Dave Brandon TV Interviews, with some sort of weird condition
We were specifically asked not to promote our interview with DaveBrandon. We're not playing catch-up. I've been preparing since last night
— Tom Leyden (@TomLeyden) October 2, 2014
So Dave Brandon grants TV interviews with softball local TV sports reporters (he will be on 2,4 and 7 in Detroit today) and avoids a full out press conference like he has thrown Hoke out to the past few days. And these will be airing just before or during the Tigers ALDS game this evening. AND the TV stations were specifically asked not to promote the airings of the interviews! WTF?!
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:00 PM ^
how is that tweet not directly promoting the interview? Why not just do it traditionally if you are going to act like this?
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:03 PM ^
Second tweet I saw says UM told them not to say anything until after 12 apparently
Michigan issue isn't about one station vs. any others. To be fair, after I was asked not to promote before 12, WJBK was told after 11 ok
— Tom Leyden (@TomLeyden) October 2, 2014
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:03 PM ^
WDIV was promoting their interview with Brandon earlier today. All stations would have had the same "don't promote it" conditions, so since WDIV was promoting theirs, WXYZ decided to throw some shade at them and let people know they had an interview too.
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:07 PM ^
Brandon and UM want to be out in front--with a prepared response--of any kind of shriekback the interview generates.
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:00 PM ^
and get his guy out. If I didn't live 1500 miles away I would come.
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:38 PM ^
Seconded.
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:41 PM ^
Right now, Michigan is "a propaganda football team." Hand selecting a local news outlet to air the interview is gutless. If this whole thing is on the AD's terms, did Dave need to approve the questions beforehand for this thing to move forward? This is like Bush going on Fox or Obama on MSNBC for an interview. Man up and call a press conference! Is this the example you want to set for the young men and women that you're leading as Director of Intercollegiate Athletics?
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:01 PM ^
It will be all softball questions. I am guessing there is a "taboo" list as far as questions go.
October 2nd, 2014 at 4:33 PM ^
Have there been ankle sprains and concussions on the softball team too?
/s
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:01 PM ^
This really is some odd behavior. It has a similar feel to the 1:00 a.m. press release. The thing is that Brandon really cannot duck the media on this forever. Because much of the focus has shifted to him, he looks like he is just hiding if he doesn't meet with the media and take some questions. So, he picks the softest of softball interviewers and picks a time at which the public is least likely to tune in. This is typical forporate behavior.
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:51 PM ^
“Every coach, every executive, every leader: They all know right from wrong. Even those Enron guys. When someone uncovers a scandal in their company, I don't think they can say, "I didn't know that was going on." They're just saying they're too dumb to do their job! And if they really are too dumb, then why are they getting paid millions of dollars to do it? They know what's going on.”
Does anyone want to venture a guess who said these words?
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:01 PM ^
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:01 PM ^
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:06 PM ^
Fortunately for Dave, technology hasn't developed a way to digitally record, store or upload images.
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:04 PM ^
DB is acting like his hands were in the cookie jar a second before Mom walked into the room.
Mom: "Hey there, how was your day?"
DB: "My hands weren't in the cookie jar!"
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:07 PM ^
If we all protest this interview, and DB is forced instead to do a non-softball interview, which would clearly result in his firing, won't we have done something incredible?
Opps, DP
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:08 PM ^
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:09 PM ^
I think what gets lost in the shuffle is how absolutely horrendous the Media Relations/PR team has been in all of this. There is an entire department whose JOB it is to handle these sort of situations and they have absolutely butchered it. I'm not sure if Brandon just brushes their ideas aside, but having worked in PR, this whole situation is a case study in how to NOT handle crisis communications. Derek Satterfield is the head of Media Relations/SID for the football team and CLEARLY looks in way over his head. They sorely miss Bruce Madej in my opinion.
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:24 PM ^
how good or bad the staff is at their jobs if the weasel pulling the strings instinctively acts like a weasel.
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:10 PM ^
It sounds basically like he's granted an interview that he wanted no one to actually watch, which strangely makes sense now. I wonder if there other conditions attached as well - for example, has Brandon requested that the interview be done while he is crouched inside a coat closet as a string quartet does a rendition of The Eagles' "Lyin' Eyes"?
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:11 PM ^
in the green room. And maybe a mimosa
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:10 PM ^
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:16 PM ^
It's not like you're going to get actual answers to actual questions. This will be scripted and contain nothing but half-truths while dodging the actual issues. It's not worth the time and effort required to put yourself through the shit-show that is going to be this series of interviews.
October 2nd, 2014 at 2:31 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:17 PM ^
I mean, even if it starts off as a softball interview, the conversation will probably turn to football eventually, right?
/s
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:18 PM ^
Everything he does is so easy to laugh at.
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:21 PM ^
...easy to cry about.
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:25 PM ^
But only a few short weeks ago you defended his every action. You even took every opportuntiy to troll people about it.
#yogurtboy
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:27 PM ^
Not really.
I didn't like the idea of fireworks being blown off during the game. That was where the tide started turning. Go back and look.
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:18 PM ^
Unless he resigns on the air (wishful thinking), this is just going to be yet another string of infuriating non-responses that will only aggravate the fanbase further. I can't even imagine a satisfying soundbite from him at this point. Even if he issued a complete mea culpa and acknowledged every single blunder he's ever made, it would be far too late at this point. I see no reason for him to even give these interviews.
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:23 PM ^
He could be resigning.... I hope so.
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:41 PM ^
Would surprise me but then again, he did visit several teams yesterday unsolicited and told them something....
Various tweets saying he told players on those teams "how much they mean to him" and that he "showed so much passion".
October 2nd, 2014 at 2:05 PM ^
they would either just release a statement or call a press conference for that.
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:19 PM ^
I missed the chapter in Bo's Lasting Lessons that outlined how to act like a complete scumbag like this. /s
How does someone figuratively give the finger to every one of his critics so effortlessly?
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:20 PM ^
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:25 PM ^
Dave Brandon was asked to do interviews by the University, encouraged if you will by President Schlissel. DB doesn't like that idea and is encourageing the local news to not promote.
October 2nd, 2014 at 3:42 PM ^
This^. It's just to check the boxes so that he can say "what do you mean I'm insular and don't communicate? I made mayself available to all the media outlets."
It's just more spin.
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:31 PM ^
I hate that he's doing these interviews because it seems like he thinks he can weather the storm with some PR bullshit and hang on to his job. His relationship with the Michigan fanbase is irreperably damaged no matter what he says, and he has to go. I had some hope that there were negotiations for a graceful exit going on behind the scenes, but this kind of dashes those hopes. The atmosphere around the program is not going to improve while he's still around, and I can't imagine how he could possibly hire a plausible coach after all this. Ugh.
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:34 PM ^
Edit - My bad
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:51 PM ^
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:55 PM ^
So much. He's too cute by half and thinks he's smarter than everybody else. It needs to catch up with him.
October 2nd, 2014 at 2:08 PM ^
At some point, Brandon will only be doing interviews for Pravda and TASS.
October 2nd, 2014 at 2:21 PM ^
I saw Tom Leyden's "This is not Michigan" on-air commentary the other day. I don't think he's going to lob softballs at Brandon. He said today he specifically wants to know what Hoke knew and when and how Hoke could have been sent to Monday presser with info that was later contradicted.
October 2nd, 2014 at 2:22 PM ^
October 2nd, 2014 at 3:52 PM ^
I agree that this is silly and a shameless attempt to do some stealthy damage control, but anybody who is passionate about David Brandon and the AD will find a way to see these interviews and bolster whatever opinion they had going into the viewing. Whatever channel, time, or shows preceding or following this, we'll find it. Age of the internet and youtube and message boards, and all that.
It truly is silly. If flight tracker had taught Brandon anything, it's that you can't hide anything from a fervent fanbase with computer access.
October 2nd, 2014 at 4:44 PM ^
October 2nd, 2014 at 4:54 PM ^
The weird condition he has is called Narcissistic Personality Disorder and Pathological Liar Syndrome.
October 7th, 2014 at 1:00 PM ^
It has been a week. Is this the Ross effect?