• Brandyman Can Do Play-by-Play | Jim Brandstatter Interview

    Brandy and Dierdorf in the Summer of ‘69  [Bentley] You certainly know by now that this season longtime U-M color analyst Jim Brandstatter shifts over one chair, replacing Frank Beckmann as the play-by-play man.  Next to him will be Brandy’s former teammate and pal, longtime NFL broadcaster & Hall of Famer Dan Dierdorf.   I spoke to both men this summer for a piece you can find all season in the home game program.   For you – I posted the full Dierdorf interview last week.   Like Dan D., Brandstatter is just an outstanding guy – incredibly kind.  File under FWIW – as a pee-wee I grew up in East Lansing a few houses down from Brandy’s older brother (and Spartan) Art and his great family. Here’s the balance of my chat with Brandy: ——————————————————————— MVictors: All right, so when did you decide to go for the play-by-play gig? Jim Brandstatter: I really didn’t decide, it was kind of decided for me. This whole thing, when Frank announced his retirement they had gone out and they were looking for people and they were, nothing really fit the bill. As I understand it they really wanted a guy who had Michigan background–someone who brought Michigan with him to the broadcasts. Then it wasn’t until the third week in January that I was asked…