Michigan Radio & TV Buzzboard

There's your new University of Michigan football network broadcast team, so Twitter tells me.

They put the big guy first in the photo, but to read up on it, Doug Karsch will rise from sideline reporting to do play by play and Jon Jansen goes from out of game expert, to color commentator.

The only place for a fresh face to land is in Karsch's old job.

This should be a big improvement in the booth.

I will happily give them a try. I stopped listening on the radio 15 or 20 years ago because of Frank Beckman. I tried liking Jimmy Brandstatter as a PBP guy but he just made me cringe. I liked him a lot as a color guy for both the Lions and Wolverines . But I think he hit the Peter Principal wall doing PBP.

Jansen is a good hire. Karsch is going to be rough. Great talk show host but has he ever even done play by play?

Karsch has the voice of someone who smokes two packs of cigarettes a day.

MWmetalhead wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 09, 2022 6:53 am

Karsch has the voice of someone who smokes two packs of cigarettes a day.

Beckman had a smoker's voice too and he was great.

Has Doug Karsch ever done play by play anywhere?

If not, could prove to be a terrible hire. Not a job for someone who needs training wheels.

The guy who handles men's basketball sucks. Milquetoast as hell. Big step down from Matt Shepard.

MWmetalhead wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 09, 2022 8:22 am

Has Doug Karsch ever done play by play anywhere?

If not, could prove to be a terrible hire. Not a job for someone who needs training wheels.

The guy who handles men's basketball sucks. Milquetoast as hell. Big step down from Matt Shepard.

His sideline reporting experience and knowledge of Michigan football were probably the biggest reasons he was hired. He knows what it's like to have to describe things quickly during a game.

I agree about his voice being raspy. It will take some time getting used to that.

He was hired because he was next in line, so to speak, just as Brandstatter was next in line when Frank retired.

Without question, he's very knowledgeable with regard to Michigan football.

Hopefully he'll surprise me in a favorable way in terms of his play by play ability.

Both Jansen and Karsch will be coming from 97.1, where sports is something that is discussed only between conversations about television shows, food preferences, and other trivial matters. Do you think this will carry over to their UM broadcasts?

Bobbert wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 15, 2022 9:17 am

Both Jansen and Karsch will be coming from 97.1, where sports is something that is discussed only between conversations about television shows, food preferences, and other trivial matters. Do you think this will carry over to their UM broadcasts?

I don't have to think. The answer is unequivocally no.

What worries me is: if another scandal should break, or if Michigan stinks it up or whatever, does this mean at least two of the dayparts have to maintain radio silence?

Mega Hertz wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 16, 2022 7:10 pm

What worries me is: if another scandal should break, or if Michigan stinks it up or whatever, does this mean at least two of the dayparts have to maintain radio silence?

Excellent point. How they navigate the clear conflict of interest being employed both by Audacy and Learfield/IMG College will be interesting when there are inevitably negative things that need to be said about Michigan on 97.1.

Robert Faygo wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 17, 2022 11:31 am

Mega Hertz wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 16, 2022 7:10 pm

What worries me is: if another scandal should break, or if Michigan stinks it up or whatever, does this mean at least two of the dayparts have to maintain radio silence?

Excellent point. How they navigate the clear conflict of interest being employed both by Audacy and Learfield/IMG College will be interesting when there are inevitably negative things that need to be said about Michigan on 97.1.

Negative things don't need to be said. There are ways you can be critical without stopping to the LCD.

Interesting that this topic hasn't continued into the college football season, with these new guys on the air. I listened to one game for a few minutes and concluded that Doug Karsch has a terrible play-by-play voice.