic on his lapel and insight into your favorite college team in his head. But of course, Kellogg didn?t just appear in front of a teleprompter. He was a standout on the floor before he was a star in the studio, with a game that was similar to his rap?solid, confident, intelligent, reliable, hard-working and amongst the best. A Cleveland native, Special K was a high school All-American, averaging 28 ppg as a junior and senior for St. Joseph and setting a still-standing Ohio record with 51 points in the ?79 state championship game. Kellogg went to Ohio State and was Big Ten MVP in ?81-82, his third and last season, after averaging 16.1 ppg and 10.5 rpg.

The Pacers selected the 6-7, 230-pound forward with the eighth pick and he was an immediate NBA success. He put up a 20-10 (20.1 ppg, 10.6 rpg) season as a rookie, establishing himself as an elite power forward. A force around the basket, Kellogg also had a reliable mid-range jumper to draw defenders out. He maintained his strong play for three years, leading the team in scoring and boards each season. Then it all fell apart.

A knee injury early in the ?85-86 season limited Kellogg to 19 games in his fourth year and turned out to be the beginning of the end. More surgery followed in the offseason and he played just four games the following year before hanging it up. He was only 26 and had no clear idea what he would do next.

?I had been a positive presence on and off the court and the Pacers made it clear they would like me to stay involved in some capacity,? Kellogg recalls over the phone from his Ohio home. ?They had an opening on their radio broadcast and [GM] Donnie Walsh asked if I was interested. I wasn?t ready to turn basketball completely loose, so it seemed like a good way to stay involved.

?I?ve always enjoyed words and took communicating seriously so broadcasting just kind of fit who I am. It was a nice outlet for me to carve out a career path around the game.?SLAM: You were the Pacers leading scorer and rebounder as a rookie. Guess the NBA was an easy transition for you?

CK: It really was. I had played against pros in the summer since I was 15. A lot of Cavs stayed in Cleveland for the summer and I played with and against many guys, including Austin Carr, Campy Russell, Terry Furlow and Mike Mitchell. From 10th grade on, I played pickup games and in a really good summer league at Tri-C Community College. That helped me think that if I continued to work hard I had a chance to be a pro. Then I went to college and started right away, playing at a high level for three years. So by the time I got to the NBA, I was really well prepared.

When I got to Indiana, we had a veteran team and the guys took me under their wings. They were eager to help me get where they were but I was pretty grounded and humble. l wanted to be good. My old college teammate Herb Williams was there. We lived in the same neighborhood and he helped me get on my feet. He told me a lot about the team and the NBA and I was ready when I arrived at training camp. I probably worked harder than I ever had that summer before reporting. I wanted to hit the ground running and the opportunity to play was there because we were not a very good team.

SLAM ONLINE | ? Clark Kellogg is the man

 

[coastalbuck]

While I don't share the hate for Packer, I am really happy for Clark. He's a tremendous announcer, and a great ambassador for tOSU. Kudos to him and I look forward to his work in 08-09. Great job Buckeye....

 

[Buckskin86]

Kellogg hits nothing but net for CBS
George Thomas: East Cleveland native honored to call the best games in college basketball

By George M. Thomas
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Jul 17, 2008

The news came out of the blue last weekend that controversial CBS college basketball analyst Billy Packer, who had been with the network since 1982, would be stepping down.

It wasn't as surprising to Clark Kellogg.

Executives at the Eye Network had mentioned a year ago the possibility that the lead chair might open, he said in a recent interview.

Kellogg, a native of East Cleveland, learned this week that he would be the one to replace Packer.

And yes, while providing analysis of college games is not new for him, he recognizes the importance and honor of being asked to call the best games of the college basketball season, including the culmination of March Madness ? the Final Four.

''They kind of gauged my interest level and the opportunity to see if I was available, and I said I would pursue it if they thought I was the guy they wanted to move into that spot,'' Kellogg said.

There are few basketball analysts who are as qualified as Kellogg, a former player for Ohio State and the Indiana Pacers. He has called games for ESPN, the Big East and the Pacers, where he still works. He has one year left on his contract with the Pacers.

He has co-hosted the in-studio March Madness coverage at CBS since 1997.

With that resume, you would think that Kellogg might have developed a preference for the pro or college game.

Not so.

''I've grown to enjoy them both . . . I like the interaction between players and coaches,'' he said. ''I like being courtside and to have an opportunity to call one of the premier sporting events on the calendar is a real special privilege.''

Given that Kellogg never envisioned working as a sports broadcaster, it doesn't take a leap of faith to believe that sentiment is true.

''I obviously wanted to play longer in the NBA than I did, but a knee injury cut my playing career short, and at 26, I still had a lot of basketball in me and this was a way for this to come out,'' he said. ''I went after (broadcasting) like I played. I wanted to be good. I wanted to be distinguished, and I had a little bit of a knack for it at the start but had to work to get better.''

Given the new place he occupies, it's safe to say that he succeeded.

Ohio.com - Kellogg hits nothing but net for CBS

 

[txbuckeye1983]

I've seen time had passed old Billy "ACC" Packer. The basketball games will be much more enjoyable with Kellogg:osu: doing the a color analysis. Now if they just could replace Jim Nance with Gus Johnson it would be all good.

Gus Johnson is the best play-by-play man in the business right now. He could get me excited for an 8th grade, B-Team Basketball team in Springfield, MA.

And Billy Packer always came across to me as an old son-of-a-bitch that the game had passed up. He is just an asshole who seems to have had a vendetta against everyone who has played the game since Adolph Rupp coached. I honestly thought that cocksucker was going to have to die before he stopped doing the color for the Final Four.

Thank god Clark Kellogg is doing the biggest games from now on for CBS. He is one of the few college bball broadcasters out there who knows what he's talking about. If he does a good job, , which I'm sure he will, he has the chance to become THE prominent analyst in the sport along with Bilas and Seth Davis.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

Athletics: Former Buckeye Clark Kellogg Speaks to Student-Athlete Body

Ohio State All-American and lead basketball analyst for CBS Sports officially welcomed Buckeye student-athletes before classes start Wednesday

Clark Kellogg, an All-American men's basketball player at Ohio State from 1980-82, spoke to Ohio State student-athletes from all 36 varsity sports Monday at French Field House. Kellogg was the keynote speaker at the student-athlete breakfast function, where Buckeyes from all sports gathered to meet before classes begin.
Fall classes at Ohio State start Wednesday. University Convocation took place after the breakfast in St. John Arena.
Kellogg, recently named lead analyst for CBS Sports men's college basketball coverage, was introduced by David Lighty, a junior on the Ohio State men's team. Kellogg stressed the importance of leading a balanced life through academics and athletics. Watch Kellogg's full speech at the link above.

Continued.....

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

5 QUESTIONS FOR...CLARK KELLOGG

CLARK Kellogg has some pretty big shoes to fill - he's taking over for Billy Packer as CBS' top college-hoops analyst. Kellogg talked this week with The Post's Justin Terranova.

Q: What are your thoughts on replacing a legend such as Packer?
A: I'm just floored, obviously, getting the chance to replace a Hall of Fame-caliber broadcaster like Billy. Being in a position to take over is the pinnacle for me from a professional standpoint. I don't know where I could go beyond this.
Q: Do you think St. John's can be competitive in the Big East?
A: I saw St. John's a couple of times last year, and Norm Roberts has a very good foundation of good young players, and they are scratching and clawing to make it into the middle of the pack. But it's not easy in that league.

Continued................

 

[LitlBuck]

When it comes to announcing, I would think that Packer might have a hard time filling Clark's shoes. Packer should have left the scene a couple years ago. Sometimes a guy does not realize when he is way past his prime and talks out of his...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Top of his game: Denied fame by injury, Clark Kellogg begins reign as CBS' top hoops analyst

by Bill Lubinger/Plain Dealer Reporter Friday December 12, 2008, 11:33 PM

Lonnie Timmons III/The Plain DealerClark Kellogg is looking forward to his new role as lead college basketball analyst for CBS, but doesn't define himself as simply a broadcaster or as a former athlete.
Watch Clark Kellogg talk about his faith.


Before LeBron James was even born, a gangly kid from East Cleveland hand-dipped in basketball gold was crowned "The Chosen One." In the late '70s, Clark Kellogg was such a coveted talent at Cleveland's St. Joseph High School that his father would hide at his son's games to avoid the blitz of college recruiters drooling over the next Magic Johnson.
Here was an athlete made for legend if there ever was. High school and college All-American. First-round NBA draft pick. Twenty points, 10 rebounds per game as a rookie. They reserve space in the Hall of Fame for such resumes.
Except a Hall of Fame career never came. Nor did an NBA ring, NCAA title or even a state high school championship.
Kellogg, his knees shot, was through by 26.
"All he had worked for, it was cut short," said his father Clark, who still calls his oldest of five by his son's middle name, Cliff. "Almost like -- I don't want to say it -- a curse."

Cont...

 

[Buckskin86]

Kelllogg not expecting final advice from Packer
Neil Best
March 17, 2009

No one under 40 remembers this, but trust me, there was a time when they played the Final Four without Billy Packer at the mike - most recently in 1974.
David Thompson of North Carolina State ruled college basketball, there were 25 entrants in the NCAAs and Clark Kellogg was in grade school in Cleveland.

Now Kellogg, 47, is all grown up - all 6-7 of him - and next month in Detroit he will sit alongside Jim Nantz in the seat Packer filled for decades.

Even after two decades in broadcasting and 12 years in the CBS studio, he never will have experienced anything like it.

"I can't tell you how I'm going to react emotionally," he said. "It's much like when I did my first Final Four as a studio analyst in 1997 - the magnitude, the significance. I had no idea what to expect."

Kellogg is not expecting a primer from Packer. As of the middle of last week, he said he had not spoken to his predecessor since being told in the fall of 2007 he would replace Packer after that season.

No words of advice or encouragement or simple well wishes?

"No, no, no," Kellogg said. "But he has been very kind in his comments publicly about me ... I have great respect for him, and I know he feels the same about me. Change is inevitable."

Kelllogg not expecting final advice from Packer -- Newsday.com

 

[Buckskin86]

Clark Kellogg offers different style from predecessor Billy Packer as CBS lead analyst
Clark Kellogg's mother gave him a plaque early in his marriage that offered this advice: It's not about having the right partner; it's about being the right partner.

By RACHEL COHEN
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK ?
Clark Kellogg's mother gave him a plaque early in his marriage that offered this advice: It's not about having the right partner; it's about being the right partner.

Kellogg likes to think he takes the same approach to his job as a college basketball commentator. Such a congenial sentiment doesn't exactly sound like something that would come from his predecessor as CBS's lead analyst, Billy Packer.

Famous for his biting, unapologetic opinions, Packer inspired plenty of chatter about the sport ? even if it was criticism aimed at him.

Fans got a taste of Kellogg's style Sunday during the selection show, a frequent stage for Packer's barbs. Kellogg predicted beforehand that he was unlikely to rip the committee's decisions, and, indeed, his appearance was uneventful.

Kellogg, who played for the Indiana Pacers during 1982-87, likes to say he doesn't want to "major in minor stuff."

"To me, sometimes so much of what people try to grab hold of ? and nitpicking at that process ? is minor stuff," he said.

Kellogg has worked for CBS for 17 years, calling games and, since 1997, co-hosting the network's studio show during the tournament. The 47-year-old former Ohio State star was tabbed to replace Packer in July.

Before parting ways with CBS, Packer had done every Final Four since 1975 dating to his stint at NBC.

"He's been an institution and an icon," Kellogg said. "It's going to be different for the viewers. He had a terrific way to be able to tie the history of the game to the present because he'd been around so long. ... He had a reservoir of inventory that he could draw on that you just can't go get that, you know?"

Sports | Clark Kellogg offers different style from predecessor Billy Packer as CBS lead analyst | Seattle Times Newspaper

 

[Buckskin86]

CBS' Kellogg moves from the studio to courtside
Replacing longtime lead game analyst Billy Packer will be a challenge, he says, but he's comfortable about giving opinions in his own style.
By JUDD ZULGAD, Star Tribune
March 18, 2009

As the lead analyst for CBS' coverage of the NCAA men's basketball tournament for the past 12 years, Clark Kellogg had grown accustomed to taking a global view of the event. Catching a portion of one game, then turning his attention elsewhere, before trying to digest the action from another region.

That's why today is going to feel odd.

Instead of sitting in New York, Kellogg will be stationed alongside Jim Nantz working the East Region in Greensboro, N.C.

"This will be significantly different, and I'm not quite sure how it will be for me," said Kellogg, whose assignment includes the Gophers-Texas matchup tonight. "In 1993 I did the four games in one day working with Verne Lundquist, so I understand how that goes. But having been in that [studio] seat where you get to see all 63 games, it will require a little bit of adjusting. I enjoy being at the games, but you tend to have a little bit more myopic view when you're focused on doing your own game."

This will mark Kellogg's first tournament as CBS' top game analyst -- a position he was named to last July when Billy Packer was replaced after 27 years in that role.

Kellogg, who started in broadcasting after retiring from the Indiana Pacers in 1986-87 because of chronic knee problems, knows he is stepping into a spot that had long been reserved for Packer. In fact, he has done every Final Four since 1975.

"There is a little more responsibility that comes with the lead analyst role," Kellogg said. "Additional responsibility and stewardship that goes with that. I think I'll grow into how I approach that within my own personality and style. ... But I realize that the games, coaches and players are the show."

CBS' Kellogg moves from the studio to courtside

 

[Buckskin86]

Kellogg carrying self well

Posted: Mar. 19, 2009

Clark Kellogg is no Billy Packer and that's all right.

Kellogg stepped in Thursday to work his first NCAA men's basketball tournament as the lead analyst, working with Jim Nantz.

Packer was the lead college basketball game analyst for CBS for 27 years. He worked every Final Four from 1975 to 2008.

You could never say Packer, 69, was bashful about expressing his opinion. He was blunt and irascible, an articulate sourpuss.

Sometimes you felt as though Packer was personally, almost morally, affronted by a team's strategy, if he decided that strategy was wrongheaded.

You never had to guess where Packer stood about the chess-game part of basketball. You felt sometimes he was lecturing because, well, he was lecturing.

He seemed suited to the scold's role.

Not much in a game escaped him. He had a high basketball IQ and was happy to tell you about it.

Kellogg's persona doesn't feel like Packer's at all.

Kellogg, 47, does not talk through a game the way Packer did, wielding opinions as if swinging a ball peen hammer.

Kellogg is amiable, almost squirely. He's alert, energetic and does not conduct himself as though he is the show.

There's an appealing kind of earnestness and humility about Kellogg that seems genuine, but if it's not, he uses it to great advantage. It flatters him.

Kellogg carrying self well - JSOnline

 

[billmac91]

Not much in a game escaped him. He had a high basketball IQ and was happy to tell you about it.

Billy Packer didn't know anything about the game, but came so far over the top like he knew what he was talking about. It was ridiculous. Anyone who knows anything about the game, could probably point to 4 times a game where Billy would emphatically state something that was incorrect. It was impossible to listen to.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7zlJXS-NZ0"]YouTube - Billy Packer tried to solve OJ Simpson Murder[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGHaLUgrzi4"]YouTube - Tyler Hansbrough fouled hard by Gerald Henderson - added 1 h[/ame]

 

[Buckskin86]

Analyst Clark Kellogg moves into new role
cbs moves: Former studio analyst takes Packer?s spot
By Mel Bracht
Published: March 27, 2009

Smooth-sounding Clark Kellogg is easing his way into his role as CBS? lead basketball analyst as the successor for veteran commentator Billy Packer, who had worn out his welcome with the network in covering 34 consecutive Final Fours.

"It?s kind of like being an assistant and going to head coach, or being a guy who has been part of the team to being a main player,? Kellogg said of the transition. "It just takes time.?

A former Ohio State basketball star who played five seasons for the Indiana Pacers, Kellogg, 47, won?t ignite controversy the way Packer did. His pro-ACC bias and constant whining about college basketball had worn thin on some viewers.

Kellogg learned he would be joining Nantz this season in the fall of 2007. The news didn?t leak out all of last season, allowing Packer to avoid the fanfare of a farewell tour.

"My style has always been one of enthusiasm, real passion and energy and being a good teammate,? Kellogg said, "and trying not to overwhelm the game while having fun at the same time.?

http://newsok.com/kellogg-moves-into-new-role/article/3356601

 

[Buckskin86]

Kellogg?s Analysis Was Fluid, but Incomplete
By RICHARD SANDOMIR
Published: April 7, 2009

In obvious ways, Clark Kellogg is the antithesis of Billy Packer, the man he replaced as the lead college basketball analyst on CBS: charming, humorous, optimistic and not the least brusque.

Packer was dogmatic. Kellogg is easygoing.

Packer?s verbiage was unadorned. Kellogg has his own lexicon.

Packer was a chatterbox brimming with analysis and opinion.

Kellogg is a more engaging, friendlier personality, but not nearly as analytical.

Kellogg?s work in the Final Four and particularly in the Michigan State-North Carolina men?s championship game Monday night brought out his endearing assets, but also exposed a blind spot in analyzing defenses.

Through all three games, Kellogg settled too easily when he assessed defenses and did not routinely zero in on player matchups. He waited beyond the halfway point in the first half to identify North Carolina?s man-to-man defense against Michigan State. Analysts need to be first-guessers who suggest options for inbounds plays before passes are thrown and who are willing to criticize coaches? decisions. In this, Kellogg seemed too reluctant.

Kellogg is fluid in describing offensive plays, but he needed to offer prescriptions for the issues he raised. If Michigan State had to choke off the Tar Heels? 3-point shooting Monday night, what did they have to do? And why did the Spartans fail to do it?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/08/sports/ncaabasketball/08sandomir.html?ref=ncaabasketball