As expected, Jim Nantz showed up to watch Houston play Duke in San Antonio Saturday, wearing his red Cougars jersey.
Nantz’s entrance into the Alamadome did not go unnoticed by CBS Sports, and Charles Barkley seemed to enjoy poking fun at the huge Houston fan. It did seem odd to see Nantz casually strolling into the arena as a fan. He did play-by-play for the Final Four from 1991 through 2023.
“You knew this guy would be at this game,” host Ernie Johnson said, as a CBS Sports camera showed Nantz walking to his seat with his son. “Jim Nantz, going to watch his alma mater play Duke tonight.”
“It ain’t like he got a job. He quit y’all. He got plenty of free time on his hands,” Barkley said.
“It’s Masters week, man!” Ernie Johnson. Nantz has been the voice of the Masters for CBS since 1989.
“That’s next week,”Barkley said. “He got nothing to do this weekend. Ernie, a question: Do you think if Houston wins, Jim delays his trip to Augusta?”
“I think he’ll delay it,” Clark Kellogg said.
Houston went on to mount an incredible comeback to beat Duke and advance to Monday night’s championship game against Florida.
“It ain’t like he got a job. He quit ya’ll. He got plenty of free time on his hands.” – Charles Barkley on Houston alum Jim Nantz in the house
“It’s Masters week, man!” – Ernie Johnson
“That’s next week.” – Charles Barkley
And it kept going from there. πβ³οΈποΈπΊπ pic.twitter.com/JR9bJi7K4v
β Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 6, 2025
There is no way Nantz would miss Monday night’s championship game featuring his beloved Cougars. Johnson pointed out that the veteran broadcaster knows his way around Augusta National.
“It doesn’t start until Thursday, and he’s seen the course about 70 gazillion times,” Johnson noted.