What happened Saturday was the fulfillment of the promise of Harbaugh – the antidote for the seemingly unbeatable Buckeyes. For all the times people tried to channel Bo and the 1969 (24-12) game during the last dozen years, it actually happened in 2021 – when no one really talked about it or prophesized it. Click here for the Sights and Sounds:
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Sights & Sounds | Family Reunion (Michigan 47, Western Michigan 14)
As JJ McCarthy's pass sailed diagonally across the field, a truck pulled up to the gates of Michigan Stadium. Its cargo was approximately 110,000 cans of that sweet nectar of hype, hope, and expectation. Of course, you usually received your annual dose around the first week of August each year, but you know, COVID and all. To the Sights and Sounds from Saturday. This is my gameday peek into events off the field on Saturdays, aka whatever you call the opposite of Xs and Os:
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Debuts: Bo and Canham’s Carpet | TWIMFbH (1969)
This week we head back exactly 45 years to the opener of the 1969 season and a new era in Michigan Football History. It was of course the debut of Bo…and Canham’s beloved new carpet: Speaking of Canham’s carpet, I love this old shot of Dierdorf and Bo: You can catch all of the This Week in Michigan Football History clips here…And don’t forget to catch it live Saturday on the KeyBank Countdown to kick-off on WTKA 1050AM or inside the Bud Light Victors Lounge starting at 11:30am. Follow MVictors on Twitter
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Pregame Pics | Appalachian State
In and around the gridiron before from this fine morning: The obligatory Peppers No Horror part Deux, thank you The new radio duo loving it. And P.S., I shook Dierdorf’s giant hand and now I can barely type this The inside of the mascot head smells like Doritos, Jagermeister and shattered dreams. (HT: Sklars) The Funchise — surprised everyone by coming out in the COVETED #1. His statement here. Uniform timeline will be updated. The block M nosebumper made it on the field, Uniform Timeline will be updated. First change to the bumper since 1985 when MICHIGAN replaced the helmet manufacturer in that slot. NOTHING wrong with seeing that name roam the west sideline Follow MVictors on Twitter
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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…
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Reintroducing Dan Dierdorf, Michigan Man | Interview
You probably know 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. Before the season I got to chat with these guys for a piece for the game program--so look for that each Saturday.
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And I’ve Been Working Like a Dog
A Hard Night’s Day – via Hail to the Victors 2014. Yo! I’ve been wrapped up for a while with all kinds of stuff, including working on some interviews and pieces that you coming up soon or this fall. Things will being to ramp up on these pages soon heading up the season. Things to look for: Hail to the Victors 2014 – Within the pages of mgoblog’s annual epic preseason book, this time I dropped in a piece on the widely ignored 1964 Big Ten/Rose Bowl championship team. It takes you through the season primarily through the eyes of team captain Jim Conley, along with some help from his coach Bump Elliott and teammate Barry Dehlin. Earmuffs! It’s harsh – it’s spicy – and after you read it you won’t have a problem remembering the ‘64 team. GoBlueWolverine Mag – Coming out before the season, I dropped in my interview with Bump Elliott that you’ll dig – it talks about the ‘64 team of course, but also gets into Woody, Bo, Bump feeling on his own legacy and much more. 2014 Game Program – Still working on some stuff for the program (a few things in the works) and I interviewed both Dan Dierdorf and Jim Brandstatter. You’ll get the full interviews on these pages later on. A sneak…
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Man Down in the Press Box | Brandy Does Play-by-Play (1980)
Last week we learned that the new radio broadcast team will be former U-M teammates Jim Brandstatter and Dan Dierdorf. The big news is that Brandy is shifting over a seat to do the play-by-play, with DD handling the color commentary. I confirmed with Doug Karsch that he will remain is his previous role handling the on-field duties. I kinda hope Karsch would get the nod to be in the booth (in one role or another) but it’s hard to argue with the Brandy-DD team. Heck, I didn’t even know Dierdorf was an option. You might know that Brandy stepped in to handle the radio play-by-play back in 2003 for the Northwestern game, but that’s not actually the first time he performed those duties during a Michigan football game. It turns out that was way back in 1980…on TV. Recently Steve “Dr. Sap” Sapardanis shared with me the details of Brandstatter’s first shot calling the game: In 1980, Larry Adderley and Jim Brandstatter were all set to call the Michigan-Notre Dame football game from South Bend, Indiana for a local cable TV outlet. Adderley, who had just finished 5 years as the host of Michigan Replay with coach Bo Schembechler, would unfortunately come down with laryngitis just before kickoff. He made a valiant effort to do the play-by-play, but…
