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Richard Jefferson makes 69 joke on Nets broadcast, play-by-play man Ian Eagle has perfect response
As any sports broadcaster will tell you, in addition to calling the actual game, the hardest thing to do is develop chemistry with your partner. Viewers know when its being forced, or when you simply don't have it at all, and they aren't exactly patient. Just ask Jason Witten, who is "returning to football" in the most convenient excuse ever for leaving the ESPN MNF booth, a role he did NOT excel in. As for his buddy Tony Romo, well, he's flipped the game on its head, an incredibly impressive feat in such a short period of time.
While he's no Romo (who is?), former (New Jersey) Net Richard Jefferson has had some similar success in his early broadcasting career. Among a host of other media jobs, Jefferson has called a few Nets games alongside the legendary Ian Eagle, and the two are quickly coming a solid duo. A few months ago, Eagle got Jefferson to tell a great Kobe Bryant story during a Nets-Lakers game, one that instantly went viral on Twitter.
On Thursday night, during the Nets home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Jefferson and Eagle's chemistry may have peaked. With Larry Nance at the free throw line, Eagle mentioned that Nance was shooting 69-percent on the season. Jefferson responded by saying "nice," which, if I have to explain to you, I'll probably get fired. As immature as it is, everybody loves a good "69... nice" joke, including Eagle, who didn't allow the moment to get uncomfortable, instead coming up with the perfect, quick-witted response:
Well done, Ian. That was so quick it would take Gronk himself at least an hour to figure out. When he finally did though, he'd be so proud to know that his name has become synonymous with the "69...nice" joke that he might just shed a tear.