Why Ian Eagle ‘waved the white flag’ on late nights with Bill Raftery

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[OrangeXtreme]

How a Kid Who Grew Up in a Nightclub Became the Voice of the Final Four

Ian Eagle unlocked a career milestone as the lead announcer for CBS and Turner’s coverage of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. In show-business terms, he’s a headliner for the first time. Those are terms Eagle understands well. He grew up in the wings of a nightclub stage.

www.theringer.com

 

[Eric15]

Ian Eagle is basically a perfect broadcaster. Smooth, crisp voice. Understands how much to talk and that less is often more. Never makes the game about himself or has a "schtick." Dry sense of humor similar to Bob Costas.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[two3zone]

Raftery:

 

[Sherman20]

Raftery:

What I wouldn’t give to drink with Bill Raftery. I bet he’s a blast, but yeah, I probably couldn’t keep up either.

 

[two3zone]

What I wouldn’t give to drink with Bill Raftery. I bet he’s a blast, but yeah, I probably couldn’t keep up either.

Any of these old school guys I'd love to drink and jam with, but like you I couldn't keep up. Few years back its a different story ha

 

[Digger]

With all the drinking with Raf comments, I’ll tell a quick ~true Story:

My dad used to drink with Raftery a bit and (according to his friends) once got into a bar “fight” with him in West Orange, NJ. (my brothers and I are very confident it was nothing more than a couple shoves that, as most good stories do, evolved over time).

Until the day he died I never heard my dad say a bad word about Raf and loved him as a broadcaster.


ONIONS!!

 

[PoppyHart]

Would people think differently if he sent his kid to Gtown?

 

[RyanCuse44]

If they would replace Grant HIl,, who is so ho-hum um boring, with say Jim Spanarkel or some other vet it would be such an improvement.

 

[MikeSU02]

How a Kid Who Grew Up in a Nightclub Became the Voice of the Final Four

Ian Eagle unlocked a career milestone as the lead announcer for CBS and Turner’s coverage of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. In show-business terms, he’s a headliner for the first time. Those are terms Eagle understands well. He grew up in the wings of a nightclub stage.

www.theringer.com

Everyone should read this article. Bryan Curtis brings it. It’s worth your time.

 

[SUskibum]

Everyone should read this article. Bryan Curtis brings it. It’s worth your time.

I wasn't going to read it, but did based on your suggestion

Time extremely well spent. Thank you.

 

[ssbriefcase]

Everyone should read this article. Bryan Curtis brings it. It’s worth your time.

So we have Ian to blame for the "wedgie" lol. Good read

 

[two3zone]

So we have Ian to blame for the "wedgie" lol. Good read

To be fair, he looks like a guy who's received more wedgies anyone could ever count.

 

[ar inj]

I kept up w/ Raftery in New Orleans in 2023. Great conversation; great time after the championship game.






In fact, he got off the elevator before I did, but not until after he gave me his CBS insider’s Final Four guidebook.