Frank Caliendo Brings Tired Material to ESPN's NFL Countdown, Sundays Weep

Eight years of Frank Caliendo doing his impressions for NFL fans was apparently not enough, because ESPN has ordered more. 

The Worldwide Network decided they would like to have some of what the NFL on Fox was having and have hired the comedian to feature in their Sunday "NFL Countdown show."

ESPN's Front Row has a report and some comments from the ecstatic Caliendo. 

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His first appearance is this Sunday, Oct. 14 (10 a.m. ET) when he joins Chris Berman and company at the ESPN studios in Bristol, Conn.

“As a sports fan, ESPN has always been the place to be,” Caliendo said. “This network is why I graduated (from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee) with a broadcasting degree in the first place — and now I finally get to use my degree!”

Caliendo will make a handful of other appearances on the three-hour pregame show during the regular season and playoffs, primarily in taped comedy segments.

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That's right, you are going to get a whole lot of Frank. 

As USA Today reminds us, Caliendo was with Fox NFL Sunday for eight glorious years, giving us some great laughs and equally great groans. 

Apparently, his football work was not finished. 

I love impressions, but they aren't something I can't get enough of. In fact, you can fill up pretty quickly on that particular kind of shtick. 

There are only so many ways you can cover Arnold Schwarzenegger before an impression of him turns into a nauseating affair. 

The same goes with Caliendo doing John Madden, Charles Barkley or other sports figures. As USA Today suggests, maybe there will be some new characters to crack, like Chris Berman. 

Hey, that might be fun for a hot minute. 

Don't worry, because ESPN’s Seth Markman, senior coordinating producer, states, “He’s been working on some new material in anticipation of this opportunity...”

I'm sure that material won't go stale quicker than the bread you just bought from the store. 

I understand the need for ESPN to infuse some levity on Sunday, but we have seen this shtick before, and it ran its course. 

I really hope I'm wrong. 

Follow me on Twitter for more nonsense. 

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