ESPN Now Hiring WWE Announcers

Monday, May 05, 2008


I really wish I was kidding with that title, but it's true. According to PW Insider, ESPN has hired former WWE announcer Jonathan Coachman to be an anchor with the "Leader"....

PWInsider.com can confirm Coachman has been hired by ESPN as an anchor. There's no word on when Coachman will debut for the cable sports network, but internally, WWE sources believe Coachman will be finishing up shortly, if he isn't done already with the company.

Coachman had been with WWE since December 1999, working as an announcer and on-air heel persona. Prior to his work with WWF/E, Coachman was a sports writer and sports anchor in his native Kansas.
Coachman has done a ton of College Football over the past few years and is an ex-athlete, but I don't know about him taking over an anchor spot on ESPN. There's no word as to which programs he'll be on, and I will relay that as soon as I find out. Interesting interesting hire though.

Why Jonathan Coachman Was Pulled From Smackdown (PW Insider)

(Thanks to Reed for the link)

Posted by Awful Announcing- at 1:20 PM

16 Comments:

He's been doing the MSG Network sportsdesk show for the last few months also. He's ok at the job.

Anonymous said...
May 5, 2008, 1:43:00 PM  

I agree with anon. Coachman has done a lot of College Football with CSTV and he is nothing like he is on WWE. He is actually pretty good.

Unknown said...
May 5, 2008, 1:49:00 PM  

Also did many A-10 basketball games this past season. Wasn't very good and couldn't keep up with the action at times.

Anonymous said...
May 5, 2008, 2:17:00 PM  

Coachman will be better than Stuart Scott, Neil Everett, the First Take crew guaranteed. I know that's not saying much, but he was good in his college football coverage.

Kyle said...
May 5, 2008, 2:17:00 PM  

He'll be lucky not to be chasing midgets or kissing Chris Berman's ass at ESPN like at his last job.

Anonymous said...
May 5, 2008, 3:08:00 PM  

Don't forget about the other thing he covers on CSTV... Softball.

Maybe that's why ESPN is bringing him in; for some reason they've started randomly airing softball games mid-day.

Anonymous said...
May 5, 2008, 3:24:00 PM  

I'd rather see the Brooklyn Brawler.

GMoney said...
May 5, 2008, 4:00:00 PM  

I watch WWE and as an announcer on SmackDown! "Coach" was awful. However, he is a former collegiate athlete, playing basketball at McPhearson College in Kansas and like people said above he has done work with other networks and he is not anywhere near as god awful as his wrestling analysis was with WWE. He will definitley be a "let's wait and see" project. Heck, I'm really curious myself. Please keep us posted on this, AA, I'm curious to find out what they do with him.

Anonymous said...
May 5, 2008, 4:19:00 PM  

you can't judge his wwe work becuase its a work they often feed the announcers lines come on learn how to work

W_Rabb said...
May 5, 2008, 5:37:00 PM  

"The Coach" has been hired to be on the Espnews anchor desk.

Anonymous said...
May 5, 2008, 8:35:00 PM  

Isn't the women's college softball tournament coming up? If he has done softball in the past, he might be used so ESPN doesn't have the same voices on for every game (someone else and Lisa Fernandez). (Yes, I tune in. I love watching those chicks swing bats and wear eye black, especially the girls from Arizona and UCLA.)

Anonymous said...
May 5, 2008, 9:34:00 PM  

Sorry, and Megan Willis would be mad if I didn't mention Texas softball too.

Anonymous said...
May 5, 2008, 9:42:00 PM  

BREAKING NEWS... CHECK THE ESPN SCROLL.... ESPN JUST HIRED THE "BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE KID"

Anonymous said...
May 5, 2008, 10:01:00 PM  

...so 'The Coach' will be destined to do the Sunday overnight ESPNews with Reischea Canidate. Meh. Save the World Series of Softball coverage for Jenny Finch & Jessica Mendoza.

May 5, 2008, 10:05:00 PM  

Let's give the guy a chance before we hammer him. After all, CNN hired Anderson Cooper after he did "The Mole" and look how well that turned out.

Paul said...
May 6, 2008, 1:50:00 AM  

Coach also is play-by-play announcer for the WNBA's NY Liberty. That was announced a few weeks ago by the team.

therod said...
May 7, 2008, 11:14:00 PM  

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