Patterico's Pontifications

1/30/2014

Greg Packer Fools Bloomberg’s Businessweek

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 7:12 am



He’s still got it:

After serving as the site for the NBA and NHL drafts, a Stanley Cup final and numerous concerts, Newark had no problem dealing with handling a media horde covering the Super Bowl between the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos.

. . . .

Greg Packer, 50, of Huntington, N.Y. said being at a Super Bowl media day in the New York-area was surreal. The only thing that would have made it better was having the Jets in the game.

“I think their next Super Bowl victory will be when I’m dead, unfortunately,” said Packer, who said his train from New York was right on time.

Yes, Greg is a Jets fan. And a Mets fan. And a Giants fan.

Packer, of course, is the media’s go-to guy for quotes. Just search Greg Packer on this site for dozens of examples of Packer getting quoted by clueless Big Media organizations.

Greg, my offer remains open. E-mail me. I have a proposal for you.

1/14/2014

A Short Film on Greg Packer

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 8:30 pm



Everybody remembers Greg Packer, right? The Most Quotable Man in Media, Mr. Packer has been featured in many posts on this site. Mr. Packer was even in communication with me at one point, and I had an idea for contacting him on a regular basis to get his insights on various matters within the news, but somehow we lost touch, and I don’t know if I still have a good email for the guy any more. (Greg, if you’re reading, email me, babe.)

Anyway, Mr. Packer is now the subject of a short documentary film, which is worth your time if you followed the antics of this media presence over the years. Enjoy:

The one sad part about this film is that Mr. Packer seems to have it in for Ann Coulter. Greg, if you met her, you’d see what a nice person she actually is. Give her a chance.

I just love watching the raw footage of stupid reporters hovering outside the Apple store asking inane questions of people who just purchased iPhones. That scene encapsulates the media so well, I think, I laughed out loud.

Greg, the email address is patterico@gmail.com. Let’s do lunch.

12/28/2012

There’s a New Greg Packer in Town, and His Name Is Carlos Rodriguez

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 6:06 pm



There’s a new Greg Packer in town, and his name is Carlos Rodriguez:

Though the tragedy of Newtown, Conn. took place hundreds of miles away, dozens of people came to Huntington Town Hall last Thursday evening for a candlelight vigil of healing in honor of the 20 children and seven adults who died in the Dec. 14 shooting rampage.

Having personally visited Newtown last weekend, Carlos Rodriguez and Greg Packer, both Huntington residents, felt they had to be at a local ceremony.

Saying that he believed in the unity of brotherhood, Rodriguez said, “In support of the tragedy, bringing people together is really important. Sending love to the loved ones who lost their family members in Newtown is important. Huntington’s a great community and I think that us uniting speaks volumes.”

For his part, Packer went to Newtown and to Town Hall to extend his sympathies to the people of Newtown.

No quote from Packer?

Greg, you’re getting bested at your own game.

2/18/2012

Greg Packer’s Biggest Win Ever

Filed under: Dog Trainer — Patterico @ 10:29 am



Today is a very special day, friends. It is the day when two historical themes of this blog finally intersect.

Theme 1: This blog has diligently chronicled the intrepid quest of Greg Packer to become America’s Man on the Street. He is the man of whom Mickey Kaus once said: “Greg Packer will not be not quoted.” Packer’s indomitable spirit — and his knack for coming up with exactly what the lazy reporter wants to hear, even if it’s not always precisely, well, true — are an inspiration to all of us here at Patterico.com.

Theme 2: This blog has also made something of a career out of being a watchdog over the Los Angeles Times.

Today, for the very first time, my friends . . . these two worlds collide.

The setting, although it really doesn’t matter, is Newark, N.J., the scene of Whitney Houston’s funeral. I will turn it over to Tina Susman of the L.A. Times:

But fans, like Greg Packer — who woke up before dawn and drove about an hour from his home in Huntington, N.Y., to Newark — were kept far away from the church.

Packer, who arrived at the public-spectator area at 7:30 a.m., was among the first there.

“It’s important to be out here with the fans, amongst the fans,” said Packer, who was dismayed that no public service had been arranged.

At least, he said, the city could have offered a big screen somewhere for people to watch the proceedings. “They should have allowed everyone to see it.”

You tell ’em, Greg!

Greg also scored with AFP, although that encounter does not hold the same attraction for me:

Saturday’s private service is meant to be a homecoming and celebration of Houston’s astonishing career, though some fans had hoped for a large public memorial event at a nearby stadium and were angry at being held back.

“It’s a disgrace,” said Greg Packer. “All the streets have been blocked, it is very difficult to come here. The family should have done a public memorial, something.”

Always the right quote; always at the right time — and always, always at the right place.

Greg Packer, you are indeed the man. On the street.

High five!

UPDATE: Our own Bradley J. Fikes speaks up for the reporter in this comment.

11/24/2011

Happy Thanksgiving to Greg Packer

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 6:58 pm



And congratulations on punking CBS:

Greg Packer, meanwhile, got to see the Macy’s Day Parade and eat dinner at a Salvation Army. He said it was only natural to catch the next tradition.

“On the American shopping holiday, you pretty much try to find what you’re looking for and when you find what you’re looking for, you grab it while you can,” he said.

On this Thanksgiving, I give thanks for the existence of a man who must be quoted.

3/15/2011

Greg Packer Losing His Edge?

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 6:13 am



Say it ain’t so:

Greg Packer occupies an odd place in Apple lore as a man who makes it his job to be a line-sitter. Despite camping out for several nights to grab the first original iPad in New York, Packer got bumped by blogger Richard Gutjahr because Packer forgot to reserve his iPad (Apple was accepting pre-orders and reservations), according to Cult of Mac. Packer was king of the queue for the original iPhone — but fell short the second time.

Note to Greg: please stay on top of these matters in the future. I need to believe.

1/1/2011

New York Daily News Latest Outlet to Get Suckered by Greg Packer

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 11:49 am



Who would have guessed our quote-providing hero would be at Times Square on New Year’s Eve? Here are three people who were surprised and bowled over: New York Daily News reporters Shane Dixon Kavanaugh, James Panelli, and Tina Moore:

Greg Packer, 47, a retired maintenance worker from Huntington, N.Y., ate an entire pizza. It was his eighth New Year’s Eve in Times Square.

“I love it,” he said. “I mean, everybody from all over the world comes just to watch a Waterford crystal ball. It’s great.”

Packer is actually no stranger to the pages of the Daily News. I guess they’re suckers for an easy and ersatz man on the street quote.

Happy New Year, Greg!

11/3/2009

Greg Packer Punks Philly Columnist

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 6:22 am



The latest guy to be suckered by Greg Packer is Ed Barkowitz of the Philadelphia Daily News:

Robinson was like a lot of Yankees fans who made the trip to Philadelphia for a chance to see their team close out their 27th World Series Championship. Tickets would be easier to get last night, they reasoned, than if the series continued in New York tomorrow.

Greg Packer, from Huntington, N.Y., paid $200 for a $125 seat in Section 302.

“That’s a bargain,” he said, “because if it goes to Game 6, tickets are going to be impossible.”

Ah, nothing’s impossible. You might have thought it would be impossible for Greg Packer to get himself quoted in Big Media any more, but you’d be wrong about that . . .

Previous Packer sightings compiled here.

10/17/2009

Greg Packer Appears in O.C. Register

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 8:03 am



The latest journalist to get punked by the nation’s Man on the Street is Mark Saxon of the Orange County Register:

It wasn’t hard to spot Lisa Cavallo, Lupe Edwards, Sandra Raigoza and Anna Herrera coming out of the subway stop at 161st Street.

The group of friends from the San Fernando Valley stood out in their red Angels clothing amid a sea of navy blue worn by Yankees fans.

The women happened to be headed to New York for vacation when they heard the Angels would be playing the Bronx Bombers. They went on-line and bought tickets on the secondary market for $205 a piece.

They were a little worried about the treatment they would receive from New York fans.

“My cousin said I’m cute, so they won’t hurt me,” Cavallo said.

A Yankee fan wandered over while the women were being interviewed by the Register and Edwards, Cavallo’s mother, said, “You won’t hurt us, will you?”

Afterward, the Yankees fan, Greg Packer of Huntington, N.Y. opined on the lack of Angels fans.

“Angels fans don’t have the guts to come up to the Bronx,” Packer said. “It’s not just the fans, it’s the neighborhood.”

– Mark Saxon

Greg Packer wandered over? While a journalist was talking to somebody?

What are the odds?!

2/5/2009

Greg Packer Again

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 9:04 pm



JammieWearingFool catches the latest Greg Packer sighting. This time it’s the New York Post:

One devoted Torre fan, 45-year-old self-proclaimed retiree Greg Packer of Huntington, even stood in freezing temperatures from 3:30 a.m. on to get the first spot for the afternoon signing – and that was after standing in a long line the day before at a Midtown bookstore to get Torre’s signature, too.

“It was worth it,” Packer said. “I wish he was still the [Yankees] manager. With the talent we have on this team now, we’d be guaranteed to get to the World Series with Torre in charge.”

I love this guy. His indomitable spirit and need to be quoted serves as an inspiration to us all.

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