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Author: Rob Tornoe

  • The Eagles won’t play another 1 p.m. game for a while

    The Eagles won’t play another 1 p.m. game for a while

    The Eagles (5-2) will host the New York Giants (2-5) at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday on Fox. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m., which won’t happen again for a while.

    Next week is the Eagles’ bye, and when the Birds come back they’ll play five straight national games — three in prime time, one in the late afternoon window on Fox, and one on Black Friday.

    They won’t have another 1 p.m. kickoff until Week 15, when they host the Las Vegas Raiders (2-5) at the Linc on Dec. 14. That could also be their last, with two games against the Washington Commanders (3-4) yet to be scheduled.

    In Week 16, the Birds will play the Commanders on Saturday, Dec. 20, which will be either a 4:30 p.m. or an 8 p.m. kickoff. They’ll also face the Commanders in Week 18, a game that could be elevated to late afternoon or even prime time, depending on what’s at stake.

    So why did the NFL lump the Eagles’ two Commanders games into a three-week span at the end of the season? Onnie Bose, the NFL’s vice president of broadcasting (and a Lower Merion High School grad), said the league tries to schedule as many divisional games late in the season as possible, and it just rolled out this way for the Eagles.

    “Division games late in the season matter,” Bose told The Inquirer in May. “Playing a team in the division twice in three weeks might feel like a lot, but it does happen.”

    The remaining schedule also means it’s not likely you’ll see the Eagles flexed into Sunday Night Football or Monday Night Football this season, unless the Raiders somehow become a compelling story over the next eight weeks.

    Tom Brady is back to call his third Eagles game. It won’t be his last.

    Tom Brady ahead of the Eagles’ Week 4 game against the Buccaneers on Sept. 28.

    Eagles fans will hear a familiar voice Sunday.

    Super Bowl LII loser Tom Brady will be in the booth for Fox, calling his third Birds game this season. If that seems like a lot, that’s because it is — last year Brady called just two Eagles games during the regular season (though he added three playoff games, including the Super Bowl).

    And it won’t be Brady’s last Birds game — he’s slated to call the Eagles’ Week 12 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys on Nov. 23 and Philly’s trip to Buffalo to face the Bills in Week 17 on Dec. 28.

    Joining Brady will be play-by-play partner Kevin Burkhardt, who is also hosting Fox’s pre- and postgame World Series coverage. Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi will report from the Linc.

    The last time Fox’s No. 1 crew called at least five Eagles games in one regular season was back in 2014, when Joe Buck and Troy Aikman were still at the network.

    Traditionally, Fox broadcast NFC games and interconference games where the NFC team was on the road. In 2023, the league loosened up those restrictions, but Fox is still guaranteed a certain number of Eagles games every season (including at least one Birds game against each divisional opponent).

    How to stream Eagles-Giants

    Eagles-Giants will stream on Fox One, Fox’s new subscription streaming service. It will also stream on the Fox Sports app, though you need to log in with your cable provider.

    If you’re looking to stream the game for free and you live in or around Philadelphia, your best option is to use a digital antenna, since the game will air on broadcast television on Fox 29.

    Eagles-Giants will also air on the radio on 94.1 WIP, with Merrill Reese and former Eagles receiver Mike Quick on the call. WIP host Devan Kaney will report from the sidelines.

    Rickie Ricardo, Oscar Budejen, and Dave Gerhardt will call the game in Spanish on La Mega 105.7 FM in Philadelphia, 93.9 FM in Atlantic City, and 103.3 FM in Vineland/Millville.

    Both radio broadcasts can be streamed from anywhere on the Eagles’ website, while fans in Philly can also stream them on the Eagles app.

    Eagles look to remain undefeated in kelly green

    Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts warms up next to the Kelly green logo before a game against the Miami Dolphins at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023.

    When the Birds take the field Sunday afternoon, they’ll be decked out in their throwback kelly green uniforms.

    It’s the first of three games in which the Eagles will wear their classic, fan-favorite jerseys, which they’ll also don in Week 12 against the Dallas Cowboys and Week 18 against the Washington Commanders.

    While the throwbacks are beloved by fans and players alike, the kelly greens represent an era where the Birds couldn’t win when it really mattered (including three playoff games).

    Despite that, the classic jerseys have been good luck for the current Eagles squad. Since bringing them back in 2023, the Birds are 4-0 while wearing kelly green.

    The Eagles were technically wearing kelly green throwbacks during a 2010 loss to the Green Bay Packers, but those were replicas of the Birds’ 1960-era jerseys.

    Eagles will remain in first place through the bye

    Nick Sirianni has the third-best coaching record (53-22, 0.707 pct.) in the Super Bowl era (minimum 50 games).
    NFC East standings

    The Eagles enter Week 8 atop the NFC East and will remain there through next week’s bye, regardless of what happens Sunday against the Giants.

    If the Eagles lose and the Cowboys defeat the Denver Broncos, the Birds will still have a higher winning percentage. Even if they had the same record, the Eagles defeated the Cowboys in Week 1, so the Birds hold the tiebreaker. They’ll play again in Dallas in Week 12 on Nov. 23.

    The Commanders are two games back of the Eagles, so win or lose against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football, there’s no way for Washington to overtake the Birds anytime soon.

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    NFC standings

    It’s crowded at the top of the NFC.

    Thanks to their tie against the Cowboys, the Green Bay Packers currently sit in first place because of their higher winning percentage.

    The Eagles are one of six teams with a 5-2 record heading into Week 8, but they find themselves in third place behind the 49ers because San Francisco has a better conference record (5-1 vs. 4-1).

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    Other NFL Week 8 games on TV in Philly

    Aaron Rodgers will face the Packers for the first time since being traded away in 2023.
    Sunday
    • Bears at Ravens: 1 p.m., CBS3 (Ian Eagle, J.J. Watt, Evan Washburn)
    • Cowboys at Broncos: 4:25 p.m., CBS3 (Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson)
    • Packers at Steelers: 8:20 p.m., NBC10 (Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Melissa Stark)
    Monday
    • Commanders at Chiefs: 8:15 p.m., ESPN, 6abc (Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters, Laura Rutledge)

    Eagles-Giants live updates

    Staff writers Jeff McLane, Olivia Reiner, and Jeff Neiburg will be covering the action live on Inquirer.com.

    Notes and observations about the game can be found at Inquirer.com/Eagles. Don’t forget to subscribe to our free Sports Daily newsletter.

    Eagles-Giants: Live updates

    Eagles news and notes

    Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown walks off the field after the Eagles lost the the Denver Broncos 21-17 on Sunday, October 5, 2025, in Philadelphia.

    Eagles 2025 schedule

    • Week 1: Eagles 24, Cowboys 20
    • Week 2: Eagles 20, Chiefs 17
    • Week 3: Eagles 33, Rams 26
    • Week 4: Eagles 31, Buccaneers 25
    • Week 5: Broncos 21, Eagles 17
    • Week 6: Giants 34, Eagles 17
    • Week 7: Eagles 28, Vikings 22
    • Week 8: Giants at Eagles, Sunday, Oct. 26, 1 p.m. (Fox 29)
    • Week 9: Bye week
    • Week 10: Eagles at Packers, Monday, Nov. 10, 8:15 p.m. (6ABC, ESPN)
    • Week 11: Lions at Eagles, Sunday, Nov. 16, 8:20 p.m. (NBC10)
    • Week 12: Eagles at Cowboys, Sunday, Nov. 23, 4:25 p.m. (Fox 29)
    • Week 13: Bears at Eagles, Friday, Nov. 28, 3 p.m. (Amazon Prime Video)
    • Week 14: Eagles at Chargers, Monday, Dec. 8, 8:15 p.m. (6ABC, ESPN)
    • Week 15: Raiders at Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 14, 1 p.m. (Fox 29)
    • Week 16: Eagles at Commanders, Saturday, Dec. 20, TBD (Fox 29)
    • Week 17: Eagles at Bills, Sunday, Dec. 28, 4:29 p.m. (Fox 29)
    • Week 18: Commanders at Eagles, TBD (TBD)
  • NBA sports betting bust: What to know about Terry Rozier, Chauncey Billups, and cash handoffs in Philly

    NBA sports betting bust: What to know about Terry Rozier, Chauncey Billups, and cash handoffs in Philly

    A sports betting scandal involving Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier has roiled the NBA and threatens to undermine the $13 billion sports betting industry.

    Billups and Rozier are among 34 people across 11 states charged in connection with two separate schemes — defrauding sports gamblers and a rigged poker game run in connection with New York City Mafia families.

    Among those said to be involved was Shane Hennen, 40, a professional gambler originally from the Pittsburgh suburbs who allegedly handed off cash to his coconspirators in Philadelphia.

    Former Cleveland Cavaliers player-turned-coach Damon Jones was also arrested for allegedly selling inside information on injuries and participating in the illegal poker scheme.

    “This is the insider trading scandal for the NBA,” FBI Director Kash Patel said during a news conference Thursday announcing the charges, which include wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiracies to commit extortion and robbery.

    Officials accuse Rozier and others of altering their performance to get big payouts

    Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier.

    In the sports betting case, Rozier and others are accused of leaving games early or altering their performance to make hundreds of thousands of dollars on prop bets, defrauding both sportsbooks and other legitimate gamblers.

    In one example, provided by New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Rozier, then with the Charlotte Hornets, allegedly told his coconspirators he was planning to exit a 2023 game early due to a supposed injury.

    “Using that information, members of the group placed more than $200,000 in wagers on his under statistics,” Tisch said. “Rozier exited the game after just nine minutes, and those bets paid out, generating tens of thousands of dollars in profit.”

    “The proceeds were later delivered to his home, where the group counted their cash,” Tisch added.

    Joseph Nocella Jr., the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, described it as “one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online sports betting became widely legalized in the U.S.”

    Rozier’s lawyer, Jim Trusty, told CNN in a statement his client “looks forward to winning this fight.”

    The accusations mirror the actions that led the NBA to ban former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter from the league for life after its investigation revealed he leaked “confidential information to sports bettors” to win under bets. Porter later pleaded guilty to charges that he faked injuries or illnesses to leave games early.

    The NBA had investigated Rozier and announced in January it “did not find a violation of NBA rules.” The league said Thursday it takes the new allegations “with the utmost seriousness.”

    Nocella said the indictment also details the actions of unnamed players on teams that include the Trail Blazers and the Los Angeles Lakers. The indictment remained sealed online Thursday.

    Two of the unnamed coconspirators were from Pennsylvania, according to the indictment.

    Cash was handed off in Philly, officials said

    Philadelphia skyline as seen from Lancaster Avenue.

    Prosecutors allege Rozier colluded with Hennen, who figures prominently in the most recent indictment — and in an earlier gambling probe involving Temple University’s basketball team, which led to his arrest in January.

    Hennen, known as “Sugar” in gambling circles, used nonpublic information that he obtained through his NBA contacts to facilitate a series of fraudulent bets over the last three years, according to one of the complaints unsealed Thursday. In one instance, he allegedly used Philadelphia as a meeting point to dole out the ill-gotten proceeds to other bettors.

    On March 28, 2023, Mississippi-based sports handicapper Marves Fairley traveled to Philadelphia to meet Hennen to collect proceeds from wagers the duo had placed on one of Rozier’s games earlier that month, federal authorities contend.

    Rozier had, according to the complaint, planned to “exit prematurely” from the March 23 matchup between the Hornets and the New Orleans Pelicans. Rozier played the first nine minutes of the game but then withdrew, citing a foot issue.

    Authorities say the scheme involved other men. De’Niro “Peyso” Laster, a former college linebacker, allegedly met with Fairley in Philadelphia on March 28 to collect tens of thousands of dollars in cash based on more fraudulent winnings linked to the same game.

    The suit alleges that Rozier paid for the costs of Laster’s travel to the city, and that Fairley and Laster then drove from Philadelphia to North Carolina to meet with the player at his home and count their winnings.

    On March 29, the day after prosecutors allege they met up in the city, Hennen posted a photo of himself and Fairley sitting courtside at a Sixers game.

    Hennen also appears to be linked to a point-shaving scheme involving former Temple University basketball player Hysier Miller, in what is likely a related investigation, according to reports by Sports Illustrated and ESPN.

    Earlier this year, the NCAA revealed it was investigating unusual bets placed around a March 7, 2024, game between Temple and Alabama-Birmingham. An ESPN report linked that game to Hennen, who was arrested by federal authorities in January while attempting to board a flight to Panama.

    Miller was released by the team in October 2024, with sources indicating that his departure was likely linked to the gambling investigation.

    Damon Jones appears to have sold inside info on LeBron James while a coach for the Lakers

    Damon Jones (left), seen here with LeBron James in July 2010. The two were teammates on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

    Jones, who served as an unofficial assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2022-23 season, is accused of tipping off the team’s decision to rest a “prominent NBA player” ahead of a matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks on Feb. 9, 2023.

    The unnamed player appears to be LeBron James, who sat out that game due to a sore left ankle. James had played with Jones on the Cleveland Cavaliers, but there is no indication the NBA superstar was aware of the illegal betting scheme.

    “Get a big bet on Milwaukee tonight before the information is out!” Jones texted, according to the indictment.

    According to the indictment, Jones leaked inside information he had to coconspirators multiple times during the season, including before a January 2024 game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

    Billups accused of teaming with mob figures for illegal poker game

    Chauncey Billups was used to make the illegal poker games seem fair, officials said.

    In a second case, Billups is charged with participating in a nationwide scheme involving New York City Mafia figures to rig illegal poker games.

    Officials said members of the Bonanno, Gambino, and Genovese crime families rigged the poker contests in their favor, cheating players out of millions of dollars and resorting to violence when victims wouldn’t pay up.

    Tisch said Billups’ presence at the games was meant to lull victims into thinking it was a legitimate game, making them think “they were sitting at a fair table.” Officials said he was aware and in on the scam.

    Losses totaled more than $7 million, with one victim losing nearly $2 million, Tisch said.

    Hennen also figured prominently in the second case. According to the indictment, he provided the “cheating technology” for the illegal poker scheme in exchange for a portion of the proceeds.

    “Bringing four of the five families together in a single indictment is extraordinarily rare,” Tisch said. “It reflects how deep and how far this investigation reached and the skill and the persistence it took to get here.”

  • Charles Barkley and Shaq mock Joel Embiid, praise VJ Edgecombe in ESPN debut

    Charles Barkley and Shaq mock Joel Embiid, praise VJ Edgecombe in ESPN debut

    In their ESPN debut, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal didn’t waste any time mocking Sixers star Joel Embiid.

    “What’d your boy do tonight, Chuck?” Shaq asked.

    “Not a lot,” Barkley dryly responded.

    While the Sixers topped the Boston Celtics Wednesday night, Embiid struggled during his 20 minutes on the court, finishing with just four points and six rebounds.

    The stars of the night were Tyrese Maxey and first-round pick VJ Edgecombe, who scored 34 points, the third-best debut for a rookie in NBA history.

    Barkley used Edgecombe’s eye-opening debut to jokingly take a shot at his college coach, Baylor’s Scott Drew. In reality, the two are close, and Barkley played with Drew’s brother, Bryce Drew, with the Houston Rockets.

    “Scott Drew can’t coach. He’s been holding this kid back,” Barkley joked.

    Barkley and Shaq have been hard on Embiid over the years, including blasting him at the start of last season for not playing in back-to-back games. But Barkley’s expectations have shifted due to Embiid’s injury struggles, including two knee surgeries over the past 14 months.

    “I was asked a thousand times this summer about the Sixers. I said I can’t give a fair prediction,” Barkley said. “As much as I love Edgecombe and Maxey, if Embiid and Paul George can’t play, [the Sixers] are not a contender.”

    “He only gave your four points,” Shaq added.

    So yeah, while Barkley, Shaq, Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith have jumped from TNT to ESPN, nothing changed about the chemistry of Inside the NBA, one of the most beloved sports shows in TV history.

    Who else would ESPN let compare new Wizards guard CJ McCollum to convicted felon and former New York U.S. Rep. George Santos, who was released from prison by President Donald Trump?

    “Man, I don’t know what CJ McCollum did to someone” to end up on the Wizards, Barkley said. “We freed George Santos, let’s free CJ McCollum.”

    The foursome, now in their 15th season working together, mocked their new home relentlessly, joking that Barkley will appear on every ESPN show, from Get Up to First Take to NFL Live.

    “One thing I’m not going to be is Stephen A. Smith — everywhere,” Barkley said.

    Much later in the evening — ESPN let Inside the NBA roll past 1 a.m. Philly time — Johnson quizzed Barkley on which networks a handful of NBA personalities worked for. Barkley got two right, but missed on TNT colleague Allie LaForce.

    And for those keeping score, Barkley picked the New York Knicks to win the Eastern Conference, a prediction that will likely change at least seven times before the end of the season.

    TNT had broadcast NBA games since 1989, but the NBA rejected the network’s offer in favor of new 11-year deals NBC and Amazon. Despite that, the show is still produced by TNT out of their Atlanta studio. It’s just the name on front of the desk that’s ultimately different.

    Barkley and company will be back on the network tonight for another doubleheader: Oklahoma City Thunder at Indiana Pacers at 7:30 p.m. Philly time, followed by Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors at 10 p.m.

    “Ernie, that’s today!” Barkley said shortly after midnight.

    Once the NFL season is over, Amazon will stream NBA games on Prime Video Thursday nights. Until then, the evening is wide-open, allowing ESPN to swoop in to broadcast two national games tonight.

    After that, Inside the NBA will have a light schedule on ESPN until the end of the year, though they’ll appear more frequently during the second half of the season.

    Here’s when Inside the NBA will appear on ESPN though the end of December:

    • Thursday, Oct. 23: ESPN
    • Wednesday, Oct. 29: ESPN
    • Wednesday, Nov. 12: ESPN
    • Thursday Dec. 25: ESPN and ABC

    Mark Sanchez still recovering from stabbing as trial date set

    Mark Sanchez has called NFL games for Fox since 2021.

    Mark Sanchez won’t be returning to a broadcast booth anytime soon.

    The Fox Sports announcer and former Eagles quarterback is scheduled to go on trial next month to face accusations he attacked and injured a delivery driver in Indianapolis Oct. 4 ahead of calling an NFL game.

    Sanchez, 38, was also seriously injured in the assault, and his recovery could force a delay in the trial, which is scheduled to begin Dec. 11.

    Sanchez is accused of drunkenly assaulting a delivery driver in a fight stemming from an argument over a parking space. Police said the driver, Perry Tole, 69, pepper sprayed Sanchez, then pulled out a knife and stabbed him multiple times in self-defense.

    “We are literally talking about people fighting over a parking space and-or a dispute about where people are parking, and it resulted in someone receiving just incredibly significant injures,” Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears told reporters a few days after the incident.

    In a lawsuit filed against both Sanchez and Fox Sports, Tole claimed the fight left him with “severe permanent disfigurement, loss of function” and other injuries.

    Fox Sports has declined any further comment on the incident beyond a brief statement issued in the immediate aftermath of the fight: “Our thoughts and prayers are with Mark, and we ask that everyone please respect his and his family’s privacy during this time.”

    Quick hits

    Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe impressed the Celtics’ announcers.
    • Barkley and Shaq weren’t the only ones impressed by Edgecombe’s debut — announcers on NBC Sports Boston were amazed by his first-quarter jam:
    • Amazon announced the Eagles’ Black Friday matchup against the Chicago Bears on Nov. 28 will stream for free on its Prime Video platform, welcome news for Birds fans that live around the world (unless you live in Canada, where it will remain behind the paywall). The game will air for free in the Philadelphia TV market on Fox 29.
    • Tom Brady is back to broadcast his third Eagles game of the season Sunday, when the Birds take on the New York Giants at 1 p.m. on Fox. It won’t be his last — Brady is slated to call the Eagles Week 12 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys and the Birds Week 17 trip to Buffalo to play the Bills.
    • Say goodbye to ESPN’s Monday Night Football doubleheaders. NFL owners approved the league’s deal to sell the NFL Network to Disney Wednesday. As a result, the four extra games slotted to ESPN will return to the NFL, according to Sports Business Journal’s Ben Fischer.
  • The NBA’s debut on NBC gets rave reviews, despite glitches and a bad use of AI

    The NBA’s debut on NBC gets rave reviews, despite glitches and a bad use of AI

    NBC managed to do the unthinkable — making a regular-season NBA game feel big.

    Broadcasting their its NBA game in 23 years, NBC made the league’s season opener between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets feel like a playoff game. The crowd was loud, the camera work and graphics were crisp, and enough can’t be written about John Tesh’s “Roundball Rock.”

    The opening was just about perfect, balancing nostalgia for the NBA of the 1990s with current stars like LeBron James and Joel Embiid, who had “no idea” when asked about his memories of the league during that era. (Embiid was 2 years old when Jordan won his fourth NBA championship in 1996.)

    “TNT — as good as it was, as comfortable as it was — never made Opening Night feel as much as an event as tonight,” wrote Sports Media Watch’s Jon Lewis, adding “the moments leading up to tipoff felt bigger than during the Finals last year. And that’s not me taking shots at ESPN, it’s just kind of obvious to me.”

    Then there’s Mike Tirico, who has developed into an announcer whose voice makes a game feel bigger.

    Other than practice games with the Sixers and Boston Celtics last season, it was Tirico’s first time calling a national basketball game since 2016. You would have never known it — Tirico knew the rules and was on top of every call. Officials missed Kevin Durant’s call for a timeout when the Houston Rockets had none during the closing seconds of overtime, but Tirico was all over it.

    “Tirico doesn’t miss much in terms of intricacies,” wrote the Athletic’s Andrew Marchand.

    Tirico was part of an entertaining three-person crew alongside Reggie Miller and Jamal Crawford, which is likely a preview of how NBC will handle this season’s Western Conference Finals.

    “We don’t really have a lead crew,” NBC Sports president Rick Cordella said on a recent episode of the Sports Media Watch Podcast. “Jamal and Reggie are equals, and so you’ll see us going two-man crews and three-man crews at different times. And then we’ll see how the season goes.”

    There were also nice touches during the broadcast, like NBC’s scorebug showing an animated hand after three pointers and shaking following a slam dunk.

    The question is whether it will all be enough. NBC is reportedly paying $2.5 billion a year over the next 11 years for its NBA package, and the Wall Street Journal reported parent-company Comcast is projecting losses between $500 million and $1.4 billion during the first few years of the deal.

    “It’s a long-term deal. We’re not trying to measure this based on quarters but the next 10 years,” Matt Strauss, chairman of NBCU’s media group, told the Wall Street Journal.

    Hopefully we’ll get more from Michael Jordan

    The idea of Michael Jordan, NBA pundit is interesting. After all, who wouldn’t want arguably the greatest player in the history of the game dishing on the league’s current players and situations?

    Viewers, apparently. Jordan appeared via a pretaped segment for three minutes during halftime, where he told a nice story about the last time he shot a basketball and not much else.

    “I wish I could take a magic pill, put on shorts, and go out and play the game of basketball today,” Jordan said.

    Is it an improvement over quick-hit segments where studio analysts hurry through banal comments so networks can squeeze in as many sports gambling ads as possible? Yes, but that’s a pretty low bar to clear.

    The good news is NBC plans to air more segments featuring Jordan’s interview with Tirico in the weeks to come. NBC said he’ll be back next Tuesday to discuss load management, a subject Jordan — who played 82 games nine times in his career — has strong views about.

    Beyond that, it’s unclear how often Jordan, promoted as a special contributor, will appear on NBC this season.

    NBC should ditch their AI deepfake of Jim Fagan

    Older NBA fans probably felt something was off with Jim Fagan’s voice during the opening of Tuesday night’s broadcast.

    That’s because the longtime NBA on NBC narrator died eight years ago.

    NBC got permission from Fagan’s family to create a deepfake version of Fagin’s voice to intro games and provide promos for upcoming NBA games, as well as on other sports airing across NBC.

    Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

    It isn’t the first time NBC has leaned into using artificial intelligence. During last year’s Olympics, NBC used a deepfake version of veteran announcer Al Michaels for personalized recaps on Peacock. But Michaels, who currently handles play-by-play on Amazon’s Thursday Night Football, is still alive.

    Pregame show marred by glitches

    As for NBC’s pregame show, it was largely forgettable. Despite featuring three NBA hall of famers — Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, and Tracy McGrady — nothing memorable was said.

    In fact, the most notable part was the technical issues that plagued the first few minutes, including some audio issues and a couple of bad microphones. At one point, host Maria Taylor slammed her microphone down on the desk after McGrady asked her to repeat a question, causing static to overrun the broadcast for a few seconds.

    “Hey, this is the first night, so it’s not going to be perfect NBC family, but we’re going to get it right,” McGrady said.

    While the pregame show lacked much interest or excitement, at least NBC decided to take the high road and avoided sideshow antics involving shouting pundits and LeBron James vs. the world debates.

    It is just the first game of 82, after all.

    When will the Sixers play on NBC?

    Embiid and the Sixers open their season Wednesday against the Boston Celtics on NBC Sports Philadelphia, with Kate Scott and Alaa Abdelnaby back calling the bulk of the team’s games.

    The Sixers are scheduled to appear exclusively on NBC five times, beginning with their Nov. 11 matchup against the Boston Celtics at the newly named Xfinity Mobile Arena. They’ll also play exclusively on Peacock on Jan. 5 against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.

    Here’s when fans will see the Sixers on NBC and Peacock:

    • Nov. 11: Celtics at Sixers, 8 p.m. (NBC, Peacock)
    • Nov. 25: Magic at Sixers, 8 p.m. (NBC, Peacock)
    • Dec. 30: Sixers at Grizzlies, 8 p.m. (NBC, Peacock)
    • Jan. 5: Nuggets at Sixers, 8:30 p.m. (Peacock)
    • Jan. 27: Bucks at Sixers, 8 p.m. (NBC, Peacock)
    • March 3: Spurs at Sixers, 8 p.m. (NBC, Peacock)
    A milestone for NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Alaa Abdelnaby as the NBA launches new TV schedule
  • A milestone for NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Alaa Abdelnaby as the NBA launches new TV schedule

    A milestone for NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Alaa Abdelnaby as the NBA launches new TV schedule

    Charles Barkley on ESPN! Sixers games on Amazon! Dogs and cats living together! Mass hysteria!

    The NBA season tips off Tuesday, and with it begins new TV rights deals with NBC, ESPN, and Amazon that will reshape coverage of the league for the next decade plus.

    There’s been a lot of handwringing over the NBA’s new national schedule, with exclusive games being broadcast nationally every night on different channels and streaming platforms. It’s quite a change, considering TNT had been broadcasting national games on Thursday nights for 36 years.

    Despite the shuffling, not much will change for Sixers fans. Sixty nine of the team’s 82 games will air on NBC Sports Philadelphia (seven on NBC Sports Philadelphia+), with Kate Scott and Alaa Abdelnaby back to call all the action.

    Abdelnaby, the former Duke standout and NBA player, is entering his 10th season calling Sixers games (and his fifth alongside Scott). He was hired in the middle of “The Process,” but despite the Sixers losing 72 games during his first season, last season was his most difficult as a broadcaster.

    “Even though it wasn’t written in stone, we knew what they were doing” when the Sixers were intentionally losing games to gain assets, Abdelnaby told The Inquirer. “Last year, that wasn’t the case. They weren’t trying to do anything Process-ish … We kind of went through a whole season of not being relevant. And that stinks.”

    Joel Embiid’s health will be the big question mark for the Sixers this season.

    Abdelnaby has high hopes for this season, pinned on a potentially new role for Joel Embiid following his second knee surgery in 14 months. Embiid played 19 minutes in the Sixers’ final preseason game on Friday, telling reporters he was “in a good space” mentally and physically, though his status for the season opener against the Boston Celtics Wednesday remains uncertain.

    Being around them for two games and at practice, Abdelnaby said the mood among the Sixers seemed more positive then the second half of last season. By his eye, the body language of the players and coaches point in the right direction.

    “I think health has a lot to do with that,” Abdelnaby said. “At least I’m feeling a sense of optimism from the group, and that’s a good thing.”

    The new NBA media deals have opened up broadcasting opportunities dramatically, with national games airing just about every night. While Abdelnaby used to call college basketball games for CBS Sports, he’s in no rush to return to a jet-setting lifestyle.

    “When I did college, it was a rough and tumble existence,” Abdelnaby said. ” I think I’ve gotten soft over the last 10 years, because now I fly on their plane, I don’t have to rent a car in the middle of nowhere and return it … I am so spoiled.”

    As far as NBC Sports Philadelphia’s studio goes, Amy Fadool, Marc Jackson, and former Sixers head coach Jim Lynam return for Sixers pre- and postgame coverage.

    This is the first season Sixers fans within the Philadelphia TV market can subscribe directly to NBC Sports Philadelphia without needing a cable TV plan. Fans outside the area can stream all the games using NBA League Pass.

    Sixers games can also be heard on 97.5 The Fanatic, with Tom McGinnis returning for his 31st season calling games.

    New NBA weekly national schedule

    While the bulk of the Sixers’ regular-season games will air on NBC Sports Philadelphia, 13 games will air nationally across a host of services.

    Here’s a general breakdown of the NBA’s national broadcast and streaming schedule this season:

    • Sunday: NBC/Peacock and ABC/ESPN (beginning midseason)
    • Monday: Peacock
    • Tuesday: NBC/Peacock
    • Wednesday: ESPN
    • Thursday: Prime Video (beginning midseason)
    • Friday: Prime Video and ESPN (beginning midseason)
    • Saturday: Prime Video and ABC/ESPN (beginning midseason)

    After 23 years, NBA returns to NBC

    Hall of Famer Michael Jordan will make his NBC debut Tuesday night.

    Michael Jordan is making the leap to NBA pundit (sort-of) as NBC airs games for the first time since the 2002 season.

    Jordan won’t make his debut Tuesday as a studio analyst. Instead, he’ll appear via a prerecorded interview with Mike Tirico during NBC’s debut. The network hasn’t said how frequently Jordan will contribute, but those taped segments are expected to be scattered throughout the season.

    NBC will start the season broadcasting a Tuesday doubleheader, with the East Coast and West Coast getting different prime-time games during most weeks (both will stream live on Peacock).

    NBC will also debut Sunday Night Basketball beginning Feb. 1, after the end of the NFL season. The network’s NBA coverage will pause after that for the first two weeks in February for the 2026 Olympics in Milan, Italy.

    After practicing with the Sixers and a few other teams last season, Tirico said he’ll call the first couple of Tuesday night games for NBC before focusing on his NFL duties through the playoffs. He’ll also has his duties as the host of the Olympics to contend with.

    The Sixers are scheduled to appear on NBC four times, beginning with their Nov. 11 matchup against the Boston Celtics at the newly-named Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    Play-by-play voices: Mike Tirico, Noah Eagle, Terry Gannon, Michael Grady

    Game analysts: Reggie Miller, Grant Hill, Jamal Crawford, Brad Daugherty, Derek Fisher, Austin Rivers, Brian Scalabrine, Robbie Hummel

    Studio analysts: Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady

    Sixers fans will also need Peacock and Amazon’s Prime Video

    NBA games will stream on Peacock Monday and Tuesday nights.

    The streaming wars have finally come for NBA fans.

    With TNT out of the picture, Sixers completists will need to sign up for two streaming services to watch all of Philly’s 82 games.

    The first is Peacock, NBC’s subscription streaming service, which is slated to stream 40 exclusive NBA games, as well as every game airing on NBC.

    As of now, Peacock is scheduled to exclusively stream just one Sixers game — a matchup against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets on Jan. 5.

    A subscription to Peacock’s premium tier runs $10.99 a month, though some Comcast Xfinity subscribers can get a discount.

    Amazon’s Prime Video will stream NBA games two nights a week after the NFL season ends.

    The second streaming service Sixers fans will need is Amazon Prime Video, which will stream 66 regular-season NBA games, including a bulk of the Emirates NBA cup and a new Black Friday game.

    The Sixers are scheduled to play in four games on Prime Video, beginning with their Halloween night matchup against the Celtics in Philly.

    If you’re an NBA League Pass subscriber, one cool feature on Prime Video is the ability to make your own multiview featuring up to four live NBA games.

    Prime Video comes with Amazon Prime, but you can also subscribe to it directly for $9 a month.

    One familiar face will be Sixers veteran Kyle Lowry, who is slated to make “select appearances” on Amazon’s NBA coverage this season. Amazon’s studio show, which will feature Blake Griffin and Dirk Nowitzki, could be a fun watch.

    Charles Barkley and the ‘Inside the NBA’ crew heading to ESPN

    Hall of Famer and former Sixers star Charles Barkley will be seen on ESPN this season.

    TNT lost the NBA but is keeping its studio show. It’s just going to air on another network.

    Inside the NBA, the beloved studio show featuring Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson, is jumping to ESPN while still being produced by TNT Sports. They’ll make their debut Wednesday at 6 p.m. as part of ESPN’s season-opening doubleheader.

    ESPN has said there would be no changes to the show, beyond a lopsided schedule. Barkley and company are only scheduled appear three more times before Christmas — Thursday, Oct. 29, and Nov. 12.

    “We always go to 2 in the morning. They said they’re going to give us time,” Barkley said in a recent interview with NBA columnist Steve Bulpett. “We were concerned they’re going to be like, ‘No, you gotta go to SportsCenter or you’ve got to leave when we’re on ABC and go to the local affiliates.’ That’s the only two things we were concerned with.”

    The only remaining TV partner from last season, ESPN will mostly air NBA games on Wednesday nights, with some other nights and holidays thrown into the mix. They’ll also add Friday night games beginning Jan. 16, with most airing on ABC.

    As far as ESPN’s announcers, the only major change is on their top announcing crew, which the network hasn’t been able to get right since laying off Jeff Van Gundy and Marc Jackson in 2023.

    This time, Doris Burke is out, replaced by longtime ESPN analyst and former La Salle standout Tim Legler, who will join Mike Breen and Richard Jefferson. Burke will still call NBA games alongside Dave Pasch.