Inside Michigan Football
I watched Inside Michigan Football last night for the first time all season (I know, I know. Why?). I’m curious if previous episodes this season have followed the same format. The game recap is presented in NFL Films-style, ground-level – much of it in slow motion – footage, spliced with sideline footage of a few position coaches and locker room player interviews. The radio broadcast is played over the video and there are few acknowledgements of the score. This accounted for nearly 25 minutes of the broadcast. There isn’t actually any “inside” analysis or breakdown of the game. Aside from a brief clip of Hoke’s postgame media presser, the only segment with Hoke was Brandstatter asking Hoke about his favorite last-minute Michigan win, set up with a clip of Wangler to Carter against IU in 1982 (Hoke mentioned both last year at Northwestern and Denard to Roundtree vs. Northwestern two-years ago). Has Hoke been absent from analyzing the games in other episodes this season or was this a special occasion?
I also watched Spartan All-Access following Inside Michigan Football and the contrasts between the shows spoke volumes on the state of the respective programs. SAA profiled Lippett and Langford during the first two segments with comments about each player from Dantonio. Lippett and Langford praise the coaching staff for putting them on the field in whatever position would best maximize their talents. Only about 5 minutes at the end of the broadcast was dedicated to the game recap, but at the very least Dantonio gives a brief breakdown to the camera directly after the game. Both shows use the same highlight presentation style (my guess is that is coming down from the Fox Sports/BTN creative departments to mimic The Journey as much as possible).
I can’t decide if erasing Hoke from Inside Michigan Football is better or worse than previous years of him sitting there saying nothing of substance to Brandstatter about the game highlights.It also appears Tim Hortans pulled their sponsorship of those awful Coffee with the Coach segments. It did make me miss the days of Carr on Michigan Replay in the evening after games looking all weary and hoarse doing the highlight breakdown.
October 30th, 2014 at 3:00 PM ^
I guess the change in format is following a pattern by which the game does not get too much focus. Then again there's not much to go over this year. Unfortunately, I do like how MSU's football program looks.
October 30th, 2014 at 3:05 PM ^
and what was, to me, one of my favorite things to watch has been absolutely ruined.
I used to look so forward to seeing the coach, whether it was Bo or Mo or Lloyd and even after them, the coach at least sat there and discussed M football for the duration.
It used to be the most interesting and insightful show for M football, it sucks now IMHO, the only thing I can agree with is having Hoke evade Jim and talk gibberish for 1/2 an hour is not good TV, so like everything else Hoke has touched, it's gone downhill.
October 30th, 2014 at 4:31 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
October 30th, 2014 at 7:12 PM ^
I still get chills watching that video!
October 30th, 2014 at 9:55 PM ^
Michigan Replay used to be my lifeline back in the day when I lived in Ohio. Unless they played Ohio State, all you had was a paragraph in the local Sunday paper about the Michigan game.
Any other info about what happened and why came from Michigan Replay. At 12:30 AM Monday morning. Bo was the best at it. He would go over the key plays like a coach-guided UFR.
Thank god for the internet now. Inside Michigan Football sucks, but it doesn't really matter now.
October 30th, 2014 at 3:09 PM ^
October 30th, 2014 at 3:47 PM ^
on Lloyd? I don't think he ever asked him a hard question, because he knew Lloyd was tired and surly enough - especially after a loss. So, it seems the opposite to me regarding LC and Brandstatter.
October 30th, 2014 at 4:32 PM ^
October 30th, 2014 at 7:17 PM ^
and aired on Sunday. I can imagine any DI HC wouldn't be spent after the nth week of practice and exectuion. (Ok, well...)
October 30th, 2014 at 7:27 PM ^
Never heard Brandstatter ask a of tought question of Lloyd. Oh, I do remember once, Brandy asked, "The refereeing really screwed us today. Would you like to tell us about it"?
October 30th, 2014 at 3:16 PM ^
October 30th, 2014 at 3:21 PM ^
So I never see it. But it looks like I'm not missing anything. I assumed it was the newest iteration of Michigan Replay, but clearly it's not. Michigan Replay was so awesome because you got a small glimpse into what Bo/Mo/Lloyd were thinking during certain plays. It was informative, not fluff, which it seems like this new program is.
October 30th, 2014 at 3:48 PM ^
every Monday at 5pm EST, it comes on at 2pm here.
It is also replayed at various times during the week, just check your guide.
October 30th, 2014 at 3:27 PM ^
The new format seems to be designed to give Hoke as few responsibilities/obligations as possible. I don't think I even watched after the first episode this season.
Really, I've been less and less impressed with every iteration of the show since Michigan Replay went kerplunk. I never missed an episode of Michigan Replay. This show just isn't worth the time.
October 30th, 2014 at 6:40 PM ^
he new format seems to be designed to give Hoke as few responsibilities/obligations as possible.
So it mimics his role with the actual football team?
October 30th, 2014 at 3:34 PM ^
playing tough instead of talking about toughness, used to be the Michigan way in football as preached, played and delivered by its teams and coaching staff. Everything old ain't opportunely new again when you can't sell what you don't got. And this regime can't sell what it can't demonstrate by advertisement and PR through on-time delivery on the field.
The times are a changing.
October 30th, 2014 at 3:50 PM ^
head coaches would tape those shows the night of game day for so many years. What a huge pain after all the stress and spent energy coaching the team, and not being able to spend the evening with your family. I can't blame Coach Rod at all for putting an end to it.
October 30th, 2014 at 3:56 PM ^
Well, sort of. At the end of the run, it was filmed in a studio inside Crisler. Basically, the coach would just put on suit, walk up the stairs in the Crisler tunnel, shoot the show for a half hour, and that was it. It's not like it was some huge undertaking--just part of the job. Rodriguez made it sound like he was going to be chained to a desk for half the night.
October 30th, 2014 at 6:14 PM ^
October 30th, 2014 at 6:34 PM ^
These shows were started way back as a way to help pay coaches more, non university revenue. These shows are in a lot of coaches contracts, not sure about Hokes.
October 30th, 2014 at 7:08 PM ^
I haven't watched a single episode since the Horror 2.
But that is likely a deliberate format change to garner interest (a success, apparently!). I worked in television broadcast (news) for a few years.
After the addition was finished on the Big House, they filmed IMF inside a luxury suite with a guy using a steady-cam, swiveling back and forth in front of Brady Hoke, who was pinned against the glass (scoreboard in view). It was just awful.
October 30th, 2014 at 8:46 PM ^
Used to have a great theme song. Like so many traditions - gone