Gus Johnson will no longer be climbing the mountain at CBS. The eccentric play-by-play man is expected to finalize a deal that will take his talents to Fox. CBS reportedly had an opportunity to match the offer, but declined to do so.
While Johnson will continue to call NFL games, in addition to college football, it seems clear that Gus’s days of calling March Madness–unquestionably his signature event–are over.
A CBS source who wanted Johnson – a former Knick radio voice – back said that not only money, but politics was an issue. The source said some of CBS Sports’ college hoops voices were not thrilled with Johnson’s rise to March Madness’ most popular voice.
Johnson’s emphatic, Sam Kinision School Of Broadcasting style has won over a lot of fans, and one could have made a case that Gus should have been calling the Final Four last month. Surely that ruffled the feathers of a certain lily-white announcer who might consider calling championship games his birthright.
Even sadder than the March Madness situation is that now Gus will never have a chance to call the Masters. Really, Gus Johnson and Augusta National just seem like a natural fit to me.
