Welcome to The A Block, Awful Announcing’s daily newsletter where you’ll always find the latest sports media news, commentary, and analysis.

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🎤 QUICK START ✍️

🛜 After years of being on the outside looking in, Fox is finally signaling that they will launch a DTC streaming service combining their news, entertainment, and sports programs.

🏒 A lot has been made about NBA ratings issues this year, but the NHL is posting some shocking numbers on cable television where they are getting blown out by women’s college basketball and TGL among others.

🔌 For the first time since the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight, Netflix suffered some serious streaming issues during this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw.

🚨LEADING OFF 🚨

Let’s talk about Tom Brady fatigue…

A lot has been made in the lead-up to this year’s Super Bowl about Chiefs fatigue, seeing the two-time defending champions go for the NFL’s first modern-era three-peat. Well, as someone who has covered sports media for a long time, I have a different confession to make.

I’m suffering from Tom Brady fatigue.

Of course, the GOAT of football transitioning from the football field to the broadcast booth is a huge story that has merited all sorts of coverage. But it would be one thing if we just talked about Brady’s transition, his skills as an analyst, and his ability to connect with audiences.

It’s all the other stuff that has come with Tom Brady the broadcaster that has made this journey seem like an endless trip wandering through the sports media wilderness.

Let’s start with the monster 10-year, $375 million contract that Fox gave Brady before he ever slipped on a headset. There were always going to be eyeballs on Brady no matter what, but the gargantuan salary placed insane expectations upon his head. Add in the drama of booting Emmy winner Greg Olsen from the booth that is still ongoing and it’s made for a never-ending stream of content.

Then there was the mysterious gap year that Brady took after retirement before he officially began his career this season. This invited endless speculation that he wasn’t going to follow through on his Fox contract because… well, he’s Tom Brady, he could do anything he wants. That speculation continues today.

Now it’s the roller coaster of Tom Brady’s broadcast restrictions thanks to his part-ownership of the Las Vegas Raiders. This week it was reported that the NFL would relax Brady’s broadcast restrictions, but only by a little bit, as he preps for his first Super Bowl.

Those broadcast restrictions have been a huge talking point for the sports media universe and NFL folks who are chronically online. But odds are when you’re at your Super Bowl parties this weekend, very few individuals are going to be vigorously debating Tom Brady’s production meeting and practice attendance. And if they are, make sure you give them an invite to sign up for the Awful Announcing Newsletter if they somehow aren’t already!

But maybe the underlying thing in all of this leading to Tom Brady Fatigue is that Brady’s broadcast career hasn’t really met the hype and incredible amount of attention it has received. He didn’t burst into superstardom like Tony Romo. And he didn’t burst into flames like Drew Brees or Jason Witten. We’ve spent all this time and energy for two years on the long and winding road that led us to someone… perfectly cromulent at broadcasting? It’s been like we’ve all been binging one of the random NCIS spin-offs.

Good, bad, or indifferent, at least the longest first chapter in the history of sports media comes to an end on Sunday. Let’s hope chapter two is a bit of a breezier read.

📣 SOCIAL EXPERIMENT 🌟

This may be the first time Stephen A. Smith said something so outlandish that it caused First Take host Molly Qerim to do a legitimate spit take.

Former Boston sports radio host Rich Shertenlieb got himself in the headlines for asking Patrick Mahomes about his favorite referee during Super Bowl media day. And he seems proud of himself for doing so.

Shams Charania abruptly left an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, teasing the world that another blockbuster NBA trade was upon us. Unfortunately, Caleb Martin for Quentin Grimes was never going to live up to the Luka-AD hype.

🔦 IN THE SPOTLIGHT ☀️

Fox Sports may have finally put Executive VP of Content Charlie Dixon on administrative leave, but it does little to change that the sexual assault allegations and multiple lawsuits are casting a long shadow over the network’s Super Bowl coverage. In fact, this scandal is just the latest in a long line of sexual misconduct controversies at Fox.

🏄 CHANNEL SURFING 🌊 

✍️ Amanda Christovich at Front Office Sports reports that the new look Pac-12 is open for business when it comes to new media deals. Let’s hope the conference survives this round of negotiations.

✍️ The NFL will not put an "End Racism" message in the Super Bowl endzone just in time for Donald Trump and his anti-DEI policies to be in attendance for the big game according to Michael Silver at the New York Times.

✍️ Mike Florio at Pro Football Talk reports that NFL discussions to launch a flag football league might be further along than has been hinted at.

🗣️ Charles Barkley addressed his future (once again) on The Steam Room podcast where he said that he is definitely not going to NBC or Amazon. But he isn’t fully committed to the new era of Inside the NBA on ESPN just yet.

📺 CALL OF THE DAY 📺 

How can you not love this call from the ESPN+ announcer for a Norfolk State buzzer-beater on Monday night? Anytime you can yell out “THIS IS SPARTAAAAA” on a sports broadcast you should do it. When appropriate, of course.

🔥THE CLOSER🔥

Who’s Next?

For today’s Closer, let’s move past The Brady Era and try to forecast who the next generation of NFL analysts might be. Ten years is a long time in any walk of life, but not so for NFL broadcasters. Networks are loathe to make changes in their top booths unless absolutely necessary.

Consider that among the current Super Bowl rotation of ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox only Mike Tirico is a lead announcer who hasn’t yet called the big game. Troy Aikman and Joe Buck (as well as Cris Collinsworth go back to 2005 calling Super Bowls. Jim Nantz did his first one in 2007 and broke in Tony Romo in 2019.

So when it comes time for 2035, there’s a real chance we could have the same eight individuals calling Super Bowls. But if we don’t… here way too early look at some of the individuals that could call a future Super Bowl down the road.

Joe Davis - It’s incredible to think that Davis is just 37 given he’s already the voice of the World Series. But it’s very conceivable that he could follow the Joe Buck path at Fox and one day add the Super Bowl to his resume.

Adam Amin - Amin is just one year older than Davis and has also seen his career ride an upward trajectory after moving from ESPN to Fox in 2020. He’s now well-positioned for major play-by-play assignments for years to come.

Noah Eagle - Is there anything Noah Eagle can’t do? It might be a long way out given that Mike Tirico isn’t anywhere near retirement. But the younger Eagle already has an announcing game that could easily make him the face of NBC Sports, or another network, someday.

Russell Wilson - The former Super Bowl-winning quarterback has always been seen as a little too polished for the liking of a lot of football fans. But honestly, what better qualities could you ask for when it comes to broadcasting?

Dan Orlovsky - The ESPN analyst is a ubiquitous presence as a studio analyst in Bristol, but he has made no secret about wanting to be a top game analyst. Even though it seems like he’s been in television forever, Orlovsky is only 41 and still has a long career ahead of him.

Dan Campbell - This is not to wish any ill will upon his Detroit Lions tenure, but if there is anyone who could embody the spirit of John Madden in a broadcast booth someday, it would be the popular coach.

Cameron Jordan - The perennial Pro Bowler for the New Orleans Saints has one of the best personalities in the NFL. Although he may not have that many years left on the field, he could have a lengthy media career if he so chooses.

Micah Parsons - There’s no path to a career covering the NFL quite like playing for the Dallas Cowboys. Parsons is an All-Pro caliber player and already has his own podcast with Bleacher Report at 25. It’s never too early to plan that next step!