Why Ian Eagle? read between the lines

The New England Patriots will host the opening game of the divisional round for the second straight season when they take on the Kansas City Chiefs in a game to begin at 4 thirty or so Eastern time on Saturday.

The games this year and last are the only times New England has hosted the first game of the divisional round which began in 1970.

The CBS announcer for the game will be Ian Eagle. He is the son of Jack Eagle and I believe the brother of Joby Eagle.

This will be his first NFL playoff game on television.

Once I had lunch with the great Marty Glickman and at the time he had been assigned to help the career of Ian Eagle.

He asked me what I thought of Eagle. I did not answer.

I wanted to ask him why he was helping Eagle?!

I did not, but knew the reason.

It is so damn true, even in this “land of opportunity,” it is not what you know but who(m) you know.

By comparison, Marty Glickman, who had more broadcasting ability in his little toe than Eagle will ever have, never broadcast a divisional round game on television.

Jack eagle was a funny guy, appearing on the Konica ads as some kind of friar, but sadly to me it evokes a Red Buttons classic, as Ian Eagle gets to broadcast a divisional round game evoking all those who never were granted the chance to do so.

Andy’s Note: As was the case with Humphrey Bogart’s character in Casablanca regarding waters, I was MISINFORMED, as Ian Eagle had no real connections and his success is a result of hard work and a willingness to do the behind the scenes, off air stuff (producing, learning the technical) that often is necessary.