Frank Beckmann to retire after 2013
Frank Beckmann, the legendary voice of Michigan Football, has announced his retirement effective the conclusion of the 2013 season.
August 9th, 2013 at 11:26 AM ^
I'd love that. I actually enjoy listening to the Tigers on the radio more than I enjoy watching them because of him.
August 9th, 2013 at 12:16 PM ^
August 9th, 2013 at 11:17 AM ^
He would be awesome!
August 9th, 2013 at 11:18 AM ^
Mark Champion would be nice, but that would probably conflict with his Pistons schedule.
August 9th, 2013 at 11:19 AM ^
August 9th, 2013 at 11:25 AM ^
Sounds more like you had a problem. The world becomes a dangerous place when people will only listen to, read,or associate with people who agree with their point of view.
August 9th, 2013 at 11:36 AM ^
EXACTLY. That is basically the same as saying "you have a different political persuasion than me? We can't be friends now!"
Grow up, people.
August 9th, 2013 at 11:47 AM ^
Unfortunately you are in the minority. Remember when Limbaugh was on ESPN's NFL Primetime. He lasted a whole week before he stuck his foot in his mouth about black QB's. Or even Dennis Miller on Monday Night Football. I wish more people could be intelligent enough to separate one's political, cultural, and religious views, but is not the world we live in.
August 9th, 2013 at 11:51 AM ^
August 9th, 2013 at 12:06 PM ^
Ann Arbor is a very welcoming place to diverse viewpoints, as long as they're the diverse viewpoints that are desired by the current groupthink.
I totally agree. Beckman has another job were he is paid to give his opinions. So thats what he does. I don't ever remember him getting political or contoversial during any michigan game. People today are to ready to be the thought police anyone that voices a opinion they don't like or agree with they nedd to be shouted down and run out of town.
August 9th, 2013 at 11:55 AM ^
Forgetting the actual content, the University is going to want sports spokesmen who keep their politics to themselves. Simple truth. Don't care if he's a righty or a lefty, there is a simple expectation in sports media, particularly when you're talking about someone working for a University as opposed to a pro team, that they be squeaky clean, friendly, non-controversial types.
August 10th, 2013 at 12:52 AM ^
August 9th, 2013 at 11:59 AM ^
August 9th, 2013 at 11:21 AM ^
This tells me that people in the program are comfortable and confident with the direction the program is headed in under Hoke.
Sort of like how Supreme Court justices only retire when they know they will be replaced by someone of their same political party when that party holds the White House.
So I guess that means Brady Hoke is like the President of the United States...
August 9th, 2013 at 12:12 PM ^
I doubt this was 100% voluntary.
August 9th, 2013 at 11:23 AM ^
I think Beckmann's been a tremendous announcer overall during his UM career, although I think his "performance" has dropped off quite a bit over the last few years. If you listen to one of his broadcasts from, say, 1997, his delivery is much quicker and snappier. Now it's considerably slower and more growly. Probably age as much as anything else.
I'm likely in 99% disagreement with him when it comes to the topics he addresses in his non-sports show, and he's stuck his foot in his mouth big-time recently, but I don't really give a shit about that since I don't think it has much to do with his game-day announcing.
August 9th, 2013 at 11:24 AM ^
Rod Allen. I could listen to him cuss out my grandmother and find him pleasent.
August 9th, 2013 at 11:43 AM ^
I could totally hear him talking about a pass from Shane that was some "hich octane cheese". I doubt Mario would ever forgive him, though.
August 9th, 2013 at 12:06 PM ^
Dat boy country strong.
Damn him and Mickey Redmond would be amazing together. BINGO BANGO PASS.
August 9th, 2013 at 12:06 PM ^
... to think about him offering color commentary on a windy day in East Lansing, if things are going poorly:
"Looks like Shane brought Mr. Snappy with him today."
August 9th, 2013 at 11:25 AM ^
I think you're right. A number of the people who have been announcing their retirements started during the Bo years. If Hoke is the next Bo, it only makes sense that a number of new people at the beginning of their 20-30 year Michigan careers come in at this time. They all just have huge shoes to fill.
August 9th, 2013 at 11:27 AM ^
that is all.
August 9th, 2013 at 11:28 AM ^
replaced Ernie Harwell after he'd been fired by Bo. Remember Rick Riczz and Bob Rathbun? Nobody else does either.
August 9th, 2013 at 11:40 AM ^
August 9th, 2013 at 12:19 PM ^
August 9th, 2013 at 11:29 AM ^
August 9th, 2013 at 11:50 AM ^
This! Now obviously we know it's not happening but I miss Keith Jackson. Nobody made college football sound the way he did.
The absolute best college play by play guy ever! Plus some of his best calls were from the booth in Michigan Stadium. It seemed like he would do 4-5 of our games a year on ABC back in the day.
Jackson to Musberger as ABC's flagship announcer could not possibly have been a worse, or more extreme, transition. Jackson made even a boring game wondrous. I'd rather watch the game on mute than listen to Musberger and his minion Herbie.
Kickstarter for DigitalKeithJackson? License his voice, digitize all his quality stuff, create an interface to input data so DigitalKeithJackson can call the game - stretch goal, create an AI which replaces the human observer/data entry. Let's make it happen!
August 9th, 2013 at 11:31 AM ^
MATT MILLEN!
August 9th, 2013 at 11:52 AM ^
Please! No more stud bolts!
August 9th, 2013 at 11:32 AM ^
I always turn on the radio and mute the TV when I am watching UM games. Love the radio broadcast team.
August 9th, 2013 at 12:20 PM ^
I always wanted to do that but it could be very frustrating given that the TV was always on a delay. I will never forget watching the 2003 Oregon game when John Navarre threw an interception in the redzone, watching him taking the snap and dropping back while Frank said "and OH NO it's intercepted!" before he even released the ball.
August 9th, 2013 at 11:33 AM ^
August 9th, 2013 at 11:51 AM ^
I like Shep as our BBall PBP. Even if he is the biggest homer ever. I'm not complaining.
August 9th, 2013 at 11:58 AM ^
I don't mind Matt Shepard. I think he's done well with Michigan basketball. I think Matt Shepard has earned the spot.
I will miss Frank Beckmann terribly, however. The guy has so much gravitas.
Who else the the Detroit media market stood up to the Detroit Free Press on behalf of Rich Rodriguez and the Michigan football program? Who? I can't think of anybody. I'd be happy to give some credit to Angelique Chengelis. Her heart was in the right place. But she didn't really go after her print colleagues.
I realize that Frank Beckmann's politics might be polarizing. For all polar opposites, of course, there are polar attractions. I found it wildly encouraging, that a-n-y-b-o-d-y since Bo Schembechler could exist within the ivory towers of Ann Arbor as a Republican. So to all who think that Beckmann should already be gone, I say that I will savor this year.
Really, Beckmann's performance as Michigan's radio voice has been flawless. Bob Ufer said a hell of a lot more dumb and embarassing things behind a Michigan mic. I can't think of a single Beckmann foul-up in a Michigan game.
If for nothing else (and there is plenty "else"), Beckmann should get an award for his call of the Spartan Bob game.
I say give Frank Beckmann an honorary M ring.
August 9th, 2013 at 12:02 PM ^
I've been under the impression that everybody in the local mainstream media (with a few exceptions like Angelique) just kept their mouths shut and maintained the thin gray line, so to speak,
Angelique did one radio interview (just one that I am aware of) where she carefully and correctly criticized her good friend Michael Rosenberg for his gross abuse (my terms, not Angelique's) of Brandin Hawthorne and/or JeRon Stokes in the Stretchgate story. She witnessed the interview. She knew how bad it got twisted.
But that was all, as far as I know. If she had done speeches or talks (she'd be great at it) where she expanded on it, I'm not aware.
But Beckmann really let the Freep have it. Rightly, of course. Mostly on WJR; I don't recall that Frank had a News column at that time.
August 9th, 2013 at 12:04 PM ^
Just imagine a contemporary broadcaster making a reference to his seven children by saying "I'm not Catholic, I'm just careless!"
who happened to be a decorated U.S. Naval veteran of that war.
August 9th, 2013 at 12:13 PM ^
Matt Shepherd has a great play-by-play voice, but an absolutely awful style and a frustrating inability to impart enough information for the listener to follow the game. I'm sorry, he's a nice guy with a great voice, but not the best choice, IMO.
be a good fit with a strong, active, analyst. Or two. And on Michigan radio broadcasts, the combination of Shepard, with Doug Karsch (who I like very much) and a strong analyst voice would work out just fine.
August 9th, 2013 at 10:44 PM ^
Jesus shut the fuck up with your bullshit politics already.
Moderation being gone has its benefits.
August 10th, 2013 at 12:58 AM ^
August 10th, 2013 at 1:19 AM ^
...like it was a bad thing, or something.
August 9th, 2013 at 11:23 PM ^
God I hope Shepard (sp?) doesn't get it. I find our bball radio broadcasts borderline unlistenable.
August 9th, 2013 at 11:38 AM ^