Sports

Hyped-up Johnson lands at FOX

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“Who can explain it? Who can tell you why? Fools give you reasons, wise men never try.” – from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “South Pacific.”

The GusJohnson saga continues …

In an era when national and local networks are eager to hire African-American play-by-play men, Johnson keeps landing big gigs, losing them, landing them.

This week, days after CBS, which so quickly promoted Johnson as one of its top college basketball and football voices, dropped him with the standard “We wish him luck in his future endeavors,” Johnson, 43, was hired to become the lead voice of FOX’s new Pac-12 football and basketball deal — among other things Fox.

Johnson is now a big-time FOX guy.

This season, he will continue as the lead play-by-play man on the Big Ten Network’s football and basketball telecasts — BTN is co-owned by FOX — and also will call football and basketball for Big 12, Conference USA and Pac-12 games on FX. Next year, he will be the lead on FOX’s Pac-12 games, games that will appear in the New York area on Ch. 5.

Prior to this past NBA regular season, Johnson was let go by MSG Network as the radio voice of the Knicks. At that time, as well as the NBA season prior, word passed that Johnson had become a load to indulge, that he was unreliable and unprepared, a self-promoter who demanded equal money for fewer games worked, as his schedule began to include CBS, BTN and events such as mixed martial arts telecasts.

His recent split from CBS, the network that fast-tracked him, was attached to similar winks and nods — including a demand for superstar money.

Regardless, at all stops, we’re told the same: “Gus is favored by the young audiences for his enthusiastic approach.” Translation: Networks figure that younger viewers are lured by hollering and gimmickry.

As FOX’s press release notes, Johnson has many signature calls, including, “Pure!,” “Bam!,” “Cold-blooded” and “Ha-Haaa!” Johnson recently revealed an enterprise to peddle apparel that carried his “Rise and Fire!” line. The last guy who tried that with his signature calls was John Sterling. Lead balloon.

Regardless of popularity, Johnson has made it clear that he has little to no idea what he’s hollering about. This past NCAA tournament he demonstrated that to a national audience when, with BYU and Florida tied with 15 seconds left, Florida with the ball, he asked, “If you’re BYU, do you foul?”

Partner Len Elmore’s could not contain his incredulity: “No! Why would you foul? It’s a tie game!”

Yet, truth is, knocks on Johnson’s work that have appeared here have been met with more than a few counter-claims that I’m an old sourpuss who resides in a predeceased living community; Johnson “makes games exciting.”

But shouldn’t games speak for themselves, no artificial help, especially when they’re on TV? Isn’t phony, forced “excitement” an insult to viewers of all ages who know better?

If that kind of excitement is what young viewers want, they don’t need Johnson; just turn down the volume and scream every two minutes.

Perhaps, though, younger viewers can’t distinguish Johnson’s live play-by-play from his voice work on several video games.

The “evolution” of play-by-play shows that TV and radio execs now favor the screamers and the self-promotional who shout pre-fabricated phrases. They provide the calls ESPN uses the next morning.

Consider that Hollerin’ Kevin Harlan, a formulaic shouter, is now the national radio voice of “Monday Night Football,” a CBS basketball and NFL play-by-player and a regular on TNT’s NBA telecasts. Though a mere screen pass pushes Harlan toward hysteria, he’s in demand.

Let this be a lesson to all, current and future. Those who would never try to make something out of nothing had better get their acts together.

Marv-CBS teaming in works

Thew new relationship between CBS and Turner Sports, as witnessed during the last NCAA basketball tournament, has led to talks between TNT’s Marv Albert and CBS to bring Albert on as an NFL and regular-season college basketball play-by-player, according to sources.

Reached yesterday, Albert declined comment. The deal makes perfect sense, but still could happen.

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I know I get on Mike Francesa a lot, but you don’t want to miss his show today.

First, he’s going to play the tape of him ridiculing a caller for suggesting that the Mavericks had a decent chance to beat the Lakers.

Then, because the Mavs swept the Lakers, he’s going to apologize to that caller.

Next, he’s going to issue millions of dollars in tax rebates to Connecticut residents.

Wednesday, he authoritatively stated that Connecticut has no state income tax. Connecticut has had a state income tax for the past 20 years.

Has there ever been a more pompous know-it-all who more colossally and relentlessly gets things dead wrong?

Oh, also on Wednesday on WFAN/YES, Francesa ripped into his producer. What for? Apparently the fellow got something wrong.

His previous producer quit because he couldn’t take Francesa’s abuse.

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 Thanks to Art Valentine of Penn Valley, Pa., for the Graphic of the Week: The Phillies’ regional Comcast network presented, “Phillies pitchers are third in the NL in hitting. And third in MLB.”

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This just in: Following Tiger Woods’ withdrawal, yesterday, the PGA, after much deliberation, decided to continue The Players Championship anyway. NBC, reluctantly, will still cover the tournament this weekend.

Kay calls way off base

One minute Michael Kay tries to dazzle us as a classical wordsmith. “Night has taken hold,” he told us on YES, Wednesday from Yankee Stadium. Geez.

Then, with a ball hit in the gap, “Swisher gives chase!” Gives chase? Is this a ballgame or a fox hunt? Tally ho!

The next minute he speaks as if we had never before seen a baseball game, that we don’t understand its most basic basics.

In the top of the 11th, the Royals up 4-3 on the Yankees with runners on second and third and two out, Kay further explained the situation: “This is an important at-bat because you don’t want to come from behind by three. One is enough of a task.” Thanks.

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Through his son, my longtime and now former sports editor, Greg Gallo, I got to know Bill Gallo. And that was years after I began to cherish his work.

Bill Gallo was a generous man, generous with support and advice and kindness. I should have asked him for more money, instead of always asking his son.

There’s no need to explain to anyone in this city what Bill Gallo did and how he did it. And what he meant to all of us. My only gripe with the man — as I always told him — was that he didn’t work at The Post.