Nostalgia comes in many forms. On Saturday, it came in the form of bidding adieu to Jim Nantz.
The 2023 NCAA Tournament will be his last. The fans in Houston made sure the legendary broadcaster went out in style.
Those at NRG Stadium rose to their feet to give Nantz a standing ovation.
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In his 32nd, and final appearance as the lead TV play-by-play voice for the Final Four, fans in attendance for the Florida Atlantic and San Diego State game, made sure to show their love to him.
He stood next to Bill Raftery and Grant Hill who let him have his moment.
CBS also paid tribute to the longtime broadcaster during SDSU’s buzzer-beating, 72-71 win over FAU.
And he was worth every moment of the ovation
“I’m committed to absorbing it all and not getting over the top sentimental,” Nantz said on Mad Dog’s Daily Bite. “I’m not retiring from broadcasting. I hope to be continuing on with it for many years to come with the NFL and with golf. I’m going to be retiring to about a 40-week-a-year schedule on the road … It’s a rich schedule.”
Nantz was also able to say farewell to the tournament at his old stomping grounds in Houston. Couldn’t have painted a better picture.
Nantz said his family is the reason why he decided to leave his NCAA responsibilities.
“It is time with two young children and an older daughter that I spend more time at home,” Nantz said in a phone interview with the New York Post as he picked up his 6 and 8-year-old children from school. “Daddy needs to be home.”
Don’t worry, this isn’t the end of Nantz’s career, not by a long shot.
He’ll continue his CBS coverage of the Masters Tournament next week and will still serve as the network’s lead NFL play-by-play analyst.
About Jessica Kleinschmidt
Jess is a baseball fan with Reno, Nev. roots residing in the Bay Area. She is the host of "Short and to the Point" and is also a broadcaster with the Oakland A's Radio Network. She previously worked for MLB.com and NBC Sports Bay Area.