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.''

Kellogg said he never envisioned working as a sports broadcaster.

''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.

NFL chooses announcerThe NFL Network selected a new play-by-play guy to replace Bryant Gumbel on its package of NFL games for the coming season.

Bob Papa isn't a household name to most NFL fans, but in New York, he's known very well for his role as radio voice of the New York Giants.

''The thing that's most exciting is this is a stand-alone Thursday night game. This is a national package. All eyes of the NFL are on these games,'' Papa said. ''To have a chance to work with Cris (Collinsworth) and be a part of this is tremendous.''

Collinsworth, who apparently is trying to corner the market on the number of broadcast outlets he appears, welcomed Papa to the booth.

''All you have to do is spend five minutes with the guy and you understand that he's all in for the game of football and the National Football League. He studies it. He lives it. He breathes it,'' Collinsworth said. ''It's something that I feel like I like to do, as well.

''It's interesting when as a group you're around people who the NFL is not only their vocation, it's their avocation, as well. I think that's what Bob is all about, and I'm excited to work with him.''