Ernie Johnson, Clark Kellogg Kick Off March Madness with Emotional Greg Gumbel Tribute: ‘He Was So Good at What He Did'
Gumbel died from pancreatic cancer in December 2024 at the age of 78.
The renowned broadcaster was absent from last year's March Madness tournament as he dealt with the illness, and his colleagues Ernie Johnson and Clark Kellogg said they had hoped Gumbel might be back for this year's tournament.
'Just after Christmas we learned that cancer had taken his life and we were crushed,' Johnson, 68, said on Thursday night as he and his colleagues paid tribute to Gumbel the beginning of sports broadcast. 'A void was left that will never be filled. We wear his pin on our jackets, and we carry his memory in our hearts.'Johnson then turned to Kellogg, 63, at the panelists' desk and admitted: 'It's heavy in here.'
Ernie Johnson and company kick off this year's NCAA Tournament with a moving tribute to longtime host Greg Gumbel. pic.twitter.com/ktizs9RDST
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 20, 2025
Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.'It sure is,' Kellogg told Johnson, before sharing a beautiful tribute to their longtime colleague.
'It's sad and surreal that he's not in that chair and won't ever be in that chair again,' Kellogg said. 'Because he was so good at what he did and he was so good to the people he did it with and for, you the viewers, were who he sought to serve. And in doing that with class, with confidence, with consistency, with gentleness and kindness, he lifted all of us who had the privilege of being in the orbit of his colleagueship and his friendship.'
He concluded, 'While I'm sad, I'm extremely grateful to have known Greg as a colleague and a friend because he not only made everybody better but he made everybody feel good and that will never change.'
Charles Barkley then lightened the mood, recalling Gumbel's 'nerdy dad jokes' and how he'll miss hearing them. 'Man, nobody can do what he does unless two things: You're talented and people like you,' the NBA hall of famer said. 'He did it with such grace for so long. You have to be talented first and foremost, but people have to like you. And he will be missed.'
Related: Greg Gumbel, Legendary Sports Broadcaster, Dies of Cancer at 78
Gumbel joined CBS in 1989 after stints working for ESPN, WMAQ-TV in Chicago, WFAN Radio and the Madison Square Garden Network.
At CBS, Gumbel became the lead anchor for the network's Winter Olympics coverage while also serving as the host of NFL Today. The New Orleans native would later join NBC Sports, where he continued covering the Olympics and the NFL, before returning to CBS in 1998.
In his second stint with the network, the father of one was named the host of College Basketball on CBS and held the post for 26 years, becoming the voice of Selection Sunday and the March Madness tournament.
'He was beloved and respected by those of us who had the honor to call him a friend and colleague," David Berson, the president & CEO of CBS Sports, said shortly after Gumbel's death. "A tremendous broadcaster and gifted storyteller, Greg led one of the most remarkable and groundbreaking sports broadcasting careers of all time. He was a familiar and welcoming voice for fans across many sports, including the NFL and March Madness, highlighted by the Super Bowl and Final Four."
The NCAA Tournament continues Friday with the remainder of the Round of 64 games. March Madness, as it's become known in recent decades, will conclude with the championship game on April 7.
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