Part of your confusion is that psi fans who don't like the 3E version call it magionics because mechanicaly the system is basicily a spell point caster.
That being said, the strength in that idea is that those points can now be manipulated and transfered around like an actual energy source vs. the non-exsitant metaphysics of DND spell slot magic, which is basicly a game mechanic that is not envocative of anything mystical or fantastical.
To clarify, the spells themselves are fantasical, how they are stored and used past a spell book is not. In psionics, the spell points can be stored in "batteries," kept to fuel a power -- but not spent, garnered by sacrificing a power for a day (ITCK Colorless Adpet class). One could easily come up with a lay line system of crystal stone hedges and you have a fairly complete replacement for DND magic.
The flavor is different too, a lot of crystals give it a sort of New Age/low tech fantasy feel.
The WotC's "Mind's Eye" website has some interesting classes and more than 40 powers that pretty let psions stand on their own. If you get ITCK, you also get a psionic conversion of all the PHB spells, suddenly the psion class becomes the class with the largest library of powers.
I got rid of my Psionics book a while back because no one I know will run a Psionics campaign.
Take it from a vet, if it looks like no one wants to run your style of game, it's time to run it yourself. At least you can get to live vicariously through your players and one of two things will happen.
1.) You players learn how cool you idea is and then they may take a stab at running it so you can play.
2.) You discover you idea wasn't all it was cracked up to be and you can go on to something else.
I also suggest finding an RPGA Living Arcanis game near you. It is the only RPGA DND game that allow psionics. I would recommend avoiding the "Hidden Greed" module, however.
