The Forgotten Loser on Saturday: Gus Johnson

"Touchdown, Titans. AND THERE ARE NO FLAGS ON THE FIELD. It's a MIRACLE, Tennessee has pulled a miracle"

"They're out to the 20, the band is on the field. THE BAND IS ON THE FIELD! He's going into the endzone, touchdown, but the band is on the field."

"Havlicek steals it. HAVLICEK STOLE THE BALL. It's all over! It's all over."

"5 seconds left in the game, DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES?"

"Down goes Frazier. Down goes Frazier. Down goes Frazier."

"The Giants win the pennant. The Giants win the pennant!"

"Jordan over Ehlo. Ah! The Bulls win, the Bulls win."

 

I know you're like me, tired of reading article after article about Fedor Emelianenko. Well, this post isn't about him. It's about the biggest loser on Saturday night, Gus Johnson. No, Gus Johnson wasn't a loser for his spearmint green tie. No, he wasn't the biggest loser because he has a little mustache that looked like he smeared topsoil under his nose. Gus...just....GUS. Stop taking facial hair growing tips from Adam Morrison and Diego Sanchez. Either grow the whole thing or, if you can't, cut it off. Back to why Gus Johnson was the big loser in all of this. Gus Johnson had a chance; a chance to erase years of history filled with ridicule at his game calls during the NCAA tournament and other sporting events. Case in point, his call during the Gonzaga/UCLA NCAA Tournament game.

The fuck was that Gus? When you have Greg Gumble getting cracks in on you, you know you've fucked up. And that's not the only one. Youtube is littered with Gus Jackson calls. People have even made tribute videos to poke fun at Gus. Back to Saturday night, Gus is the pointman for the Fedor/Werdum fight. Now, in most people's minds the outcome was not in doubt. Most thought Fedor would plow through Werdum. But a professional like Gus HAD to have prepared for the possibility of an uppercut and as the perennial butt of jokes, he had to have known this would be his chance to erase all past transgressions and cement his legacy in MMA.

MMA has had it's share of big moments. When Matt Serra defeated Georges St. Pierre, it was a huge upset. However, the call was marred by Randy Couture in a mundane voice saying "Good lord, he's hurt him 3 times." Meanwhile, Goldie has got to get in "AND IT IS ALL OVER!", and Joe Rogan is yelling "UNBELIEVEABLE". A decent call, but not one worthy of such a moment. But let's be real. Joe Rogan is not a seasoned vet like Gus Johnson, neither is Randy Couture and, frankly, Goldberg is Goldie (His commentary is so...commenting.). A professional like Gus Johnson lives for a moment like this. A moment where he can be written in the annals with a Cosell, Al Michaels, or Russ Hodges. This is the moment a young Gus stood in front of his mirror with his mother's best brush and practiced for. The apex of his career. Frank Shamrock and Mauro Ranallo, surprisingly, were unselfish and let the professional have his moment. And what did we get?

(in a gargling voice)

"WERDUM!








WERDUM!

 

 

 

 

 

FEDOR......LOSING FOR THE FIRST TIME! V.C.O DOOM (Writer's note: I think he was trying to pronounce Fabricio Werdum here.)

 

UNBELIEVABLE! Brazilian Jiu Jitsu! Finally dethrones the champion!"

You had a chance Gus. You had a chance to redeem yourself. You had that chance and you blew it. In 20 years, when they talk about the day Fedor lost and the clip is played, those are the sounds that will be heard. Shame on you Gus Johnson. Shame on you.