On The Air
by Laura Nachman
Bucks County Courier Times
August 1, 2003

CBS-3 has intercepted the popular Sunday night show "Eagles Total Access" from WPVI for this season. This is a major coup for CBS-3, whose Sunday night offering "Sports Rap" languished in the Sunday night battles behind WPVI, which carried the show the last two seasons and WCAU's "Sports Final." 

It will be interesting to see how it incorporates sports director Beasley Reece into the show, as he'll be on the road each week as a sideline reporter for AFC games on CBS.  CBS-3 sportsters Steve Bucci and former Eagle Garry Cobb will likely be part of the show.  No word on what other talent will be involved in the show.

Also,  "Inside the Eagles with Andy Reid," jumps from WPHL to CBS-3 sister station UPN-57 and "The Donovan McNabb Show," continues on CBS-3 Sundays at 11 a.m.  Andy Reid's show will air Saturdays at 6 p.m. and will be hosted by philadelphiaeagles.com guru Dave Spadaro. 

CBS-3 and UPN-57 will air three of the four Eagles preseason games, except for the opener against New Orleans on August 11 on ESPN.

All of the aforementioned shows are productions of the Eagles Television Network. 
The radio broadcasts are on CBS-3 and UPN-57 Infinity sister station WYSP 94.1-FM.   Merrill Reese and Mike Quick will be back behind the microphone this season.

When asked if WPVI would continue with a Sunday night sports show, a station spokesperson replied, "As for the fall, I can tell you that we will make sure our viewers get the same great coverage of the Eagles that they have come to expect."

I don't know what that means either.

In other Eagles programming news, Comcast SportsNet spokesperson Andy Jasner confirmed that Dave Brown will not return as an analyst for "Eagles Post Game Live" this season.  Though a reason was not given by CSN for Brown's departure, it's safe to guess that his less-than thrilling performance was one factor.  As I said last year, if CSN wants to use a boring ex-athlete, at least use a boring former Eagle, not a New York Giant.  Michael Barkann, Governor Ed Rendell, Ray Didinger, and Vaughn Hebron return.  Since every football show seems to have a comedian, how about putting a funny person on the panel this season?  Or how about getting with the times and adding a woman to the panel?  But please, no "voice of the fan!" We don't need a Tom Arnold/Rush Limbaugh type.

Trey Wingo will host the new nightly series "NFL Live" will on ESPN2 Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m.  The show will feature the Eagles training camp next Friday.

In more channel switching, Craig James returns to ESPN from CBS to analyze college football games.  These announcers move around as much as the players.

Jimmy Johnson has signed a three-year deal with the Fox NFL pre-game show.  His hair also re-upped for three more years.