OT: Multiple broadcast formats for national title game tonight
January 9th, 2017 at 10:20 AM ^
January 9th, 2017 at 10:25 AM ^
They've done it for a few games in the past few years, some coaches are better than others but the biggest problem is that none of them will say anything negative at all. Even when it is obvious a player screwed up or the coach called a bad play.
January 9th, 2017 at 10:32 AM ^
I've always felt that that is exactly what made them become coaches.
And not internet commenters.
January 9th, 2017 at 12:47 PM ^
January 9th, 2017 at 2:19 PM ^
...is the "sky cam," but that turns out to be more of a quarterback's eye view than a true overhead like they had for soccer.
January 9th, 2017 at 10:30 AM ^
January 9th, 2017 at 12:47 PM ^
January 9th, 2017 at 10:33 AM ^
Last year was the first time that I watched the coaches, and I loved watching Willie Taggart. I didn't know until after that he was a Harbaugh guy, but it is easy to see why they loved him. I am hoping that there is a coach that sticks out like he did.
January 9th, 2017 at 11:12 AM ^
Taggart and Narduzzi were two of the best on there last year I thought. Narduzzi especially actually got pretty into the breakdowns when they went to him.
January 9th, 2017 at 3:04 PM ^
He was also calling out the offensive plays before they were even run. It was a perfect window into how he made the MSU defense so effective during his time there.
January 9th, 2017 at 10:26 AM ^
January 9th, 2017 at 10:27 AM ^
I'm most excited for the "Sounds of the Game" broadcast, with no commentators but additional on-field sounds. Announcers are generally inane, and modern graphics packages provide all the information you need on-screen about players, stats, etc.
January 9th, 2017 at 10:57 AM ^
I watched last year's Oregon/TCU Alamo Bowl on the sky cam view. I actually really enjoyed it - great view of the field from behind the QB, so you get to see routes/coverages progress, holes open up, etc. similar to how the offense would. Also, the lack of announcers was fantastic - just listening to the crowd's energy build with the crazy comeback that took place that game may have been the best part.
January 9th, 2017 at 2:21 PM ^
I watched that online some this year and really enjoyed it.
Unfortunately they're using ESPN Classic for that one tonight and it's the only one of the ESPN channels Time Warner doesn't offer in HD.
January 9th, 2017 at 10:32 AM ^
I don't care for most announcers these days. they seem to ramble on about things that I could not care less about. Someone's brother's uncle, etc. I mostly mute or find an online radio broadcast.
But what I'd really like, not that anyone is asking, is wider camera angles and keep the camera on the field AFTER the play so I can see the substitutions the coaches are making. They switch to the view of the formation of offense and defense seconds before the snap. Ok, morning rant over.
Thanks for posting. Looking forward to the final game of this season tonight.
January 9th, 2017 at 10:37 AM ^
I'm with ya, but we're in the minority. A true full view of the field would be awesome, and no zooming in on the ball. I wanna see ALL the players, there's so much more going on than the ball carrier.
January 9th, 2017 at 10:46 AM ^
Use the "all 22" and let the coaches go off of that. In years past they would say what play was going to be run before the snap and be right on fairly often.
January 9th, 2017 at 12:37 PM ^
There will be one major advantage to the commentating in this game that other games don't have.
For every other game, the announcers are always chiming in with non sequiturs about who should be in the top four and who the Heisman contenders are. During bowl games they always talk about who's going to win the playoffs and what are the key matchups in the playoffs and who's going to be in the championship game. In short, they always try to host a college football talk show during their game. I want to hear about the game in front of me. If I gave a shit about the other crap, I would just watch the talk shows.
Tonight they have no reason to do that.
But I still think I like the "sounds of the game" idea the best.
January 9th, 2017 at 10:34 AM ^
Not intrigued at all. Just give me the regular experience without having to watch the same jackasses but on a couch eating. I can get better analysis on this blog than the vanilla-Disney takes with a side of chicken wings on there.
January 9th, 2017 at 10:34 AM ^
January 9th, 2017 at 10:34 AM ^
I prefer the coaches analysis to the normal TV broadcast, but I prefer the video feed from the TV broadcast. I don't want to see coaches sitting in a room and a small view of the game. I want their commentary, but the game to take up the full screen.. too bad ESPN won't do that cuz they suck.
January 9th, 2017 at 10:38 AM ^
January 9th, 2017 at 10:49 AM ^
is there a no commercial version.
cause that's the one i would watch
January 9th, 2017 at 12:40 PM ^
Sure.
1) Set DVR.
2) Disconnect from the Matrix for 90 minutes.
3) Turn on DVR.
4) Find fast-forward button on remote.
5) Enjoy!
January 9th, 2017 at 10:51 AM ^
January 9th, 2017 at 11:02 AM ^
I believe they have done something like this before. Some of the angles are cool, but nothing is better than the traditional broadcast.
I'd like to add that I cannot stand how the title game is on Monday nights. There is absolutely no reason their title game cannot be on a Saturday night. Everyone wants that. It makes the most sense. Yet, the NCAA won't budge.
January 9th, 2017 at 2:26 PM ^
It's not a rhetorical question; I honestly don't know. But they're running a playoff game in that slot and they may not want to give it up and go back to early Saturday afternoon.
January 9th, 2017 at 11:01 AM ^
Was hoping for the sideline cam, similar to the UM/OSU basketball game
January 9th, 2017 at 11:42 AM ^
LOL, god that was awful.
It's no surprise ESPN never did that again. They got so much shit for it. I loved how the announcers kept trying to sell it to the viewers, saying what a great angle it is. No....just no. It was a horrible idea.
January 9th, 2017 at 12:06 PM ^
It really allowed you to see the athletes in action...
January 9th, 2017 at 2:01 PM ^
Oh yes...and their size and how skillful they were.
January 9th, 2017 at 11:08 AM ^
I might switch between formats just to see what each is like - I know they've done this with select games, but the fact that I haven't really been curious about until now shows you how much I actually care about having the choices, I suppose. Anyway, I am sure I'll go back to the typical format, but we'll see.
January 9th, 2017 at 11:25 AM ^
This would be awesome if I could actually stay up and watch the whole thing, but that's hard to do when I have work tomorrow morning. I don't know what the point is in having this game on a weeknight.
January 9th, 2017 at 12:04 PM ^
I believe it was last year that they had the regular camera angle without announcers on ESPN Classic. Unfortunately, the lack of HD dooms this option. If they had it in HD, it would be great: normal camera views with crowd noise, band, and PA announcer, no play by play or commentators.
January 9th, 2017 at 5:33 PM ^
January 9th, 2017 at 12:39 PM ^
Would pay big money for a pay-per-view option featuring Keith Jackson.
January 9th, 2017 at 5:31 PM ^
January 9th, 2017 at 2:24 PM ^
the up-skirt cam broadcast.
January 9th, 2017 at 2:54 PM ^
I watched the coaches last year and enjoyed the game a lot more than I would have otherwise. Lot's more viewing and replay angles including plenty of full-22. A big factor is the coaches themselves -- are they the type that talk too much or not enough and will one or two end up bullying out the rest. Brian Griese's moderating will be key to the show's success. Regardless, I highly recommend it. I might even recommend it if Michigan were playing.
January 9th, 2017 at 5:29 PM ^