Mailbag!
Maybe I missed something in an earlier post, but I'm still a little confused on the TV deal.
I live in Florida. My local ABC just announced they are carrying USC/UVA at 3:30pm. Since Big Ten is not on Gameplan anymore, and Big Ten Network has "postgame Saturday" scheduled at 3:30pm... where will I see Utah/UM?
Go Blue, Scott
I think I’m going to answer this question every year for the rest of my life: if the Utah game isn’t on ABC in your region it will be on ESPN2. The Big Ten’s contract with ABC/ESPN has a “reverse mirroring” clause that guarantees every Big Ten game on ABC regional will be shown on ESPN or ESPN2 in areas that receive another ABC game.
If it’s not on ABC, it’s on ESPN2. Repeat 100x times.
On a similar note:
Hello,
I am a recent UM grad currently working in Japan in desperate need of watching Wolverine football. What is the best option for watching the game over the internet? Is there a service I can pay to stream the game?Also, do you know of any sports bars that show the game. I am about 5 hours from Tokyo which seems like the most viable option; however, this weekend I have plans to be in Nagoya (relatively large city) to try to find the game at 1 AM.
Do you have any insights into these viewing option?
Thanks for the expertise.
Mike Eber
We’re probably a few years away from reputable live streaming on the internet, so your options are threefold:
- Try to figure out this sopcast thing and hope the guy streaming it doesn’t change the channel randomly. Probably no good.
- Get a buddy in the States to set up a Slingbox
for you. (Wikipedia)
- Download the game from MGoVideo.
Sopcast is fraught with peril and I would avoid it if possible. The slingbox is immediate and reliable, but quality isn’t always top notch. MGoVideo is free and will have high quality copies of the game but you’ll have to wait a day or two before you can get your greasy mitts on it. If it’s that important to you, I’d just shell out the 200 bucks for the Slingbox.
As for Tokyo UM bars, I’ll throw that open to the peanut gallery. Any ideas?
Brian,
So great - the BTN gets more money to Big Ten schools. Unfortunately I think the net result of this is actually problematic.
While the BTN may now be readily available to those within the conference footprint, our fans and (more importantly) recruits happen to live other places as well. Yes, I'm annoyed that living in Tampa means I still have to go to the bar and sit amongst the SEC d-bags to take in a BTN game. But what about recruiting? Does the extra million(s) that our school receives make up for the lack of national exposure to recruits? Even if the BTN does eventually become a national network, how many southern kids are actually going to tune in to watch it? They will instead be flipping back and forth between CBS & ESPN to catch all the SEC football their little mulleted hearts desire.
In the long term, the BTN could end up putting Michigan and other Big Ten schools at an even greater recruiting disadvantage than they are at already. And due to the fact that university presidents will continue to side with the BTN because of how much money they are receiving from it, the chances of this changing any time soon are slim.
Personally, I'd rather have less access if it means better recruiting for my team...better to watch a good team some of the time than a bad team all of the time.
Thoughts?
-JDF
Any effect like this is likely to be minor. The bulk of the Big Ten Network’s games are the kind of things that would have been on ESPN+ syndication before. Recruits outside the BTN footprint weren’t getting those games anyway.
There is an occasional hit for Michigan when the BTN has a second pick week and grabs a game like Purdue, but that’s going to be a once a year occurrence that will probably be offset by a Michigan game that would otherwise hit syndication being dragged onto ESPN because the BTN grabbed a different game.
Meanwhile, the extra money the network brings in will allow Michigan to install personal butler robots or whatever in the locker room. And everyone knows butler robots bring in the recruits.
Hi Brian,
Spurred by the recent AP preseason poll, from which Michigan is absent for the first time I could remember, I checked out historical AP pre- and post-season polls (appollarchive.com).
I am sure you and many of your readers already know the following, but it was eye-opening for me: Only twice before in the modern era (1969-present) has Michigan gone into the season unranked in the AP poll. The first was 1969( Bo's first year) and we all know how that turned out--a stunning turn around with Michigan finishing ranked 9th highlighted by a huge upset win over Ohio State. The second time Michigan entered a season unranked was 1985, a campaign that saw them go 10-1-1, winning the Big Ten, beating Nebraska in the Fiesta Bowl and finishing ranked second.
So apparently Michigan has a grand history of defying the polls --underperforming when ranked highly and outperforming when unranked. My question is whether you think this year will follow the script? I firmly believe Michigan will finished ranked, but am I being utterly delusional when I daydream about a top ten finish, beating Ohio State and/or winning a bowl in the process?
Can't wait for Aug 30th!
~Jim in Kalamazoo
Excellent research there, but… uh, no, I don’t think that’ll follow the script. 1985 was an anomalous year because it came immediately after the 6-6 1984 season, but said 6-6 season was poor mostly because Jim Harbaugh was injured. Once that was no longer an issue, Michigan resumed its usual ways. And in 1969 Michigan wasn’t that great, going 8-3 in an era of college football more easily dominated by the big schools.
A lot more teams are serious nowadays and the team is significantly smaller due to scholarship restrictions and thus less able to absorb the sort of attrition that Bo and, to a lesser extent, Rodriguez unleashed. My advice is to keep your expectations manageable and be pleasantly surprised if they’re exceeded.
You might this interesting....this morning I typed into google "third holiest site judaism," and the first hit is Zingerman's in Ann Arbor.
(I was trying to find more information about Rachel's tomb)
Brian
Hey-o!
August 28th, 2008 at 12:07 PM ^
I have been living in Japan the past three years, and getting any sort of college football out here is TOUGH. As far as bars in Tokyo goes, your best bet is Legends Sports Bar in Roppongi, right next to Hobgoblin. They do show college football games, but most of them are not live, with the exception of a few. They weren't even playing the rose bowl game live when I went a few years back.
Your other option is ESPN Gameplan online, which offers some (but not all) of the Michigan games (though I'm not sure how thats going to change with the Big Ten Network). The quality is actually pretty good (much much better than slingbox or sopcast, and it is what i have been using the past two years to watch games live). Its about 130 dollars for the entire season, and last season they had about four UM games live, including Michigan vs. Ohio State. When you sign up, make sure to sign up as an International User. The format has kind of changed this year so I'd be interested to see what games will be up there. Link here: http://proxy.espn.go.com/ncf/gameplan/index?status=viewpage
However, as Brian said, the single best way to get UM games over here is via MGoVideo. While you won't get to watch the game live, you can download beautiful HD broadcasts and then burn them onto DVD and watch them on your TV. The site does not give away any scores or results, so if you can manage to keep away from the internet or friends who may spoil it for you, you can download them game from them without knowing the result and watch it almost as if it were a live game.
Anyway, hope that helps.
Eddie
August 28th, 2008 at 12:22 PM ^
August 28th, 2008 at 12:27 PM ^
With a sample size of 2, I agree with Brian about "not being in the preseason Top 25" being a harbinger of success. However...
A larger sample (and perhaps a more telling stat) would be to note how many times Michigan is outside the preseason Top 10, and then compare that season's performance. Perhaps a sample size of a half-dozen or a dozen could be produced on that. Anyone interested in looking it up?
August 28th, 2008 at 1:00 PM ^
August 28th, 2008 at 1:45 PM ^
Exactly right Tim Waymen, and it's those two seasons that I think are subconsciously driving a lot of people's "we're not respected therefore we will RULE!" talk. The last few times that we were "disrespected" by being out of the Top 10, the teams responded with good seasons.
I don't think we should expect a similar result to those two years, however. This "disrespect" is not the same as the others. Being discounted by not being in the Top 10 is not the same as being written off and out of the Top 25. That's a whole new level of derision that Michigan fans have never seen before, and (most importantly) that new level of derision is not without merit.
August 28th, 2008 at 12:35 PM ^
While I'm lucky enough to avoid SEC douchebags in my present location, I unfortunately live in a town that doesn't give a shit about college football. DirecTV is a good option for watching Michigan games, as BTN is standard programming (Channel 610). The HD feed is nice.
My only warning would be that the feed is sometimes significantly ahead of standard cable boxes. I've ruined quite a few touchdown by calling my friends before it even happened for them. Don't be that guy!!
August 28th, 2008 at 1:02 PM ^
Too little experience at OL and QB will result in a bunch of turnover-filled early-season losses. It's just going to take a while for everything to jell. If there's any more attrition on the OL it's going to be rough sledding.
As far as defense goes, this is largely the same unit that gagged against ASU, OR, OSU, and gave up 35 to FLA. They'll be far better conditioned under Barwis, but will that make the DBs take better angles or make the DLs bring down an elusize QB? I'm going to be skeptical until I see it.
Wouldn't surprise me at all if we ended regular season at 6-6. If we win 8 reg season it will be a notable accomplishment. RR better have thick skin.
August 28th, 2008 at 1:13 PM ^
August 28th, 2008 at 3:49 PM ^
to Ninja.
I believe you were the one touting the Sopcast thing "way back" in the Haloscan days. I used it when you linked the Mich. Hockey game (and maybe for a boxing match too).
I followed your instructions...it worked like a charm. Obviously the quality of the SOPCAST is largely dependant upon the source. But I watched on my new widescreen monitor at home, which, when you sat back a little bit, looked just fine, and was a million times better than just listening to it on the radio.
I did have this strange feeling that at any random point, the SOPCAST source could switch the channel to something inappropriate, and I would end up scarred for life, but my fears went unfounded (thankfully!).
And if I can figure out how to get that SOPCAST stuff to work....then ANYONE can.
Thanks again!
August 28th, 2008 at 8:21 PM ^
The sopcast streamer who did most of the UM games last year quit and AFAIK there is no confirmed streamer yet for the Utah game:
http://www.myp2pforum.eu/ncaa/26130-ncaa-football-week-1-a.html
August 28th, 2008 at 1:22 PM ^
August 28th, 2008 at 1:39 PM ^
August 28th, 2008 at 1:47 PM ^
you said "They'll be far better conditioned under Barwis, but will that make the DBs take better angles or make the DLs bring down an elusize QB? I'm going to be skeptical until I see it."
So what your saying is that you believe that Barwis will have an impact on the game in a positive way, becasue of what everyone on the internet has said about the s and c program, but dont believe that coach shafer and staff will impact the game by teaching proper technique, pursuit angles, tackling form? i dont get it... Michigan will be better coached then most of its opponenets, but is it enough, thats the question..
August 28th, 2008 at 3:54 PM ^
August 28th, 2008 at 1:47 PM ^
Anyone know if there's a TV delay if I'm listening to Beckman and Brandy via MGoBlue.com?
I wanna listen to our announcers while watching the game on TV, but if there's a delay to what I'm seeing on the TV screen I won't even bother.
Anyone know the answer?
August 28th, 2008 at 1:57 PM ^
August 28th, 2008 at 2:12 PM ^
Thanks for the info on watching abroad. I'm in Buenos Aires, Arg. Does <i>anyone</i> know if there's a sports bar that would carry CF here??? My coworkers say no, but they're all local and have never cared about the game anyway.
I have a slingbox set up, but can't get in touch with my friend who has the cable. Guess I picked the wrong dude. Woops.
August 28th, 2008 at 2:27 PM ^
Was my freshman year at Michigan. After growing up with UM having their way with most teams, I felt like a victim of bait and switch. It started well enough. Leading up to the game with #1 Miami, someone spray painted "Bernie Kosar is a punk" in the Diag. After beating Miami, expectations were high and then the team was replaced by impotent space aliens. Fortunately, I was hung over and can't remember too many of the games. We limped through bowl season worse than the fake limp of BYU's Robbie Bosco (I believe) to lose to the worst "#1" team ever.
Thankfully, 1985 came and proved that I wasn't the jinx.
GO BLUE! BEAT UTAH! FUCK THE BUCKEYES!
August 28th, 2008 at 2:59 PM ^
If you are going to be in Nagoya this weekend, Shooter's Sports Bar looks to be a good place to start:
August 28th, 2008 at 3:00 PM ^
I agree with the other poster who recommended Directv. I got it when I recently moved down to the ATL because I didn't trust Comcast to get a deal worked out for BTN. The HD picture is great- way less of the blocky compression artifacts that I used to see in my old Time Warner setup, plus I get FSN Detroit, so I can catch some other local programming (sadly, the Tigers are blacked out due to MLB rules - would have the get the MLB package for that).
Oh, the poster who asking about the internet radio delay - since there is a delay on the regular WOMC radio feed (unless you are int he stadium listening through that special radio they sell), I'd have to believe there will be a delay on the internet feed too.
Finally, methinks we shouldn't be wasting Brian's time with questions about which TV channel the game will be on. Kind of like calling 911 to ask what time it is!
August 28th, 2008 at 3:07 PM ^
"Barwis will have an impact on the game in a positive way, becasue of what everyone on the internet has said about the s and c program, but dont believe that coach shafer and staff will impact the game by teaching proper technique, pursuit angles, tackling form?"
A good question. I'm basing my conclusions about Barwis's impact on the observations made so far by players, coaches, and journalists covering the team, not internet stuff. Everybody has testified to the fact that they are in much better shape than in past years, and it's not unreasonable to suppose that will be of benefit during games.
The position coaching aspect is different in that we haven't yet had the chance to see the impact of Shaffer & Co. on how the defense plays at game time. Not sure that we can draw too many conclusions from practice. I'm not doubting Shaffer's coaching abilities as much as wanting to see if the players are able to do the things the coaches want them to do. I assume you've had some players in your coaching career who simply aren't very good at doing the things you're trying to teach them, no matter how hard you work at it.
August 28th, 2008 at 3:15 PM ^
If you have a good friend back home who can buy one and hook it up for you, SlingBox is the way to go. I was in Egypt for all of the 2007 season and hooked one up at my parents' house in Michigan before I left. Worked like a charm. There may be some occasional choppiness if your remote internet connection isn't at least 1 MB/s, but I'd imagine this wouldn't be a problem in Japan since they're light years ahead of us in technology.
If you're hooking it up to an analog cable connection, get one with a built-in tuner (the Tuner or Pro model), so you don't have to worry about anyone changing the channel on you.
ESPN GamePlan no longer carries Big Ten games (for all intents and purposes).
August 28th, 2008 at 3:17 PM ^
I'm in Atlanta and have Directv. Until last season, I used to buy ESPN Gameplan and got virtually every game. BTN was added to my package - for free - last season and once again I saw virtually every game. I don't think BTN wil have any impact on recruiting. The kids in FL who want to play the spread will know all about what's going on in Ann Arbor.
August 28th, 2008 at 3:56 PM ^
August 28th, 2008 at 3:59 PM ^
you are not asking me that are you? please tell me i dont have to go through it all again...... i think i have a website to the fact...
yes shafer is better than english at teaching the fundamentals of defensive football, yes he is a better x's and o's guy, yes he is more creative....
August 28th, 2008 at 4:17 PM ^
got it. not just db's?
August 28th, 2008 at 4:34 PM ^
1984 had a rash of injuries and some questionable senior leadership. Tony Gant broke his leg on a punt return against Wisconsin, Harbaugh broke his arm against State, and the backups (Russ Rein and Chris Zurbrugg) were uneffective. Rick Rodgers also had injuries and freshman Jamie Morris was called into action sooner than was expected.
Fast forward to 85, and now you have a healthy, experienced Harbaugh, a more seasoned Morris, some veterans on the offensive line and a defense led by Mike Hammerstein. This turned out to be one of the best defenses at Michigan, EVER! Hammer was just unbelievable that year. Messner stepped up at DT, Moeller and Mallory played solid LB, Cochran-Campbell-Rivers-Gant were outstanding in the Dbackfield. Except for that turd Rob Hougtlin (sp?) up in Iowa and a still reeling team in Illinois, that was a great, great year.
Today, we have NO experience at QB and little to none on the Oline and RB. Defensive Line and DBs are gonna have to carry this team until the O "gels" and gets comfortable. It will be fun to watch, in my opinion.
Go Blue!
August 28th, 2008 at 6:17 PM ^
August 28th, 2008 at 7:27 PM ^
"that fundamentals were not being taught anymore, that has changed."
Don't get me wrong, I think RR and his staff are going to be very successful before too long; I'm figuring this first year is gonna have some hiccups. The thing that initially sold me on RR was a pregame speech where he says "they're expecting to run 7 on 7s, but we're gonna make it a fistfight!" I have the feeling there are plenty of people around the country who have the impression RR's offense is some sort of gimmicky finesse thing, when in fact it's absolutely hard-nosed, in-your-face physical football. I've been pining for that for years.
August 28th, 2008 at 7:53 PM ^
It would be really great if there were a network of Michigan fans over here- to gather in a bar or someone's living room to catch these games together in the middle of the night.
We are indeed a lonely breed over here- Saturday nights in autumn meaning leaving friends and lovers and possibilities early from parties or bars and clubs to come home, praying to catch a decent connection on the computer to get the game and maybe another until dawn. Girlfriends just don't understand; so this cheering at the computer ritual is usually done alone...
To be clear about the Slingbox for anyone who doesn't know: it's a box attached to a cable box/TiVo, etc. and a computer at one end (like your parent's house) where it is uploaded; and software on your computer (one copy) at the other. Been waiting myself to find the right friend or relative that has a second box and a high-speed connection.
I believe someone at Legends (in Roppongi) is a USC alum and has a Slingbox setup, but usually just for the odd USC-Cal or UCLA games.
I thought GamePlan no longer carries Big Ten games.
August 29th, 2008 at 12:53 AM ^
you could try channelsurfing.net or justinTV something. I had pretty good luck getting the redwings games on it. I'm sure someone will be putting up the michigan games. quality's not great, but it's better than just radio.
and it's free.
August 29th, 2008 at 2:47 AM ^
The GamePlan is now via ESPN360 and it is not available in Asia. It is not clear how many (if any at all) Big Ten game they will show this year. I have not even seen a schedule for this weekend yet.
For you guys in Japan, you should be able to find the game on Armed Forces Network (if you can stand the commercials). It is shown in real-time on AFN/extra.
You just need a friend on-base or a bar with a AFRTS decoder. I watched most the games via AFN at a sports bar when I lived in Belgium.
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