Basketball HOFer JOHN ANDARIESE, the "legendary voice of the Knicks for nearly 40 years," died yesterday at the age of 78, according to Stefan Bondy of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. Generations of Knicks fans "listened to Andariese as an analyst on MSG Network or on the radio, mostly alongside MARV ALBERT." The "entertaining banter" between the two "became synonymous with Knicks basketball." Andariese "began his broadcasting career as the Knicks radio analyst" for the '72-73 season. He retired in '12 to "spend time with his family, and was replaced on the radio broadcast" by BRENDAN BROWN. Andariese had been "suffering from dementia and was in poor health while spending his final days in Florida" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/14). The AP notes Andariese was "one of the first collegiate basketball color analysts for ESPN and eventually became co-host of 'NBA2Night' with GREG GUMBEL." He later "worked for Turner Sports for two years before being rehired by the Knicks to work with Albert again" (AP, 3/13). In N.Y., Don Burke notes a "visibly shaken AL TRAUTWIG shared the news with viewers" last night. He said, "Our hearts are truly broken." Andariese was one of the "few NBA analysts who never played or coached in the league." Andariese is also in the N.Y.C. and Fordham Univ. Basketball HOFs (N.Y. POST, 3/14). On Long Island, Neil Best writes, "Within the basketball and media communities, he was well-liked both personally and professionally as a New York City basketball lifer." He "could be cutting in his criticism, but he often delivered it with deft jabs rather than body blows" (NEWSDAY, 3/14).
TWITTER REAX: On Twitter, praise for Andariese was effusive. N.Y. Daily News' Mike Lupica writes Andariese "wasn't just one of the great gentlemen in history of the Knicks. One of the great gentlemen, period." N.Y. Times' Harvey Araton: "No finer man around NBA arenas than John Andariese. RIP, Johnny Hoops." News 12 Networks' Pat O'Keefe: "A great New York life has come to an end." Boston Globe's Bob Ryan: "Insightful and honest. A truly Nice Guy. Glad I knew him." Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman: "Loved listening to him on Knicks games when I was growing up."
