Yesss! Knicks Voice Albert Back

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

February 7, 1999 / 10:15 PM EST / CBS Sportsline

After a nearly 20-month layoff, Marv Albert was already back in midseason form Sunday.

Albert was nearly flawless in his radio broadcast of the Knicks-Heat game, his first basketball game since the 1997 NBA Finals. Albert was fired by NBC three months later after pleading guilty to biting a former lover during a sexual encounter.

"He's doing great and I think his greatness as an announcer has always been radio," said partner John Andariese. "The listener is the winner."

Albert began his play-by-play career with MSG on radio in 1966. He worked Knicks games for MSG on television with Andariese from 1986 to 1997 before resigning shortly after being fired by NBC.

He had few problems on Sunday with the adjustment back to radio - despite not feeling completely healthy.

"I have a little cold, but I felt very comfortable," Albert said after the game. "Radio is much more taxing than TV. In television you're really setting up the analysts. This is non-stop and is a frantic pace."

Because of the wild first quarter in which both teams shot poorly, it took nearly four minutes before Albert got a chance to use his signature call of "Yessss" when Larry Johnson buried a 15-footer.

It took far less time for Albert to offer his respected insights. He criticized the game early in the first quarter, calling it "sloppy", and also pointed out on numerous occasions the Knicks' dismal free throw shooting.

However, Albert was not perfect. He misidentified players, but that is expected -- especially of someone who has been away from the game for so long.

Although his return was overshadowed by Latrell Sprewell's first game at home as a Knick, Albert was welcomed back to Madison Square Garden by fans and former colleagues - including NBC's Bill Walton and Jim Gray.

Before the game, fans lined up to speak with Albert and get his autograph. One fan even got his signature on an NBC cap.

"It's great to have him back because he is New York broadcasting," said Mark Gomberg of Wayne, N.J. "It's great that MSG was able to overlook his indiscretions and I only hope that they put him back on TV soon. "

"I thought it would be ironic if he signed my NBC hat. He didn't even flinch."

Contrary to a report Thursday on Fox Sports Net, Albert and NBC Sports Chairman Dick Ebersol denied they are deep in discussions about bringing Albert back to the network.

But Ebersol did add that he would never eliminate the possibility of Albert coming back to NBC.