The humble side of Gus Johnson

I've met Gus and thought he was a great guy.

 

i have no doubt that he is. sincerely. i've never heard ANYONE say ANYTHING negative abiut gus off the air.

and i conceded that using the word 'fired' was harsh. but he, like 'free agents,' was supposedly told, 'we won't meet that price but be our guests and see if someone else will and by all means get back to.' fox came closer to johnson's 'magic number' than cbs ever did, when he went back to cbs and said, 'look what fox will give me, i'll stay if you match it,' the cbs folks laughed and said, 'no thanks.'

he couldn't be 'fired.' his contract expired. he wanted to stay. he isn't, even though he'll now be without his cherished college hoops for foreseeable future. the true 'voice of college hoops' wouldn't ever been given the chance to go elsewhere.

this is callled, 'overplaying your hand.' just my opinion that cbs will never regret letting him go.

for the sake of mylistening pleasure, this is a great relief...

 

Just for you, I hope he draws every Giants game until the end of time.

 

I'm high-30s and I love Gus Johnson.

So much so that, on the Big Ten Network, if he is doing some Iowa-Illinois debacle, I will WATCH THE GAME just because Gus is on the call. Won't watch it with anyone else...

 

I fall into that 18-24 male demographic and I love me some gus. I love the excitement he brings to a game simply because I feel like he has the same reactions I do when I watch a game. Sure he tries to make dull games more exciting sometimes, but Jim Nantz doesn't have an excited bone in his body.

It comes down to what you prefer. The younger demographic is all about excitement and a fast moving pace. I get the sense the older demographic likes to slow things down and take in everything. Gus is made for television. If you put him on radio, I think he would be terrible but I can't tell you the last time I've listened to a sporting event on the radio. Its a television world and gus has learned to thrive in.

 

Like Dick Vitale, Johnson's never been my cup of tea because I don't like being screamed at.

That said, I'd feel bad if Vitale was going away just because I know he loves the game.

Johnson says he's not even going to watch the tournament next year. In other words, he's nothing but a performer.

Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

 

PLEASE, NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!


i'm happy for all gus-lovers that you will still get to hear his cries, ad nauseam, on the airwaves. also happy for gus -- i do not wish unemployment on almost anyone, especially not good folk like gus.

but at all you playing the '18-to-24 card, arguing that's where the ad dollars are aimed at are wrong. sure, ad men seek the attention of anyone 18 or older; but the big-ticket items are aimed at whatever the next 'age group/demographic' might be for the simplest, purest reason: they're the people who purchase what they're selling; this hold on folks 18-24 gus-lovers claim he holds on college aged/young adults has yet to be proven in any way as well. sure, gussies are over-the-top enthusiastic about their support for gus, but when get right down to it why should i be convinced the 'majority' of the 18-24 viewers are gus-lovers; now, no doubt the when you break down JOHNSON'S popularity demographically i'm pretty confident thinking a majority ARE 18-14. but not the other way around. No doubt the largest segment of JOHNSON'S fans are 18-24. but that's not to say the majority of 18-24 folks are gus fans. big, big difference.

networks are not in the habit of letting their most popular voices walk off to the competition. they let him walk away because they're confident johnsonites won't put a dent into their ratings, or most valued advertizing targets.

after working with gus for many years, having first-hand knowledge of just how rabid or important-to-ad men his fans are, they've said, 'you're leaving? it was fun but (sigh) bye-bye,' and they know gus will miss them and college hoops more than they will miss him.

 

Evidence that Johnson resonates with this generation would be good. Nobody knew or cared who he was three or four years ago.

If anything he has been an Internet sensation, and we all know how much the Internet likes to cheek-fuck the latest "cool" thing.

 

It's not the be-all, end-all, but getting to be the voice of the Madden franchise (complete with in-game Old Spice plug) isn't bad.

 

I'm removed from the younger generation, but I've come to really enjoy Gus calling college hoops, although I admit it was an acquired taste. But he's one guy who can make over-the-top enthusiasm work. I like Jim Nantz, but I think making Gus the No. 1 guy would have been a good marketing move by CBS. Too late.