Cold Blooded! Fox & Pac-12 Snags Gus Johnson

by Ryan Rosenblatt on May 9, 2011 5:50 PM PDT in News

Put another point up on the scoreboard for Larry Scott, the Pac-12 and Fox. Last week reports began to surface that CBS failed to agree to a contract with Gus Johnson and that Fox was looking to bring him in to head their college football coverage. With the Pac-12's new TV deal with Fox, that meant Johnson would become the lead man for their football coverage on Fox. Well, according to the New York Daily News' Bob Raissman, it's a done deal.

Gus Johnson, whose frantic play-by-play became a trademark of March Madness, is officially out at CBS and headed to Fox. "CBS declined to match Fox's offer," said an industry source. "They let Johnson's people know today."

Raissman goes on to say that Johnson will go to Fox and do their Pac-12 football and NFL coverage. Talk about a huge win for the Pac-12. Announcers are usually overrated. Unlike decades ago when announcers were a big deal, there are very few today who will make people watch a game they would otherwise pass on. Johnson is one of those few and now he'll be calling the Pac-12.

Johnson is still contracted to do Big 10 basketball for the Big 10 Network so it is unlikely that he does Pac-12 basketball, although doing the Pac-12 Tournament in the years that Fox is contracted to do it is not out of the realm of possibility. It will be a shame that he won't be doing NCAA Tournament coverage anymore because of CBS' loyalty to the dour Jim Nantz, but this is a huge coup for Fox and the Pac-12. HAHA!

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Let there be celebration throughout the land!

(Well, at least we can pretend to ignore Moron Center for a minute or two.)

Roses are red, violets are blue...f*** $C.

by KSBruin on May 9, 2011 6:14 PM PDT reply actions

WHOOOO HOOOOOOOOOO!!!

I LOVE IT! I can’t WAIT to hear him say, “TOUCHDOWN UCLA!!!”

"The entire world that bleeds blue and gold ... they have been dying for this." - Coach Rick Neuheisel

by uclafan11 on May 9, 2011 7:26 PM PDT reply actions

OK, I give up

If you guys promise that none of the announcers working with Johnson will say anything totally insipid, I’ll give it a chance. This is a major concession on my part, as I’m sure you can realize.

by Fox 71 on May 9, 2011 7:35 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

Well

tough to promise that until we see who his partner is but Gus is worth listening to. He makes any game seem like the Super Bowl with the excitement he brings. Just try it, Fox! :)

"The entire world that bleeds blue and gold ... they have been dying for this." - Coach Rick Neuheisel

by uclafan11 on May 9, 2011 8:49 PM PDT up reply actions

I hope the news about Gus never stops.

I love it when you put up the Gonzaga game :)

by bluetoo on May 9, 2011 8:01 PM PDT reply actions

I think this is going to be good.

I just hope that Gus won’t try so hard to use his Gus-isms to the point that they start sounding unnatural.

by Hyalos on May 9, 2011 8:16 PM PDT reply actions

Batista with the CAAAAATTTTTCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111111111SHIFTONE

by notaznguy on May 9, 2011 8:49 PM PDT reply actions

AND THAT'S IT!

What a comeback!!!

"The entire world that bleeds blue and gold ... they have been dying for this." - Coach Rick Neuheisel

by uclafan11 on May 9, 2011 8:51 PM PDT up reply actions

RISE AND FIRE!

by freesia39 on May 9, 2011 9:01 PM PDT reply actions

Could be that he becomes the face of the new network?

The best thing you can do for your children is to love their mother. John Wooden

by MexiBruin on May 9, 2011 11:03 PM PDT reply actions

So there is a god...

by Alanamaslama on May 10, 2011 7:48 AM PDT reply actions

U.C.L.A.HAS CLIMBED THE MOUNTAIN

"Every day was a good day at UCLA." -Coach John Wooden

by OswegoBruin on May 10, 2011 9:03 AM PDT reply actions

I wouln't go that far.

We are saddled with an Athletic Department that while incredibly incompetent is extremely efficient at stabbing the back of the collective Student Body.

We have a football coach that prefers to punt than win.

And we have a basketball coach that can teach defense, and ignores offense.

The best thing you can do for your children is to love their mother. John Wooden

by MexiBruin on May 10, 2011 11:55 AM PDT up reply actions

Hahah oh Mexi.

I love your response, and agree, but I was simply referring to Gus’ Gonzaga call. They play as part of a montage prior to every Pauley game, and my favorite line is Gus exclaiming (does he do anything else?), “U.C.L.A has climbed the mountain!”

"Every day was a good day at UCLA." -Coach John Wooden

by OswegoBruin on May 10, 2011 1:24 PM PDT up reply actions

And I disagree

about Ben ignoring offense. :)

"Every day was a good day at UCLA." -Coach John Wooden

by OswegoBruin on May 10, 2011 1:25 PM PDT up reply actions

It's official now

Here’s a link to the press release (PDF).

This season, Gus Johnson will call Pac-12 games on FX, and it looks he’ll get more opportunities for Pac-12 games once the new media deal goes into effect in 2012.

by gilbert on May 10, 2011 2:05 PM PDT reply actions