OT: Brent Musburger to retire
Brent Musberger announced he's retiring from sportscasting and he'll be calling his last game on Jan. 31 (Tuesday).
Long before his ABC/ESPN days, Musberger was the face of CBS' The NFL Today.
Michigan highlights he called that stand out in my mind include the 1989 basketball national championship game, 1991 football vs. Notre Dame (Desmond Howard's diving catch), and UTL I.
Edit: AP reports that ESPN and Musberger said the Sugar Bowl/Mixon comments did not factor into this decision (I personally find that dubious)
January 25th, 2017 at 10:55 AM ^
finally
January 25th, 2017 at 11:38 AM ^
How is this not a posbang thread?
January 25th, 2017 at 11:39 AM ^
Am I the only one who liked the Musberger/Herbie combo?
January 25th, 2017 at 11:41 AM ^
I prefer the Kirk and Chris combo.
January 25th, 2017 at 11:43 AM ^
True, they're great too. I think Kirk is a genius commentator (yea I know he went to osu, idc)
January 25th, 2017 at 1:16 PM ^
Kirk's going to OSU does not bother me, either. The guy is the best NCAA football analyst and I like his insight. I am very jealous of him because he has such a great job. I'd love to be able to be in his shoes (minus the OSU shit, of course).
January 25th, 2017 at 1:22 PM ^
Not a Fowler fan. I think ESPN/ABC erred in not pairing Nessler and Herbstreit.
I would've taken Kevin Harlan also. I listened to Kevin Harlan call the Wisconsin/OSU game while I was on the road, then flipped on the TV when I got to my hotel. The game was much more interesting on the radio even though it went to OT.
My only criticism of Musberger was when he tried to interject humor. His calls were great, but he's not very funny.
January 25th, 2017 at 5:57 PM ^
They say enough without being too wordy or overbearing.
Herbie talks too much. I prefer quality of what is said over quantity. Sounds like his mouth is too fast for his mind. He needs to slow down.
Fowler is terrible. He tries too hard to use different expressions and it sounds too clumsy and contrived.
Musberger was good in his prime, but he tries to be too overly dramatic, too often.
Give me Chris Jackson or Dick Enberg!
January 25th, 2017 at 3:41 PM ^
He always felt like college football. It was always jarring when a bowl game was called by a Fox NFL crew. It always felt wrong.
Keith Jackson is still the voice that comes to mind though when I think college football.
January 25th, 2017 at 12:30 PM ^
This is the best news I have received in a long time
January 25th, 2017 at 12:30 PM ^
This is the best news I have received in a long time
January 25th, 2017 at 10:56 AM ^
Nothing doing.
January 25th, 2017 at 10:56 AM ^
About damn time, he used to be great, hasn't been in a long time now
January 25th, 2017 at 10:58 AM ^
And he breaks into daylight
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January 25th, 2017 at 10:58 AM ^
Good.
January 25th, 2017 at 11:00 AM ^
Mde even more interesting by the avatar of the OP.
January 25th, 2017 at 11:29 AM ^
I keep imagining this post read by the late great Bill Bonds and it makes it riveting in its own way, as many of his announcements and editorials were.
As for Musberger, I think the quality of his broadcasts was in marked decline, but growing up, his was one of the voices I was actually drawn to whenever football was on.
January 25th, 2017 at 2:33 PM ^
was a tremendous asshole. But when sober, was amazing at his job.
January 25th, 2017 at 11:00 AM ^
Kirk Herbstreit, Joey Galloway, Paul Finebaum?
January 25th, 2017 at 11:15 AM ^
Will never understand how someone could hate Herbstreit with the same vigor as those other two hacks. He never beat Michigan while at OSU (though he did lead them to a tie in Columbus during the year he started). While he doesn't always know the inner workings of the program in Ann Arbor, he's generally pretty fair about the Wolverines -- especially keeping in mind that doubting UM was correct in pretty much every year from 2007-2014. Although he doesn't exactly bring the football IQ of a Collinsworth-type to the booth, he sometimes brings some genuine insight into his analysis.
Do I love Herbie? Nah. But he's fine.
January 25th, 2017 at 11:34 AM ^
I'm with you. He's not my favorite but he could be a lot worse. Finebaum however has my full hatred. Never thought such a biased and giant prick could ever exist. I pretty much automatically change the channel when he's on.
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January 25th, 2017 at 11:43 AM ^
better to ignore and treat him with indifference. He's just the SEC's version of Rome and Cowherd, i.e. just wanting the attention directed his way. Harbaugh/UM is just an easy way for Finebaum to use ignorant SEC fans to keep propping himself up.
January 25th, 2017 at 11:47 AM ^
Agree. Don't give him the attention he wants. That's the best way to go, when asked about him, it should be a collective opinion that we don't care about him because he isn't good enough to care about. Just wants attention like Cowherd and Rome.
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January 25th, 2017 at 11:49 AM ^
commentary reasonable, doesn't have a voice that grates, and maybe i've not paid enough attention, but i don't remember him every saying anything bad about michigan that would raise an eyebrow.
January 25th, 2017 at 7:41 PM ^
Herbie did drop that whole Les Miles to Mich announcement, which prompted LSU to re-sign his contract on the spot. Not saying it was malicious intent, maybe he was just attempting to scoop the story, but I think it did screw with the post-Carr coaching search, leading to 7 years wandering the desert.
In general, I'm pretty cool with Herbie, at least he's smart enough to get out of Columbus and get to Nashville. He does play the OSU homer, but then so does Desmond, so fair play I suppose.
January 25th, 2017 at 11:49 AM ^
Totally. I don't prefer Kirk Herbstreit but he's not that bad. He's gotten a little worse recently, but in my opinion Chris Fowler was worse at that Ohio State game. He just seemed to be hoping that something would go wrong for us (Speight getting hurt, calls, etc.)
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January 25th, 2017 at 1:30 PM ^
He tweeted that Taylor Lewan was, "an absolute fraud" after an unnecesary roughness penalty. Meanwhile, Mike Weber shows a pattern of questionable behavior throughout the season, including laying out Brandon Watson after the Jabrill Peppers interception play had ended - and Herbie has nothing to say.
I also took exception to his ranking of UM - consistently lower than other on-air personalities throughout the season.
January 25th, 2017 at 6:13 PM ^
I'll be petty and not give Herbie credit for the tie in 1992 because we lost Grbac for the game in the first quarter. That was quite a gift that was handed to him.
But the tie did give Cooper a contract extension so there was a silver lining.
January 25th, 2017 at 2:59 PM ^
Jesse Palmer is still plotting Herbie's demise.
There can be only one former QB lead color commentator/highlander.
January 25th, 2017 at 11:00 AM ^
still better than some of the idiots calling games today
January 26th, 2017 at 9:45 AM ^
Yes, there is drama in that statement. You knew it was a big event when you heard it.
I will miss him. In his prime he was one of the best.
January 25th, 2017 at 11:01 AM ^
[Obligatory Katherine Webb/AJ McCarron comment here]
January 25th, 2017 at 11:03 AM ^
Still remember that Bama vs ND title game. Everyone knew it was over half way through the first quarter and Brent was already talking about how he wanted to hook up with A.J. McCarron's girlfriend.
January 25th, 2017 at 11:19 AM ^
Just saying what we all thought
January 25th, 2017 at 11:51 AM ^
You should have seen Manti Te'o's girlfriend.
January 25th, 2017 at 1:07 PM ^
He never did.
January 25th, 2017 at 3:00 PM ^
Neither did Manti Teo
January 25th, 2017 at 11:03 AM ^
Hated him way back in the day on CBS NFL show. By the end of his career, I enjoyed having him call the game. He was no Keith Jackson, but still enjoyed him. Sad to say, one of my least favorite current announcers is Brian Griese. Doesn't seem prepared, has very little to add of value, IMO.
January 25th, 2017 at 11:21 AM ^
To be objective about Michigan, which makes him sound like a hater. Be proud that you played for the maize and blue and won a NC here for fucks sake Brian
January 25th, 2017 at 11:50 AM ^
from Herbstreit in how to handle being an announcer that is a former player.
January 25th, 2017 at 12:32 PM ^
Important distinction: I don't think he tries to be objective about Michigan; I think he tries not to be favorably subjective about Michigan. And in doing so, he's way too critical/negative about UM.
January 25th, 2017 at 11:03 AM ^
One less Michigan hater. I support this decision
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January 25th, 2017 at 11:25 AM ^
a day when that would have been crazy to say. Musberger was almost the voice of Michigan football from 1999 through 2006. Back when he was paired with Danielson, they seriously called 5 Michigan games per year. But your right, somewhere along the way he became a detractor. He never had Sean McDonaugh distain for Michigan but he would clearly favor Michigan opponents on his calls, IMO.
January 25th, 2017 at 11:04 AM ^
...when Brent was a sportscaster for, if I remember correctly, channel 2 in Chicago. But then again, I'm old. Didn't think much of him then and never thought he was all that as an announcer. And if he said "A train" one more time I would've thrown my shoe at the TV.
January 25th, 2017 at 11:04 AM ^
but i'm glad he's going. redeeming characteristic for him: northwestern grad
January 25th, 2017 at 11:08 AM ^
I couldn't stand listening to him at the end... he hung on too long, I think. Nice run, Brent!
He gave us many cringeworthy moments, including yelling, "Big TEX!" every time Ryan Mallett touched the ball.
He also butchered Roy Roundtree's catch in UTL to win the game. "Rory Roundtree!"
January 25th, 2017 at 11:45 AM ^
"Rory Roundtree"
Glad to know I wasn't the only one to notice that when he said it.
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January 25th, 2017 at 11:06 AM ^
The "A-TRAIN!"
January 25th, 2017 at 11:10 AM ^
What game is there to announce next Tuesday?
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