Jim O’Donnell: Ian Eagle, smaller TV audience hail enough for Stevenson, Bears vs. Cardinals
MATT EBERFLUS AND HIS NOT-READY-FOR-HAIL-MARY PLAYERS get another late-afternoon TV window Sunday.
But the Bears will be at Arizona on a much more modest two-region stage than last weekend's disastrous national platform (3:05 p.m., CBS).
Sunday past was when distracted DB Tyrique Stevenson came up with an all-new way to thrill the nation at Washington's Northwest Stadium.
Approximately 51% of America had the chance to tune in and watch Stevenson's zero-I. Q. gaffe. A late chunk scurried over when the NFL Red Zone had to sign off after a six-and-one-half-hour broadcast day with 31 seconds left in the game and the Commanders clinging to a 12-7 lead.
Against the Cardinals, only 13% of the nation — centered around the Chicago and Phoenix markets — will have over-the-air access.
FOX HAS THE KILLER LATE GAME with Detroit at Green Bay (3:25 p.m., Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady, Erin Andrews). Reasonable Vegas types are already projecting a Lions-Chiefs Super Bowl in New Orleans on Feb. 9. The same Fox crew will work SB 59.
Ian Eagle will call the Bears-Cardinals alongside Charles Davis. Eagle has some of the hottest dice in sports broadcasting.
Last spring, he ascended to the lead chair on the CBS/Turner coverage of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. He replaced Jim Nantz in a move that was presented as gracefully as possible.
The whole truth is that Eagle, was receiving feelers from other broadcast concerns. At age 55, he continues to generate first-tier performances.
ON CHRISTMAS DAY, EAGLE ENTERS uncharted NFL strata. That's when he and son Noah Eagle will each call a part of Netflix's inaugural pro football holiday doubleheader.
Father Ian will handle the Steelers-Chief opener with J.J. Watt and Nate Burleson sharing the booth. Son Noah will work the Ravens-Texans nightcap next to Greg Olsen.
Netflix is paying a reported $75M per-game for the twin bill. CBS Sports will provide production services, although the inclusion of Fox's Olsen is yet another unexpected moving part.
FOX BOSSES WERE HESITANT to allow Olsen to participate in a rival's production. But some sharp persuasion on the Olsen side finally opened up a “make-good” window to allow the former Bear to glide over. Part of that was predicated on the teamsmanship and professionalism Olsen has displayed since being dropped to No. 2 on the Fox depth chart behind Brady.
AS FOR THE BEARS-ARIZONA, Stevenson's big adventure — which led to the extremely improbable 52-yard TD pass of Jayden Daniels as time expired and an 18-15 Washington win — apparently has signaled open season on the future of Eberflus as head coach of the Bears.
As likable as the Toledo native is, another Halas Hall truth is that he's 14-27 (.341) as the team's HC.
To date, he has shown the skillset of a quality defensive coordinator. But as a head coach, his package has holes.
He also may want to give Stevenson one final reminder before kickoff at State Farm Stadium in Glendale:
Look both ways before taunting.
STREET-BEATIN':
For those not engaged enough as presidential election results seep in Tuesday night, ESPN will present the first of six weekly College Football Playoff rankings shows (6 p.m.). Selection Sunday is Dec. 8 and the 12-team event will crown a champion in Atlanta on Monday night, Jan. 20. Rece Davis will be prominent throughout. …
The Dodgers-Yankees World Series dramatically drove home that Aaron Boone's power crew can't play “small.” The fifth inning of the decisive Game 5, when the Bronx Bummers allowed 5 unearned runs, was stunning. Fox ran a late-game box about the NYY, noting: “Miscues Tonight — 3 errors, (Gerrit) Cole failed to cover first base, catcher's interference, balk.” (That's not how Abner Doubleday or even Pedro Grifol envisioned the basics of the game.) …
Doug Collins continues to receive high praise for his induction speech at the Naismith Hall of Fame. Ol' No. 20 also once again showed he's never forgotten a statistic. Fact back on Sir Douglas: He grew up a block away from actor John Malkovich in downstate Benton, Illinois. Malkovich's family owned the Benton Evening News, now a holding of Paddock Publications, publisher of the Daily Herald. …
Tommy John — age 81 — has kicked up his media campaign to get into Cooperstown. His pitch includes the fact that he had 288 victories and 188 “no decisions.” For White Sox fans, he remains most notable as the principal player sent to the Dodgers in December 1971 for Dick Allen. For non-orthopods everywhere, the trade name for Tommy John surgery is “ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction.” …
And Phil Mushnick, from a New York state of mind after that abrupt end to the 2024 MLB postseason: “Thank goodness that the worst-played, worst-managed, worst-televised, worst-spoken and worst-cluttered playoffs have gone to their maker.”
Jim O'Donnell's Sports and Media column appears each week on Sunday and Wednesday. Reach him at jimodonnelldh@yahoo.com. All communications may be considered for publication.