Brandy Improving on PBP

Submitted by ijohnb on
Just thought it was worth a note to people who have stopped listening to Michigan games on the radio the last couple of years because of the severe ear pain that has resulted, I do have to say that Brandstatter is improving on play-by-play. There are some things he will never have, a voice suited for play-by-play being the first one, but he at least is beginning to settle into the role and kind of even developing a style unique to him. He integrates quite a bit more X and Os into his calls than a standard issue "talking head" play by play like Blaha and/or Dan Miller. I am forced to listen quite a bit when my day structure is not suited to four hours on the couch in the middle of the day, so this is a welcome development. It is still not ideal, and he is miles away from Beckman in his "prime," but credit where it is due. He is coming along, I believe. Any other listeners out there? Would you agree with this assessment?
MGoBoard

Augger

September 10th, 2017 at 7:24 PM ^

If you want to watch the game but listen to our announcers it's pretty easy.

1. Stream the radio on any internet device. The stream has about a minute lag to it, I think I used TuneIn radio app for week one

2. Because of the lag you can use a DVR to sync up the video and audio. It takes a few plays to get it dead on but after that you are good to go

Hope this helps!

Joined: 08/13/2008

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Phil Brickma

September 10th, 2017 at 6:33 PM ^

I disagree. I caught the second half of yesterday's game on the radio and it's still awful. Consistently fails to mention needed information and he might be worse than Brian at pronouncing names.

Perhaps we just have high standards, but I can't think of anyone who calls a major sports team around here that is remotely as bad. Dickinson, Jim Miller, Ken Kal, Blaha, Shep -- all leaps and bounds better.

I love Brandy as a Michigan Man and the other shows he hosts, but this play by play role does not suit him.

Joined: 06/24/2012

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markusr2007

September 10th, 2017 at 7:07 PM ^

It just doesn't work. Especially not with two former offensive lineman.

You need once media guy/voice & one color guys (former player, former coach) ideally.

Having former college HCs makes a huge difference.  Just my opinion.

The best examples:

1. Keith Jackson & Frank Broyles (former Arkansas HC)

2. Al Michaels & Ara Parseighian (former Northwestern, Notre Dame HC)

3. Keith Jackson & Bob Griese

4. Sean McDonough and Chris Spielman

When you get lineman you often get obesity, unintelligibility, windedness, throat clearing, lisps and frankly, brain damage.

Not their fault, and I don't mean to be cruel. But in terms of radio (audio) broadcasts, you got to make it clear, timely and interesting for the listeners.

When Keith Jackson would call the name of a Michigan runningback he greatly emphasized the last consonant. His southern Alabama/Georgia twang would not be denied.

"And at the bottom of that pile gaining the first down with every ounce of power he could muster, is Mr. LeeeRoy HoarDDDD!"

You cannot cook that shit up. It's poetry.

It has to already be there. Genuine. Baked in the guy's DNA.

Gus Johnson has his own style too, which I enjoy.

Brandy is a good color guy.  Like Don Lund was to Bob Ufer.

Dierdorf was an excellent color guy.

What's missing is that distinct, unique, descriptive Michigan voice who can captivate and encapsulate the events unfolding and report the mood and momentum within the stadium on on the sidelines. With speed, accuracy and urgency when necessary. And with slow, paced forboding drama when necessary too. Calling PBP is almost secondary to all of that flavor.  The best moments in Michigan football history on screen were with Keith Jackson on the mic not saying a goddamned word (ex. 1977 Rick Leach scoring the 2nd touchdown).  He let the roar Michigan Stadium and the camera pans do all of the talking. He knew this instinctively.

Brandy simply cannot do this. He doesn't process information that quickly or cannot do it as effectively as the audience would want. He tries too hard. Speaks too much at times. Doesn't say enough at others.

Try watching a game while listening to the broadcast.  Brandy gets players names wrong, gets the wrong tackler name, wrong ball carrier/receiver name, etc.   It takes him too much time to describe what's going on before the next play.  He doesn't anticipate well what failure or success on the next play will likely mean. It's too much fail.

Right now the best voice in college football (but now NFL) is Sean McDonough, hands down.

 

 

 

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DonAZ

September 10th, 2017 at 8:01 PM ^

When I cut my teeth on Michigan football (1973 season), we'd be lucky to get two games on TV.  But the Michigan/Ohio State game was always on, and it was always Keith Jackson announcing.  And it was glorious.  It was the very distilled essence of all things college football.

Your post is absolutely spot on ... Jackson knew when to talk, and when to be quiet.  And when he spoke, he said exactly the right things.  THE best college football announcer.  Period.

(Ditto Ernie Harwell.  Many a summer night growing up I'd be listening to WJR and Tigers baseball.  Ernie would go quiet and I'd hear the sounds of the ballpark.  To this day I recall with great fondness those warm summer nights and Ernie Harwell calling Tiger baseball.)

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stephenrjking

September 11th, 2017 at 12:31 AM ^

Let's be fair: Calling a game on tv is way different than calling it on the radio.

Some announcer silence in baseball radio works because there are frequent pauses, ambient noise is an important part of the game, and the sounds of the game itself are distinctive enough that they don't necessarily need description (ie the sound of a ball striking a catcher's mitt). 

Announcer silence is important in football because the game is very visual and crowd responses are able to supply the audio to support the story the picture is telling. Meanwhile, radio needs details to paint those pictures, especially in football. Frank Beckmann could not be effective using lengthy pauses when something was happening, because we'd be lost.

A good example of the contrast is the Woodson punt return.

Keith Jackson:

He throws in a couple of details, but the crowd and the images say everything and he lets them speak. Terrific call of an all-time moment.

Frank Beckmann:

 

A great call of the same moment, told completely differently. Details ("splits two men), yard lines, and then when Woodson has broken free he gives a clear indicator that things are going well ("and there he goes!") and then shifts into a triumphant and perfectly paced description that matches the word picture to the significance of the moment.

Note that Beckmann occasionally lagged a bit in his description of a detail compared with the video, as it took a moment for the input to process into his speaking mode. But he included details in just the right quantities and was, typically, quite good at keeping the narrative moving at an understandable rate. After all, someone listening doesn't have a tv to compare it to.

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rob f

September 10th, 2017 at 7:27 PM ^

(and still is, for the Detroit Lions), he simply isn't even close to being adequate as a PBP announcer. As was very well stated above by DOBlue48 http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/brandy-improving-pbp#comment-4615666 ...we know how much Brandy loves his alma mater in general and Michigan Football in particular. That doesn't make him any less painful to listen to, though. To further illustrate, let me make a comparison to someone in another sport doing color for a team many of us love: Jim Price on Tigers radio. Gawdawful as a PBP guy while splitting duties in the Tigers broadcast booth for several years, he was finally switched, several seasons ago, to color duties only. And even as a color man, he can be annoying with his overused pat phrases ("the Art of pitching", "yellowhammer", "late movement", etc.), but he does know the game of baseball. No doubt, as a former Tigers catcher, Price LOVES the Detroit Tigers, just as much as there's no doubting Brandy's love of Michigan. But at least the Tigers had the wisdom to take PBP duties away.

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KBLOW

September 10th, 2017 at 7:25 PM ^

He sucks as PBP. Bless his Michigan loving heart, but there can't be a worse radio PBP for a major college football team. He has no business having that job.

Joined: 06/30/2008

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UMProud

September 10th, 2017 at 7:55 PM ^

I like Brandy... his love for the program overrides any roughness which I don't really notice. I prefer love of Michigan over an antiseptic color commentary...he is great...Dan too

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ppudge

September 10th, 2017 at 8:03 PM ^

I remember being very excited when they announced Dierdorf as the new color guy 4 years ago. Until they also said that Brandy was going to be the PBP man. Like others have said, he loves Michigan and has great football knowledge but he's just terrible in this role.

I used to listen to recaps on the radio for the highlights when Beckmann was the PBP man. I mean, who listens to radio highlights after they just watched the game???!! But I did because Frank's excitement got me to relive the moment. And I sometimes used to lower the volume on the TV and listen to the radio. Now I never listen on the radio which is too bad because I always liked Dierdorf on NFL games and would love to hear more of him broadcasting for UM. But I can't take Brandy's PBP.

Simple solution would be Mark Champion. He was terrific as the Lions PBP guy and I have no idea why he was let go because Dan Miller is not very good (although improving).

Joined: 10/19/2008

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Hail Harbo

September 10th, 2017 at 8:25 PM ^

He calls PBP with a staccato beat, perhaps trying to be too percise?  

C'mon Brandy, call the game like you're telling a story, nobody will be upset if the call isn't perfect.  If / when Perry dives into the EZ tell us it's a touchdown right then and there.  There's no need to wait for the official to put his arms up.  If it turns out that it wasn't a TD there is plenty of time and Dierdorf to clear things up.

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1blueeye

September 10th, 2017 at 8:43 PM ^

It's interesting our nostalgic views of old pbp broadcasters. Harwell, Ufer etc., but in this day and age, where do you find it? Look at news anymore. It's good looking dudes in suits and women who look like they could star late night on Cinemax. Or you get the Steven A's or Dickie V's who have their own style not suitable for anything else. Do you want Jamele Hill doing play by play? That combination of passion and talent is rare anymore in broadcast journalism, and as the old guard moves on, they will be hard to replace. Not sure if those in that profession who are truly talented are looking for a career in play by play

Joined: 02/13/2014

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QVIST

September 10th, 2017 at 10:05 PM ^

Hire. Gregg. Daniels. In-state talent, wants the job, and would put an end to this nonsense. You could easily put Brandy and Dierdorf on color and radio broadcasts would be a million times better.

Joined: 08/22/2009

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blueblueblue

September 11th, 2017 at 12:38 AM ^

I'm not sure how he is at PBP because I can't get past his hyper-nasal voice. It's ok for interviews, where the other guy does most of the talking, but unlistenable otherwise. 

Joined: 12/28/2008

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JWG Wolverine

September 11th, 2017 at 12:55 AM ^

I love Jim Brandstatter. I don't love his play by play. I think both him and Dierdorf do great at color, but we need to find a better voice of Mchigan Football. It'll be hard since we have been spoiled with Ufer, Beckmann, and Keith Jackson on TV, but I'm pretty sure we can do better than having Brandstatter doing play by play. Let him do Michigan Replay and color, but he just cannot communicate a play through the radio well. He's got to go from that position.

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