Posted by Allanfan20:

To all Knicks homers who say "Why do you haters have to bash anything about the Knicks.?" Gus Johnson does not really believe have the things he says. He is a yes man under a strict mandate from James Dolan, and it's gotton freaking annoying to listen to.

I like Gus Johnson when you know he's not full of shyat. When he's completely honest about things and just calls things the way he sees it and you know he has it in him because he showed some flashes of it last season and he did it A LOT more before the Isiah days. Pretty much, that's whenever he's calling all games or events, other than Knick games. And when he's on the radio he sounds good b/c he's a lot more critical b/c a lot less people listen to it, so he won't be as hesitant to say what he feels. I remember back when we had McDyess and when Houston first became injured, he basically said the team was almost hopeless. Now, I don't like a gloom and doom personality either, mind you, but you gotto have the counter balance and GJ doesn't seem to have that anymore. Mike Breen, Marv Albert and Frazier do a much better job doing it.

I think for the most part though, Gus Johnson is just a yes man and is afraid to lose his job with MSG, as it is the case with Al Trautwig. I think the day the pure homerism started with those two was the day Marv Albert got fired. You noticed it with Breen too, for the first season or so, but he instantly stopped after about a season.

I just like a commentator who's being honest along with enthusiastic. GJ is NOT being honest.

When exactly are you talking about? I don't find his tone to be that of a "yes man", so if you could point out an example or two to back up your theory, I'd appreciate it. I do think you're right about Trautwig, but I never liked that guy.

I think things have ACTUALLY BEEN LOOKING UP from the Howard Eisley/Shandon Anderson/Clarence Weatherspoon days. It's only natural that the announcer's rhetoric would sound more positive. How could it not? Even THIS BOARD has sounded more positive.

Posted by Solace:

Posted by TRU:

I think things have ACTUALLY BEEN LOOKING UP from the Howard Eisley/Shandon Anderson/Clarence Weatherspoon days. It's only natural that the announcer's rhetoric would sound more positive. How could it not? Even THIS BOARD has sounded more positive.

Maybe... but it's funny comparing to teams which you consider loser teams, yet were more successful than the current one. Is the attitude more positive? I don't know, but the difference will be more noticeable, when we actually start winning.

Posted by TRU:

Posted by Solace:

Posted by TRU:

I think things have ACTUALLY BEEN LOOKING UP from the Howard Eisley/Shandon Anderson/Clarence Weatherspoon days. It's only natural that the announcer's rhetoric would sound more positive. How could it not? Even THIS BOARD has sounded more positive.

Maybe... but it's funny comparing to teams which you consider loser teams, yet were more successful than the current one. Is the attitude more positive? I don't know, but the difference will be more noticeable, when we actually start winning.

Yeah, you're right. But the difference is noticeable, nonetheless. I wonder what Gus et al would sound like if we were actually in the finals? Probably a lot like Flava Flav.

Posted by TrueBlue:

Posted by mrbean259:

Yep you're exactly correct. Remember the early game at Denver last yr that went into overtime and the team was 1-3 at the time. "CRAWFOOORDDD 4 THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"!!!!!!!!

GUS JOHNSON RULES!!

Correction it wasn't an overtime game which makes it a tad more comical


"CRAWFOOORDDD LET'S IT GO 4 THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"......."HOLY MACKEREL"!!!!!!


LMFAO @ him making that kind of call when we're 1-3 5th game of the season.

[Edited by - TrueBlue on 07-15-2007 10:45 PM]

Posted by djsunyc:

but growing up on marv albert, he set the standards for announcing basketball games. he always seemed even keeled and knew when to get pumped up and when to keep it in check. he was also very neutral to his approach. even andreise back then would be critical when the situation called for it.

so personally speaking, i guess i'm spoiled by them b/c that's the announcing crew i grew up with for the knicks.

[Edited by - djsunyc on 07-16-2007 7:00 PM]

Posted by bigbeast:

Posted by COSSUCKS:

Gus is great.
A home teams announcers should be pro home team. This isnt TNT or ABC.
I dont know many home team announcers that are not for the home team

Tom Hienson was interviewed a while back and he was asked about being such a homer when calling games for the Celts. Basically, he said, during the 80's when he called the NBA playoffs and Finals, he tried to be fair to both teams because it was a nationally televised game. But when he calls Celtic games which were aired in Boston, he said he was/is pro Celts because it was being boradcast to Celtic fans in the city of Boston. Nothing wrong with that.