Ian Eagle admits he's more nervous about his son's broadcasts than Noah

Ian Eagle is much more nervous watching his son Noah call a game than he is doing it himself.

Ian said on Terrible announcement podcast with host Brandon Contes, anyone who is a parent can attest to the feeling of wanting to protect their child from challenges.

“You would swap places any time, any time, if it would make your child’s life easier,” he says. “That’s just one perspective. And it wouldn't be any different than when Noah was in Little League or playing basketball or swimming or tennis; You feel the fear that he has to go out and perform – and there's nothing you can do about it; You can't help him. So, I would equate it to that.

“I would say it's a little different in that I have so much institutional knowledge of how these things work. And that's why I know all the elements that make a good broadcast or what can distract a broadcast at the moment. And this awareness is often not necessarily your friend.

“But he doesn’t feel the stress I described. He feels really comfortable with it – it comes across that way. He is a disciple of it; it is important to him. He wants to do it right. He's not someone who wants to cut corners, so I know the work he puts in. I know the preparation and also know what kind of person he is, how he interacts with others and how he finds common ground with his analysts and producers… And that gives you self-confidence as a parent when you see your child in such situations and know it’s ready for it.”

As Contes mentioned to Ian, whether it's Noah, Joe Buck or Kenny Albert, allegations of nepotism come with the territory. At the same time, it's nearly impossible to duplicate or devalue the experience of growing up in it, rather than being thrown straight into the fire.

“I think it goes a long way. Obviously, when you’re around it, some form of osmosis comes in,” says Ian. “You've seen it, you know what it's about, you've experienced it, you've looked behind the scenes, you've literally seen the camera and your father or the microphone and the headset and your father, and there's an eternal benefit there from it.

“Look, there's something to be said about the ability, the natural ability that's within you, that's been passed down, that allows you to be comfortable in those situations. That doesn't mean every child at every station is meant to do this, and many of them have no interest in doing so. I think that's a big part of it too, at least from my perspective and for my wife. We really never told him, “Hey, this is something you should consider.” It was always his choice to find what makes you happy, because that's what we care about.

“I hate to break it down to its simplest form, but that's exactly it – you want your child to be happy in life. Try to figure out what makes you happy and then follow that path. I know life is much more complicated than that – I understand that – but sometimes it's that simple. And for Joe and for Kenny and for others—Noah included—they all decided, “This would make me happy; I'll try this and see where it takes me.'”

As Contes pointed out that Noah and Dwyane Wade received high praise on social media for their coverage of men's basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympics, he also acknowledged that while social media doesn't represent the entire audience, it often does are loudest.

Ian added, noting that it's impossible to avoid this type of feedback.

“All of this is part of the process and cannot be avoided – especially not in this day and age,” he says. “I broke into WFAN Radio — this was the early ’90s — and the only feedback you got was from callers and then the occasional letter you got in the mail. Or then Mike and the Mad Dog invented “Fax Fridays,” where people would fax questions and literally read them out on TV – that was it…

“Or the media critic at the time, Phil Mushnick, who still writes for them New York Post; Bob Raissman writes for Daily News. There were a few other writers in the New York area, including Stan Isaacs News day back then and finally Richard Sandomir with him New York Timesand Rudy Martzke USA today – that was your feedback.

“And what taught me then, which I still subscribe to today, is that self-criticism will be number 1. That is the most important aspect of it. You need to develop a real understanding of when you've done something well, or if you've missed the mark, if it's subpar, and correct it. And that comes from paying attention to your stuff and, in many ways, focusing on not making the same mistakes over and over again. And even in the midst of social media, which, yeah, it's huge. As that evolved, it became a very different way to get an opinion.”

Ultimately, Ian knows that while the loudest voices come from social media, the most critical feedback is the feedback you give yourself.

“Your toughest critic is you – always. It has to be you. And that’s non-negotiable,” Eagle says.

As nervous as Ian Eagle is watching his son, he is most proud of knowing that Noah is pursuing his own path with dedication and passion. After all, there is nothing better for a parent than seeing their child become happy doing what they love.

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