Eric Thomas’s first show on-air at CTV Montreal on Friday, Oct. 10. (via CTV)
The hiring of Chantal Desjardins as Sportsnet’s Montreal correspondent has shortened the depth chart at CTV Montreal’s sports desk, so someone at the station had the brilliant idea to just grab the guy doing sportscasts at TSN 690.
Eric Thomas brought his slick voice and a look to match across the street and made his debut as a CTV Montreal fill-in sports anchor on the late-night news Friday. You can watch the newscast on CTV’s website, with Thomas starting around 14:15.
A first live newscast is usually a nervous, error-filled affair but Thomas barely missed a beat, looking like he’d been doing this for years. And really, he has, just not in front of a television camera.
Thomas’s debut earned quick and unmitigated praise from colleague Brian Wilde:
Been doing this job 30 years. That was best first cast I have ever seen from @ATL2MTL Congrats Eric. A bright TV career is yours to seize.
— Brian Wilde (@BWildeMTL) October 11, 2014
Expect the Atlanta-born Thomas to be seen as well as heard a lot more in the years to come.
Eric is passionate, humble and hard-working. He’ll do well.
he was excellent.a fine addition to the newscast.
He has a very professional style and as soon as he arrived on TSN radio you could hear that he had everything to succeed and be a trustworthy sport anchorman.
Not so much in the getting personnal stuff though. You feel as if he would read a love letter as a newscast . But hey ! At least what he does he does it well !
Sportsnet’s poor choice in hiring Desjardins was CTY’s good luck. Eric Thomas stands out as a calm young man, a person of class and confidence. The sports world is filled with Yahoos who have only loud high school mouths whose “biggest claim to their ego was carrying a sports bag that belonged to ???) Eric Thomas will jump ahead in big steps. AND I am sure that he has many assets other than being forced to get on his knees over hockey …..please there are so many sports played daily in Montreal, winter or summer. I hope to see him enjoying the wide Montreal sport’s scene.
I’m so tired of Sports anchors trying to be comedians and laughing all the time, pausing for seconds on end, making inexcusable errors while they speak, etc. They’ve lowered the bar big time with their unprofessionalism. Just because it’s sports, doesn’t mean u need to be a clown. In comes Eric Thomas….this guy is the prototype of a proper sports anchor : sharp look, great delivery (not too slow, not too fast), wonderful tone of voice, no mistakes, impeccable English, total ease & confidence, doesnt needlessly move his hands, might as well be doing the NBC Nightly News…. Excellent addition to CTV Montreal….They better sign him now, cuz he has ESPN written all over him….
Couldn’t have to a better young talent than to Eric Thomas- smart, on-the-ball, multi-sport knowledge- oh yeah didn’t I mention he’s not a “Montreal Media Snob” that thinks his poop doesn’t stink!!:) Always there even to answer the phone calls of the sometimes ignorant fans that call in TSN690 with diplomatic dignity…..As mentioned by somebody in the write-ups- u guys at TSN better get him signed on board because I smell U.S. Networks having Eric in radar range!! Congrats Eric u deserve all the best coming your way! @keithrowe888
I liked Chantal Desjardins but it’s true that she loses focus. Couple of days ago on Sportsnet after the Habs lost 7-1, the analyst noted that the Canadiens DID NOT come out slow.
After the report, Chantal ad libbed, “well another game where the Canadiens came out slow.”
Great job in his first newscast, caught me off guard with his cool, calm, collected manner. Very impressive, wish him much success!
Eric Thomas is an amazing sportscaster…extremely talented!
So what’s is Eric Thomas’s brand new gig in Toronto? When does he start? I suspected he’s too good to stay in small Montreal English media market, for a talented broadcaster on the rise.
I believe he is now on Sportsnet – tonight should be his first night on the air.
Anyone know what he is up to now?