Ian Eagle

Ian Eagle (born February 9, 1969) is an American sports announcer nicknamed The Bird calling National Football League (NFL) games on CBS, Brooklyn Nets games on the YES Network and hosts Full Court Press, a basketball talk show with former player Kenny Smith on Sirius Satellite Radio. Other announcing experience include NCAA men's basketball, tennis, the Army–Navy football games, the Army-Navy basketball games, boxing, and NCAA track and field for CBS. He is a graduate of Syracuse University, where he was initiated into the Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity. He is known as "Bird" or the "Birdman".

Parents
Eagle was born to entertainers Jack Eagle and Monica Maris. Jack, a former "Catskills comedian" and commercial actor, was best known for portraying "Brother Dominic" and "Mr. Cholesterol" in Xerox and Fleischmann's margarine television commercials respectively in the 1970s. Maris was a singer.

Early career
Eagle began his career by announcing football, basketball, and lacrosse for the Syracuse Orangemen on WAER a student run radio station. While at Syracuse, he was admitted to the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity. Following his graduation in 1990, Eagle began working for WFAN Radio in New York City as a producer. In 1992, WFAN gave him his own show (Bagels and Baseball). In 1993, Eagle was given pregame and postgame duties for the Jets. 1994 saw Eagle's first year as a Nets play-by-play radio announcer. A year later, he was made a TV announcer for SportsChannel, which later became Fox Sports Net New York (now MSG Plus). In 1997, WFAN made Eagle play-by-play announcer for Jets games.

Later television and radio career
Eagle joined CBS in 1998 doing announcing work for NFL and NCAA basketball. He continues to serve these roles today. In 2010, he was promoted to the number 3 announce team on CBS for NFL, pairing with Dan Fouts. Other CBS work includes boxing, The Pilot Pen Tennis tournament, the U.S. Open (both the late night show and daytime studio host for 2008 U.S. Open coverage), and the NCAA Track and Field Championships.

Prior to joining the YES Network as Nets announcer in 2002, Ian Eagle served the same role for the Nets on the MSG Network and Fox Sports Net New York. When Marv Albert joined the YES Network prior to the 2005-06 NBA season, the games were split between the two broadcasters, before Eagle again became the primary announcer for the Nets in the 2011-12 NBA season upon Albert's departure.

During the 2010 NBA Playoffs, Eagle called two games on TNT, a likely move to promote him to calling national television broadcasts, similar to what Albert, former Minnesota Timberwolves play-by-play man Kevin Harlan and Knicks play-by-play man Mike Breen experienced. He was again called up by TNT for the 2011 NBA Playoffs, pairing with his YES colleague Mike Fratello. He also does play by play for Thursday Night Football on Westwood One. On Sirius, in addition to his daily talk show, Eagle did a weekly talk show, The Phil Jackson Show, with Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson. And Eagle retains his roots to WFAN, occasionally serving as a fill-in talk show host on his old station.

Eagle also serves as the voice-over host of NBA Action and previously, NBA Jam.

Since Eagle pronounces his first name "EYE-un" (instead of the more common "EE-an"), he has often admitted that life was easier prior to the 1986 release of the movie Iron Eagle. In fact, many callers (including prominent sports figures) continue to call him "Iron Eagle" -- much to his chagrin.

Broadcasting partners

 * Dan Fouts
 * Solomon Wilcots
 * Clark Kellogg
 * Bill Raftery
 * Jim Spanarkel
 * Mike Fratello
 * Trent Green
 * John Thompson (basketball)
 * Mark Jackson (basketball)
 * Boomer Esiason
 * Greg Anthony

Other announcing

 * French Open for Tennis Channel
 * Masters Online commentary of Amen corner 09
 * Voice of the announcer for NBA 07, 08 and 09 for PSP
 * NBA playoff announcing for NBA TV
 * Hosts NBA Action, a weekly highlights and features show for NBA TV
 * Announces preseason New York Jets telecasts on WCBS-TV in New York
 * Host of Nets Magazine, a look inside the New Jersey Nets for the YES Network
 * Voiceover for Modell's radio commercials and in-store voiceovers
 * Voice of NBA Action from 2004-present
 * Co-hosts Power Performances presented by Courtyard by Marriott on CBS.Sportsline.com
 * NFL Thursday Night games on Westwood One, with Trent Green as his color man
 * Lee Myles Commercials
 * On the song Games by Dog Eat Dog

Personal
Eagle lives in Essex Fells, New Jersey with his wife and children.

Awards

 * Bob Costas Award for Outstanding Sportscasting (while at Syracuse)
 * 2002 New York Sports Emmy Award.

External links and references

 * SU Article
 * NIC Roll of Greeks in Sportscasting
 * NBA.com Profile
 * NBA.com Broadcaster of the Week

Ian Eagle