Musberger Mentions Michigan
I was watching SportsCenter this morning, as I do every morning, and they had an interview with Brent Musburger to discuss the upcoming college football season.
Of course, it was riddled with praise of Tim Tebow and how Brent feels Tim will be an outstanding NFL quaterback. He even mentioned that Tebow would do well to be used in the wildcat formation.
At any rate, my attention faded, as Musburger was saying the same things everyone has already said concerning Florida, Oklahoma, and Texas. He caught my attention when he said that all these big-name schools being dominant will allow for a very entertaining football season. He then mentions off-hand that if only Michigan could be great this year, the upcoming season would be phenomenal, to paraphrase.
While watching, I had mixed feelings. I was exciting that we were being mentioned, albeit as a side note, among teams that are hot and hyped. However, I felt dissatisfied that we are basically being mentioned as former giants that have been dismantled. I, for one, am ready to see Michigan return to the national spotlight in a positive way.
Side note: Musburger also postulated that the Nittany Lions could make the title game if they run the table. Just thought I would mention that.
Of course, it was riddled with praise of Tim Tebow and how Brent feels Tim will be an outstanding NFL quaterback. He even mentioned that Tebow would do well to be used in the wildcat formation.
At any rate, my attention faded, as Musburger was saying the same things everyone has already said concerning Florida, Oklahoma, and Texas. He caught my attention when he said that all these big-name schools being dominant will allow for a very entertaining football season. He then mentions off-hand that if only Michigan could be great this year, the upcoming season would be phenomenal, to paraphrase.
While watching, I had mixed feelings. I was exciting that we were being mentioned, albeit as a side note, among teams that are hot and hyped. However, I felt dissatisfied that we are basically being mentioned as former giants that have been dismantled. I, for one, am ready to see Michigan return to the national spotlight in a positive way.
Side note: Musburger also postulated that the Nittany Lions could make the title game if they run the table. Just thought I would mention that.
August 6th, 2009 at 10:41 AM ^
Thats a tricky toungue-twister of a title. I wonder if we could keep saying words string M after that? lets try! Musberger Mentions Michigan meanwhile Millen makes multiple moronic mistakes.
August 6th, 2009 at 11:25 AM ^
Musberger Mentions Michigan meanwhile Millen makes multiple moronic mistakes magnifying miniscule myopic mindsets.
August 6th, 2009 at 11:27 AM ^
I love it. Nice pic, by the way.
August 6th, 2009 at 11:36 AM ^
I guess Semi-Great minds think alike...LOL
Alliterations aside, I think I'll take my chances.
touche...
August 6th, 2009 at 11:28 AM ^
Musberger mundanely mentions Michigan; major mob melee miraculously materializes.
August 6th, 2009 at 11:29 AM ^
I will add a few to your sentence:
Moron Musberger Mentions Michigan meanwhile Meathead Matt Millen makes more multiple moronic mistakes.
August 6th, 2009 at 10:41 AM ^
Last week, my neighbor Ralph also mentioned Michigan.
August 6th, 2009 at 10:43 AM ^
Out of all BCS teams, I think we're the hardest to get a handle on.
August 6th, 2009 at 10:50 AM ^
National Title Contenders. This year will be exciting. 2006 we played for the chance to be in the National Title game. It hasn't been that long of a lull. Keep the faith.
August 6th, 2009 at 11:24 AM ^
I think we may have to wait until 2011 for any real shot at MNC contender status. In 2010 we play ND (with 3 and 4 year starters galore) in South Bend, PSU in Happy Valley and OSU in Columbus. I suspect we will not win more than one of those three games, so 10-2 would be our ceiling, IMO.
August 6th, 2009 at 11:53 AM ^
Agreed. MSU is the only good game we have at home in 2010. And maybe Iowa.
I don't know, i think the eyes of the college football world will be on Ann Arbor when M plays host to the mighty Uconn/Umass joint FB team in early 2010.
+UConn
August 6th, 2009 at 10:17 PM ^
If you have the talent, motivation, and coaching to win a National Championship, it doesn't matter who you play. If any team is the best team in the country, PSU, OSU, and ND on the road won't stop them; they will win because they are better.
I really don't expect ND to beat UM more than about one in four once everything is in place at UM, as long as Meyer stays in Florida. If the OSU series swings back UM's way, they could go on a streak. That leaves PSU, and they could turn UM into a true rivalry if they keep getting better, but they always seem to come up a little bit short when the shit hits the fan.
I think they might make the NC game in 2010, but they might not be quite ready to win it yet. I do agree with the general consensus, though, that they should be a favorite to win it all in 2011. I'm just not counting them out in 2010. If you make it to the NC game, anything can happen. That is the wretched beauty of single elimination play.
August 6th, 2009 at 10:53 AM ^
I think this season will be very exciting and we will be recognized as coming back up. Starting in 2010 I think is when we will return to the national stage.
August 6th, 2009 at 11:01 AM ^
Ooh did he talk about how Mike Massey's pizza diet?
I believe you meant the Pat Massey pizza diet
August 6th, 2009 at 11:20 AM ^
Or could ANY BCS team that runs the table this year have a shot at the NC game?
August 6th, 2009 at 11:36 AM ^
that no one really knows what to think of michigan. Everyone is predicting around 6-6 and a "formerly known as the motor city bowl" type bowl game. (I refuse to call it by its new name). But michigan has the talent to win 9 games but as we proved last year if we can't figure out the QB situation it could be very ugly.
August 6th, 2009 at 11:42 AM ^
I believe another poster mentioned that the bookies in Vegas are projecting us to go 7-5 (5 games where we are dogs).
And since I'm a degenerate gambler myself, I'll peg our squad to that line. 7-5 is what to expect, anything better and that's great, anything less and it's a disappointment.
However with a new QB, only 2nd year in the system, etc... that 7-5 is pretty volatile and could move quickly.
why cant it be, the motor city bowl presented by....or the little ceasar's motor city bowl? the commercialization of the bowl games has gotten quite out of hand in the last decade....
August 6th, 2009 at 11:58 AM ^
I too get a bit annoyed to think that Michigan is not seen as a traditional football power due to one really bad year. I realize that 2007 was not great but at least they got it together and pretty much dominated UF inbetween their NCAA championships.
I don't know that people no longer consider Michigan a traditional power, but expectations for the upcoming season are tempered. I guess it's a subtle difference, but I think it's crucial.
August 6th, 2009 at 11:58 AM ^
eventually got right back up and started grinding the bones of those that mocked them: USC, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Alabama, Ohio State are some recent examples (last 10 years).
Most people who are intellectually honest about college football know that Michigan will come back eventually.
I share your reaction to Musberger's comment. However, I do wonder why we care what Brent Musberger, the lord of idiotic announcers, thinks.
He is a moron
is the manner in which he amps things up to ridiculous levels to convince the TV audience that, since it's a night game at Indiana and they're wearing all red uniforms or something, that they're about to upset Ohio State! "We're LIVE in Bloomington! Oh, and did I mention that we're LIVE!??"
Indiana of course get's hammered and Brett looks like a moron.
Just call the game and let the drama, if there should be any at all, unfold naturally, Brett. Jeezus!
It's that and his tendency to use nicknames ALL THE TIME. I think he called Katzenmoyer "Big Kat" more than he called him by his name. It's like he's trying to convince us that he's best friends with the players. He -- and, to be fair, some other announcers -- also have the obnoxious habit of using only players' first names, probably for the same reason.
He was clearly headed in that same direction with Mallett and "Big Tex."
Musberger is a great announcer...Do you guys like ANYONE??? Or does EVERYBODY suck to you?
Do you like Musburger more before or after he's hammered? I bet you especially like it when he and Herbie start giggling about something that has nothing to do with the game going on in front of them.
Since you asked, I like Mike Tirico (though I guess he doesn't do much college football anymore). Chris Fowler is pretty good (especially considering that he's occasionally weighed down with Corso). Frankly, you could throw a dart at ESPN's announcing lineup and hit someone better than Musburger.
Granted, the folks on this blog can be a little rough on...well...anybody not associated with UM. But seriously, you can't really believe that Brent Musberger is a great announcer.
Keith Jackson. Don't think anyone will disagree with me there.
I also, generally, like Chris Spielman (which might get me into some hot water around here). He couples good enthusiasm with good football knowledge. He also does a decent job of hiding his homerism for the nuts when calling a Michigan game.
Jim Brandstatter (sp?) and Frank Beckman anyone?
what you said. I couldn't agree more. Not a huge fan of Spielman, but he's a good announcer. Keith Jackson is the man, and Brandstatter and Beckman are my Saturday afternoon guys. If there weren't an HD delay, I'd mute my TV and listen to their play by play on the radio.
None better than Ufer, though.
I've found radio announcers (from a Redskins' fan POV) to trump tv announcers just about every time. That delay is the only thing hurting those guys.
August 7th, 2009 at 10:21 AM ^
something about him is like nails on a chalkboard for me. either his speaking tempo or voice or something. i will give him credit that he has actual knowledge to share about what defenses are doing that most announcers cant do, but i would rather read it on closed caption than listen to him say it
August 7th, 2009 at 11:17 AM ^
My problem is when announcers make blatant errors that any football fan watching a game would never make. Like the Michigan @ Oregon game, where at the end Keith goes, "and that brings up 4th down..." When at that point the clock had read zero, the play that just transpired was clearly our last ditch effort without any time left on the clock, no one was hurrying to the line, and players/coaches/reporters were rushing the field.
And had to be correct with, "No Keith It's Over." Not sure who the other commentator was.
I like announcers that don't try to be the main event; I like announcers that are worth hearing (so: relevant and informational with a paucity of verbiage and bad catch phrases) but aren't trying to be entertaining. Musberger and his ilk believe they're the show -- that they're the reason people turn on the tv -- and so they go over the top to entertain the viewer at the expense of the game. I don't tune in to hear a particular announcer; I tune in to watch a football game, and I want the announcers to complement the game. If there's something important I need to know in the context of the game (something I wouldn't know if the announcer didn't say it), the announcer should tell me; otherwise, he should tone it down and let the game take center stage.
Unfortunately, this goes against everything the tv networks believe, so the mute button is my friend. I like hearing the sounds of the stadium, but there are times the announcers become so bad that I'll give up the good sounds to escape the bad. (Two common examples: most Musberger games, and anytime Gary Danielson calls a Tebow game. I mean, a Florida game.)
Particularly for the play-by-play guy, I really don't need any more "entertainment" -- isn't that what the game is for?
Musberger's great if your team is winning. He's unbearable if you're losing.
August 8th, 2009 at 12:13 AM ^
My girlfriend is unbearable if my team is losing.
My; Musberger's mouth
Mentions Michigan much more
Munificently
(Meh, merely my meager musing)
He once referred to the Horseshoe as "the Big House in Columbus." Can't remember what year, but I think it's at the start of one of WolverineHistorian's videos. Unforgivable.
Yeah, he's a weak announcer at best, but he is entertaining to me. I bet he kisses Herbstreit on the lips before the season is over.
August 6th, 2009 at 10:28 PM ^
...but I like Musberger. The reason doesn't have as much to do with his on-camera skills as his off-camera class.
I tended bar years ago at a local hotel where CBS Sports stayed for a national telecast. On Friday night, Musberger drank with the "grunts" on the crew for about four hours in the bar. What really impressed me was that he actually acted humble, more like one of the guys than the lead announcer the next day. If he had a different face, or you weren't a sports fan and didn't recognize him, you would never have known he was the "top gun."
While I was listening, anyway, he treated everyone there is if their opinion was as important as his. If you believe, as I do, that everyone's opinion is equal, it isn't that big a thing. But most of the other coaches, announcers, and other celebrities I have met over the years tend to be condescending to others and have a very inflated opinion of their own importance to the human race.
As for his on-air work, I have sometimes been irritated, but over the years, his voice has become so familiar that it is almost soothing to me. At least I know what to expect from the crew when he works the game.
I've heard a similar story from a friend who used to be a freelance shooter for ABC Sports. He told me after a particularly good (in terms of broadcast quality) game at MSU, Musberger set the crew up with a $1,500 tab a one of the local bars.
Comments