Home
TAKE IT LIKE A MAN

Primary links

  • About
    • $upport (lol)
    • Ethics
    • FAQ
    • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • BlogPoll
    • Join
    • Blogpoll Editorial Guy @ CBS
    • Votes By Blog
    • Votes By Team
    • Voting Philosophy
    • Links For Voters
  • MGoStore
  • MGoBoard
  • Useful Stuff
    • 2011 Recruiting Board
    • 2010 Recruiting Board
    • Crude Bug Tracking System
    • Depth Chart By Class
    • MGoBoard FAQ
    • Third Down Stats
    • Diaries, Windows Live Writer, And You
Home

User login

  • Create new account
  • Request new password

MGoElsewhere

  • Brian @ TSB
  • Brian @ Bucknuts
  • Hail To The Victors 2009
  • Facebook profile
  • MGoKindle Store
  • @MGoBlog (Twitter)
  • mgo.licio.us
  • RSS Feed
  • Brian @ AOL [Archive]

sportsbook

Michigan Blogs

  • Big House Blog
  • Bo Schemblogger
  • Brice's Recruiting
  • Genuinely Sarcastic
  • Go Blue Michigan Wolverine
  • In Rod We Trust
  • MGoBlue Football
  • MGoFootball
  • MVictors
  • Maize 'n' Blue Nation
  • Maize 'n' Brew
  • Maize And Go Blue
  • Michigan Football Recruiting
  • Michigan Football Saturdays
  • Michigan Hockey Net
  • Michigan Sports Center
  • Ron Bellamy's Underachieving All Stars
  • Spawn of M Zone
  • The Blog That Yost Built
  • The Game
  • The Hoover Street Rag
  • The Wolverine Blog
  • UMGoBlog
  • UMHoops
  • UMTailgate
  • Varsity Blue
  • Wolverine Liberation Army

M On The Net

  • mgovideo
  • MGoBlue.com
  • Mike DeSimone
  • Recruiting Planet
  • The Wolverine
  • Go Blue Wolverine
  • Winged Helmet
  • UMGoBlue.com
  • MaizeRage.org
  • Puckhead
  • The M Den
  • True Blue Fan Forum

Big Ten Blogs

  • Illinois
    • Illinitalk
    • Illini Basketball Fans
    • Illinois Baseball Report
    • Illinois Loyalty
  • Indiana
    • Inside The Hall
    • The Hoosier Report
    • Behind The Plate
    • Cannot Falter
  • Iowa
    • Black Heart, Gold Pants
  • Michigan State
    • The Only Colors
  • Minnesota
    • GopherHole.com
    • The Daily Gopher
    • Buck Bravo
    • TNABACG
  • Northwestern
    • Lake The Posts
  • Notre Dame
    • ND Choo Choo
    • The House Rock Built
    • The Blue-Gray Sky
  • Ohio State
    • We Will Always Have Tempe
    • Buckeye Commentary
    • Eleven Warriors
    • Jim Tressel's Head
    • Men of the Scarlet and Gray
    • Our Honor Defend
    • The Buckeye Nine
  • Penn State
    • Black Shoe Diaries
    • Happy Valley Hardball
    • Penn State Clips
    • Linebacker U
    • Nittany White Out
  • Purdue
    • Boiled Sports
    • Hammer and Rails
  • Wisconsin
    • Bruce Ciskie

Links of Note

  • Baseball
    • Big Ten Hardball
    • College Baseball Today
    • The Baseball Zealot
    • The College Baseball Blog
  • Basketball
    • Ken Pomeroy
    • Basketball Prospectus
    • Midmajority
  • College Hockey
    • Chris Heisenberg
    • College Hockey Stats
    • Inside College Hockey
    • Michigan College Hockey
    • Hockey's Future
    • Sioux Sports
    • USCHO
    • Western College Hockey
    • CCHA
      • LSSU Hockey
      • Bronco Hockey Blog
  • Football
    • Every Day Should Be Saturday
    • Doctor Saturday
    • CFB Stats
    • Harold Stassen
    • NCAA D-I Stats Page
    • The Wizard Of Odds
  • General
    • Sports Central
  • Local Interest
    • The Ann Arbor Chronicle
    • Arborwiki
    • Arbor Update
    • Teeter Talk
    • Vacuum
  • Teams Of The D
    • Lions
      • Pride of Detroit
      • Fire Millen
    • Pistons
      • Detroit Bad Boys
      • Need4Sheed
    • Tigers
      • Roar Of The Tigers
      • The Detroit Tigers Weblog
      • The Daily Fungo
    • Red Wings
      • On The Wings
      • Behind The Jersey
      • Winging It In Motown
    • Michigan Sports Forum

Archive

  • March 2010 (34)
  • February 2010 (70)
  • January 2010 (76)
  • December 2009 (63)
  • November 2009 (96)
  • October 2009 (107)
  • September 2009 (132)
  • August 2009 (94)
  • July 2009 (56)
  • June 2009 (42)
  •  
  • 1 of 7
  • ››

Get Yer Tickets

Visit Sports-Gambling.com, your online Gambling Sports site for live Super Bowl Odds , NFL Odds, College Football Bowls games odds and much more!

Expert Sports Handicappers

Click here to check out some of the best online casino sites & US casinos online!

CFB Betting Odds

Get free Michigan Wolverine college football predictions and NCAA basketball picks.

For the best football picks and online football betting information visit BangTheBook.com

Get great Michigan college football tickets for an amazing price from OnlineSeats. We have every team and every sport, including Tigers tickets.



Sports Betting Lines: Betting on All Sports: Real sports betting action. Try LinesMaker.com for free sports betting lines updated in real time. Massive free sports bets and cash bonuses for new members. Sign up for free!

Sports Betting Lines: Preview all sports betting lines and odds at LinesMaker! We have live betting odds and lines for all sports events. It doesn't get any better than this: Sportsbetting3.com offers the best college football betting and pro football NFL betting. Like casino games? Discover the best online casinos at the top casino site, Plazacasinos.com

Check out the Penn State preview. Get free College Football Picks from the National Sports Advisors.

Get free College basketball Picks and basketball odds at Doc's Sports.

Have a fantasy league? You can find quality Trophies for every sport at Lamb Awards.

Fooball Betting from Bet Vega.

TheSeats.com has tickets for all your NCAA football favorites like the Michigan Wolverines, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Wisconsin Badgers, Rose Bowl tickets and many more!

Beveled Guilt

Site Search

Diaries

  • New
  • Popular
  • Hot
  • Big Ten Recruiting Class Rankings 3-15
    Tim - 15 hours ago
  • Lax: Weekend Wrapup... AND MORE!
    Tim - 23 hours ago
  • Chris Rock - Post Visit Update
    TomVH - 1 day ago
  • Can The Heat Be Beat?
    Elno Lewis - 1 day ago
  • Bubble News: Big 10 Makes A Move For More Bids
    jamiemac - 2 days ago
  •  
  • 1 of 325
  • ››
more
  • Night of Champions Attendees
    TomVH - 7,254 views
  • Chris Rock - Post Visit Update
    TomVH - 4,198 views
  • UConn, last year and this year
    chunkums - 2,548 views
  • Defensive Front Basics and the Evolution of Under
    steve sharik - 2,236 views
  • Big Ten Expansion and What it Means for Notre Dame and the Big East
    Seth9 - 1,981 views
  •  
  • 1 of 3
  • ››
more
  • Poll:Favorite Michigan Football Road Uniform
    steve sharik - 71 comments
  • Big Ten Expansion and What it Means for Notre Dame and the Big East
    Seth9 - 52 comments
  • UConn, last year and this year
    chunkums - 50 comments
  • Night of Champions Attendees
    TomVH - 43 comments
  • Lax: Weekend Wrapup... AND MORE!
    Tim - 33 comments
  •  
  • 1 of 3
  • ››
more

MGoBoard

  • New
  • Recent
  • Hot
  • Tom
  • OT: Beckham out for England
    10 replies
  • Angelique: how well does she know UM football?
    18 replies
  • Spring Practice Article
    14 replies
  • OT: Kenpom Projections
    9 replies
  • OT - Am I the only one?
    10 replies
  • How Will The Big 10 Do?
    11 replies
  • Clash of the UM Titans
    18 replies
  • Great video
    4 replies
  • Chris Hunter
    7 replies
  • OT:Wings Playoffs chances go from 66% to 79% with win
    22 replies
  •  
  • 1 of 27
  • ››
  • Angelique: how well does she know UM football?
    18 replies
  • MGoBlog NCAA Tourney Pick Em' (Yahoo)
    14 replies
  • Chris Hunter
    7 replies
  • OT Your Favorite songs from musicals?
    103 replies
  • OT And Geeky
    25 replies
  • OT: Beckham out for England
    10 replies
  • OT - Improving Ambidextry
    32 replies
  • OT:Wings Playoffs chances go from 66% to 79% with win
    22 replies
  • Clash of the UM Titans
    18 replies
  • Spring Practice Article
    14 replies
  •  
  • 1 of 27
  • ››
  • Michigan Hating God
    186 replies
  • stop freaking out about the buzzer beater loss, please
    143 replies
  • OT: Were you a ladies man in high school?
    143 replies
  • GAME TIME BABY
    111 replies
  • OT - Hangover Cures
    107 replies
  •  
  • 1 of 54
  • ››
  • "And thanks Demar, I'll see you here shortly. No need to bring your crowbar."
    72 replies
  • TomVH: Trai Turner Update
    38 replies
  • Nike Indoor Nationals (Track) - Delonte Hollowell
    9 replies
  • Night of Champions: Who made the trip?
    3 replies
  • OT - Hangover Cures
    107 replies
  •  
  • 1 of 2
  • ››

mgo.licio.us

Football betting

If you're looking for online football betting, look no further! Party Bets is safe, fast and secure.

NCAA basketball odds

Get live NCAA basketball odds from multiple sportsbooks at OddsShark.com

ESPN Announcer Reconfiguration Bingo

By Brian — July 10th, 2009 at 11:40 AM — 26 comments
Filed under:
  • help me it's the middle of july
  • announce teams

The mercifully Paul-Maguire-free 2009 ESPN college football announcin' teams have been announced. Of primary interest to Michigan fans are these trios locked into ABC 3:30 games:

Sean McDonough, Matt Millen, and Holly Rowe

Mike Patrick, Craig James, and Heather Cox

You will never escape the vast reach of Matt Millen, Detroit. Never.

Also the ESPN afternoon slot will probably be heavy on Michigan, so expect a goodly dose of Dave Pasch, Chris Speilman, and Bob Griese. If Michigan gets relegated to ESPN2 nooners it's Pam Ward, as per usual, and any night games (read: Iowa) will be handled by the usual Musberger-Herbstreit pairing or Brad Nessler-Todd-Blackledge-ERIN ANDREWS ERIN ANDREWS ERIN ANDREWS. Good to see Nessler and Griese finally got that surgery and can now be in different rooms—different states, even.

All of this is fine, good even. Before Matt Millen was the worst general manager in the history of professional sports—I defy anyone to contradict that statement—he was a good-to-excellent color guy. Hell, the reason he got the job with the Lions seemed to be his outstanding color commentary. It's not like he had any other qualifications whatsoever. So he and McDonough seem fine; I know some people think he's got it in for Michigan or something but that's because some people are crazy tribalists.

I'm considerably less enthused about the prospect of drawing Mike Patrick and Craig James. Patrick remains stained by his association with The Worst Football Booth Ever—Patrick, Maguire, and Joe Theismann—and seems like a guy who's still pissed off he has to work this small time rah-rah crap instead of the NFL. James, meanwhile, is a consistently smug presence in the ABC studio. Way back in the day I rated him only slightly less offensive than side-mouth-talkin' lunkhead and soon-to-be unemployed Aaron Taylor. I also find it hard to believe he can have a job analyzing college football given his role in the NCAA's Chernobyl moment at SMU.

I know nothing about Pasch. A quick google search finds an Awful Announcing post wherein he describes a portion of the ND-Hawaii bowl game a "golden shower." He sounds competent, if in serious need of an inner 13-year-old. Nice voice.

I'm an avowed fan of Spielman and Griese, two guys who tend towards wonkiness when allowed to and should work well together analyzing opposite sides of the ball. I even defended Spielman's right to call Michigan games against the good Doctor's j'accuse  in the aftermath of some impolitic comments on a Columbus radio station, because he is not Andre Ware no matter how often TV execs demand he spend more of his time on-air saying "BOOM" or "POW."

So, yeah, not perfect but the important thing: no Mark Jones, no Rod Gilmore, no Andre Ware. Hell, Ware's been relegated to Dave sidekick and will be doing Vanderbilt-Mississippi State. ESS EEE CEE, indeed.

(HT: EDSBS)

  • Login or register to post comments
  • ShareThis

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.
Posted on: July 12th, 2009 at 7:10 PM #1
SyracuseWolvrine
Joined: 2008-10-20
Points: 4
Offline
Former announcers

Am I the only one that misses Bill Curry in the broadcast booth? If nothing else, just for the entertainment value in trying to decipher what he's actually saying. I seem to remember him calling a UM-Wisco (I think it was Wisco, anyways) game, and at one point saying that "Wisconsin's gettin whipped like tied goats!) (granted, I wasn't really aware that tied goats were routinely whipped, but what do I know? I am a Northerner, after all)

Very happy that Steve Levy has given up College Football. Now if we could only get him to give up any other form of announcing.

  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 11th, 2009 at 10:16 AM #2
mgovictors23
mgovictors23's picture
Joined: 2009-05-03
Points: 1658
Offline
Announcers

I do not like having Speilman as a announcer just because of the former buckeye thing. I hope Desmond could announce a Michigan game soon that would be awesome.

  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 10th, 2009 at 6:59 PM #3
Ziff72
Joined: 2008-07-07
Points: 2261
Online
Shame

It's a shame the general pop. are a bunch of dunderheads. Bob Davie turned from a great d. coordinator to a mediocre head coach to a great analyst. I'm assuming they moved him off primtime because he uh... you know... tried to actually teach you something about football instead of just yelling some crap and saying everything is "great" or so and so is the "best".

Thumbs up on Spielman, I give him credit for actually working his craft and improving. He was terrible with Pammmy at the beginning and has steadily improved. I hate the fact my favorite announcers are Buckeye, Buckeye, Domer. At least we get Papa Griese from time to time he is an adopted Wolve.

  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 10th, 2009 at 7:08 PM #4
zlionsfan
zlionsfan's picture
Joined: 2008-10-31
Points: 174
Offline
agreed

I remember Davie's Football 101 series from a few years ago. He had some pretty good posts before they made him stop, probably because of what you pointed out. Can't have these people learnin' and all that fancy stuff. We want people to think in ALL CAPS.

  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 10th, 2009 at 6:06 PM #5
The Barwis Effect
The Barwis Effect's picture
Joined: 2008-06-30
Points: 991
Offline
FWIW...

...Dave Pasch worked as an update guy at WDFN back in the day, so at least he's a guy with some local ties.

iTunes pays Mike Barwis 99 cents every time he downloads a song.

  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 10th, 2009 at 2:46 PM #6
Tha Quiet Storm
Tha Quiet Storm's picture
Joined: 2008-12-22
Points: 602
Offline
Boo

-1 to ESPN for breaking up Nessler-Griese and Patrick-Blackledge

  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 10th, 2009 at 1:58 PM #7
m83econ
m83econ's picture
Joined: 2008-09-13
Points: 248
Offline
Please Brian

Never again use "nooner" and "Pam Ward" in the same sentence.

  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 10th, 2009 at 1:52 PM #8
New Kid On The Blog
Joined: 2008-07-02
Points: 31
Offline
OSU School of Broadcast Arts

No Speilman! I think Desmond Howard should do as many games for OSU as Speilman does for Michigan. Then I'll be happy.

  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 10th, 2009 at 1:31 PM #9
Duncan
Duncan's picture
Joined: 2008-11-24
Points: 76
Offline
Expect a lot of...

Food comments from Millen. I seem to remember a lot of food references come up throughout the games he did on radio/TV. Then you got Blackledge and his food spot of the week.

  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 10th, 2009 at 1:31 PM #10
Other Andrew
Other Andrew's picture
Joined: 2008-06-30
Points: 109
Offline
Two thoughts

1) I think Isiah has at least a shot at the title over Millen for worst manager in the history of sports. I'm not saying it's clear-cut, but at least Millen didn't cost the Lions millions in sexual harassment charges (yet).

2) Craig James. Man. I never liked this guy at all. Smug is the perfect word to describe him. Worse (and I'm not sure I should be writing this on the internet, but what the hell), the least favorite e-mail I've read over the last several years was when a publisher told me that they were passing on my college football book to put one out "by" Craig James (quotes mine) that "will pretty much do the same thing this book would." Suffice to say, I can't tolerate his presence in any capacity at this point in time.

Road Games is another blog

  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 10th, 2009 at 1:25 PM #11
WCHBlog
Joined: 2008-12-03
Points: 48
Offline
I'm glad we'll be getting

I'm glad we'll be getting Mike Patrick. Now that Britney is possibly going back to Judaism--probably purely for the jokes--I'll need someone to keep me updated on her during critical moments of football games.

  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 10th, 2009 at 12:52 PM #12
Slappie
Joined: 2008-07-05
Points: 1328
Offline
I wish for

Stacy Dales on the sideline. She had sort of an unstable, angry woman scorned air about her.

Like she'd kill your kids rabbit.

Biz hundert azoi ve tsvantsik

  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 10th, 2009 at 12:47 PM #13
baorao
baorao's picture
Joined: 2008-08-08
Points: 969
Offline
Spielman

is great for unintentional sexual innuendo during games. Should be fun.

  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 10th, 2009 at 12:41 PM #14
bigmc6000
Joined: 2009-01-12
Points: 792
Online
The real question...

Which would you rather have - whichever one of these pairings you feel is worse or the BTN? Personally I'll take the BTN as I think they do a not-too-bad job.

  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 10th, 2009 at 12:37 PM #15
RayIsaac91
RayIsaac91's picture
Joined: 2009-06-25
Points: 373
Offline
Pasch is awful.

I am never sure if I am watching the same game as he is calling. It could be that splitting from Ware will help but I doubt it.

McDonough = the voice of death and/or Joe Buck without most of the douchiness.

But, yeah, nice that Ware, Gilmore are not to be heard.

Yeah, well, sometimes nothing can be a real cool hand.

  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 10th, 2009 at 12:31 PM #16
markusr2007
markusr2007's picture
Joined: 2008-10-21
Points: 1038
Offline
It would be cool if some new and younger voices

would be introduced to college football announcing in the next 2 years.

Griese and Spielman are good because of their competence of the game. But McDonough is so monotone, he sounds like Ted Knight introducing the freaking SuperFriends on every play.

I don't know. Is it really so difficult for behemoths like ESPN/ABC to find and pay for some quality, CFB competent voices out there?

Markusr2007
http://www.maizenbrew.com/

  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 10th, 2009 at 12:40 PM #17
Big Boutros
Big Boutros's picture
Joined: 2008-07-08
Points: 4391
Offline
(No subject)
  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 10th, 2009 at 2:01 PM #18
a2bluefan
a2bluefan's picture
Joined: 2008-12-29
Points: 1248
Offline
And here I thought I was

And here I thought I was bored at work today. +1

  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 10th, 2009 at 12:47 PM #19
Slappie
Joined: 2008-07-05
Points: 1328
Offline
beautiful

I just teared up a little.

Nicely done.

Biz hundert azoi ve tsvantsik

  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 10th, 2009 at 12:27 PM #20
baleedat
baleedat's picture
Joined: 2008-07-10
Points: 700
Offline
I must be the only guy who

I must be the only guy who liked the Patrick, Maguire, and Joe Theismann booth.

IMHE

  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 10th, 2009 at 1:05 PM #21
MGoAero
Joined: 2009-03-16
Points: 394
Offline
No,

No, you're not. I loved seeing Maguire doing goofy crap during breaks between quarters.

  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 10th, 2009 at 12:25 PM #22
Bryan
Bryan's picture
Joined: 2009-07-10
Points: 2705
Offline
I do not want to see "Fire

I do not want to see "Fire Millen" in Michigan Stadium. If he broadcasts any of the games the volume will be off and the radio on.

I have a Fandom Endurance III merit badge

  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 10th, 2009 at 12:10 PM #23
bfat
bfat's picture
Joined: 2008-08-21
Points: 28
Offline
Thank god...

we can finally hear Speilman without having to put up with robo-lez

  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 10th, 2009 at 11:53 AM #24
lexus larry
lexus larry's picture
Joined: 2009-01-22
Points: 159
Offline
Timeless!

"You will never escape the vast reach of Matt Millen, Detroit. Never."

Howeva!

The "FIRE MILLEN" sign I made for my then 10 y/o son to take to games two years ago will still apply.

(Self-deprecating side note: Several fans in our section wanted pics with the sign. You stay classy, Section 18!)

Larry

I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV

  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 10th, 2009 at 11:51 AM #25
aawolve
aawolve's picture
Joined: 2008-08-06
Points: 3806
Offline
I'm so so happy

that Maguire will soon be gone forever from my tv. I didn't realize how freakin' old he is, thank God for mortality.

"To me, clowns aren't funny. In fact, they're kind of scary. I've wondered where this started and I think it goes back to the time I went to the circus, and a clown killed my dad."
- Jack Handey

  • Login or register to post comments
Posted on: July 10th, 2009 at 11:47 AM #26
octal9
Joined: 2008-11-11
Points: 3983
Offline
boooooo

Just once, I want to see Nessler, Corso, and Herbstreit do a game together. I also want to hear all of the lines that I hear whilst playing NCAA2k(number).

Only then will I be able to die having lived a fulfilling life.

  • Login or register to post comments
Powered by Drupal, an open source content management system
Theme provided by Roopletheme; sidebars adapted from Chris Murphy.