As CBS Sports and TNT Sports began its coverage of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, the studio program opened with an emotional tribute to longtime sportscaster Greg Gumbel. An award-winning broadcaster for more than 50 years working with a variety of entities, Gumbel became an established part of the tournament as a studio host and was the person who revealed the 68-team bracket. After missing the tournament last year due to what was described as “family health issues,” he passed away in December following a battle with cancer.

To open the studio show preceding the first game on Thursday, studio host Ernie Johnson recalled that learning of Gumbel’s passing was crushing and emphasized how the longtime broadcaster was synonymous with the tournament. In addition, Johnson pointed out how everyone was wearing pins for Gumbel on their suit jackets and always carrying his memory within their hearts. Clark Kellogg, who worked with Gumbel for many years as part of studio coverage, followed up by providing his perspective on what has transpired.

“It’s sad and surreal that he’s not in that chair and won’t ever be in that chair again because he was so good at what he did, and he was so good to the people he did it with and for,” Kellogg said. “You, the viewers, were who he sought to serve, and in doing that with class, with competence, with consistency, with gentleness and kindness, he lifted all of us who had the privilege of being in the orbit of his colleagueship and friendship, and while I’m sad, I’m extremely grateful to have known Greg as a colleague, as a friend because he made everybody not only better, but he made everybody feel good, and that will never change.”

Charles Barkley disclosed that he had been texting with Gumbel, who said that he would see them next year. Upon receiving the news that Gumbel had passed away, he was asking what had just happened and articulated that it was sad to discover. Barkley highlighted Gumbel’s skill at being able to cover multiple sports and the professionalism he brought to the airwaves.

“To go from sport to sport, that’s got to be incredibly hard, and he did it with such grace for so long,” Barkley explained, “and like I say, you have to be talented first and foremost, but people have to like you, and he will be missed.”

Barkley added that Gumbel had told him to come to a Rolling Stones concert, something that ultimately never came to fruition for which he regrets. Kenny “The Jet” Smith elucidated that people take things for granted that they assume are going to continue to take place forever and shared that Gumbel echoes through the hallways at the broadcast facility. There was one point when Gumbel was particularly on his mind, and he messaged him to say that he was thinking about him and asked how he was doing. Gumbel did not respond, and Smith shared that he did not know what was going on at the time.

“You take for granted the ability to reach out to someone who is instrumental in your life, and sometimes you don’t even know how instrumental they are until things like this happen,” Smith said, “so we’re going to miss him wholeheartedly, and it’s a difficult time, but we’re going to have some fun because we’re going to have some dad jokes that we’re going to bring up.”

“He was a pro’s pro, a gentleman of the highest order, and I’m sure he’s looking down right now and saying, ‘Move this thing along, come on,’” Johnson concluded. “Well, we’re closing in on the first full day of tournament action, and with the madness of March upon us, the hype is real.”

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