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The AA wake over Gus Johnson’s CBS departure has finally almost lifted.  The sun hasn’t stopped coming up in the mornings and Gus is finally out from under Jim Nantz’s thumb.  Meanwhile, things at the network he left behind might be brightening as well with rumors in the New York Daily News suggesting Marv Albert could fill Gus’s bombastic shoes.

According to the NYDN’s Bob Raissman, Marv is in talks with CBS to fill the vacancy in college basketball and NFL coverage left by Gus Johnson’s move to FOX.  If this move does come to fruition, it is undoubtedly a home run for CBS’s sports coverage.  While we all love what Gus Johnson brought to the table, without question Marv Albert is on the Mount Rushmore for greatest announcers of all time.  Come to think of it….why hasn’t anyone been inspired by AA to have a website dedicated to Non-Awful Announcing.  They can have their own Mount Rushmore banner with Marv, Dick Enberg, Mel Allen, and Pam Ward (kidding!).

Of course, Albert has proven himself throughout his distinguished career as the preeminent basketball announcer of generations past and present.  Any fears of his transition from the NBA to college basketball were squelched with his superb performance for CBS/Turner in his partnership with Steve Kerr during March Madness.  There’s no doubt Marv’s gravitas would be a big plus to add to CBS’s regular season college basketball.

While Marv is well-known as a basketball announcer, he’s no stranger to football either.  In the last decade Albert worked Monday Night Football on radio for Westwood One for seven years.  You can click the link here to get a taste of Marv’s football chops from Super Bowl XLIV, courtesy of SI’s Hot Clicks.  One would also think if Albert joined CBS’s NFL crew he wouldn’t be subjected to working with Steve Tasker every week on games like Bills/Dolphins like Gus Johnson had to endure.  Albert’s move to CBS is only rumor for now, but fans around the country would surely not mind hearing an emphatic YES! every now and then on the network next year.  And while Gus Johnson is a favorite of many, there’s no doubt a legend like Marv Albert would be an upgrade, which is a win for CBS and for fans of not-awful announcing.

[New York Daily News]

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