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MSG plays tough with Knicks voice Gus Johnon Saturday, August 23rd 2008, 11:38 PM Gus Johnson What's up with Gus Johnson ? Will he return to his gig as radio voice of the New York Knickerbockers ? The question became worth asking after Johnson was conspicuously missing in action during Madison Square Garden Network 's telecasts of Knicks summer league tilts in Las Vegas . Over the past few years, Johnson teamed with Walt Frazier on those productions. This time around, Mike Crispino joined Clyde. What gives? Well-embedded NBA broadcasting moles, pausing to stop shaking their Redeem Team pom-poms, said Johnson's contract with MSG expired following the 2007-08 season. They report he's currently in negotiations with MSG suits. How are the negotiations going? Here's where it gets sticky. The same sources said MSG Network brass - boss Mike Bair and executive producer Lydia Murphy-Stephans - are playing hardball with Johnson over terms of a new deal. Would these two be bubbleheaded enough not to ink Johnson? The Excitable One has spent 10 seasons as part of MSG's Knicks radio team - the past five as the Knicks' No. 1 radiocaster, working with veteran analyst John (Legend) Andariese. The fact that it's almost September and MSG has not come to terms with Johnson is a tad strange. Especially considering what's taking place on the court. With Mike D'Antoni in place as coach, and Donnie Walsh now the brains of the organization, the fog on 33rd St. has a chance of lifting. The Garden will be selling optimism. It better if it wants anyone to purchase overpriced tickets. The broadcast end of the operation will be key in describing the transition to friend and foe alike. Johnson should be part of this. He's been with MSG through mostly bad times. If this is the start of a turnaround, Johnson has the chops to chronicle the franchise's resurrection on the radio. Did Johnson cut Isiah Thomas major slack and spread MSGulag party propaganda? Yep. He, along with all the other MSG Knicks voices who joined him, have been ripped to shreds in this space. A new day may be dawning. Johnson took the heat. He has thick skin and a unique style. His calls are full of over-the-top passion. The man has a following. Perhaps this has actually dawned on Bair and Murphy-Stephans. But who knows what these two are thinking? After all, their regime has not made anyone forget about those grand days when MSG was the Rolls-Royce of regional cable sports networks.

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