The NCAA Basketball Tournament was just dealt a huge blow. Gus Johnson, long considered the voice of March Madness, is leaving CBS Sports, Richard Deitsch of Sports Illustrated reports. Johnson and CBS could not come to terms on a new contract, and so the man of a thousand catchphrases will be heading elsewhere. CBS exclusively falls under the dominion of Jim Nantz and his smooth, baritone phrase.
Thankfully for Pac-12 fans, this could mean that he's headed to the West Coast. Johnson expressed interest in covering major college football, and the Pac-12 on FOX Sports would be a suitable place for his talents. It might take him some time to get acclimated after spending decades on the East Coast covering the Knicks and the Big Ten, but I get a feeling Johnson wants to be the main guy on a major network, and that wouldn't have happend with Jim Nantz.
One thing's for sure. West Coast sports fans are rooting for him to look toward the frontier. Rise and fire, Larry Scott. Rise and fire!
What do you think of Gus Johnson leaving CBS Sports? Would you like to see him covering Pac-12 football? Let us know in the comments!
After the jump, some of Johnson's best March Madness moments.
RISE & FIRE v.1--Best of Gus Johnson (via dpfresh09)