OT: Matt Shepard out as Tigers tv play by play announcer; Karsch thoughts
Wasn't a fan of Matt. They were definitely due for an upgrade.
To make this somewhat non OT, what's everyone's thoughts on Doug Karsch doing play by play for Michigan radio? I've had to listen a few times this year and it was pretty rough. He frequently fails to describe key parts of plays like how many yards were gained, who caught the pass, etc. His gravelly voice is just not suited for radio. I think Jansen does a great job doing color. He's always well prepared for the game. Dan Dickerson is the gold standard for radio play by play. I'd like to see someone closer to his abilities doing Michigan games.
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:27 AM ^
Ernie Harwell would like a word with your gold standard evaluation
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:35 AM ^
As a kid I always wondered how Ernie knew where everyone who caught a foul ball was from.
Then for Christmas one year my aunt bought all of the neices and nephews jackets from their respective cities. Mine was East Detroit (which no longer exists). So it had East Detroit embroidered on the back of it. And it clicked - I finally figured it out. Everyone who catches a ball must be wearing a jacket like mine that has their city on it!
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:40 AM ^
Yeah, but apparently South Detroit does.
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:46 AM ^
Oh man if they woulda just went with East Detroit - which wouldn't have changed the song at all but made it more real - it woulda been legendary. Shit East Detroit probably wouldn't have changed their name.
I listened to an interview on one of those Sunday night shows on either WRIF or WLLZ back in the day and the reason the lyrics are "South Detroit" is because they always stayed in Southfield when they played in Detroit. Which is where all the hotels were at the time. And which is of course.....north of Detroit. Sigh... what could have been.
October 3rd, 2023 at 1:53 PM ^
Born and raised in Eeaassttpoint
October 4th, 2023 at 4:51 AM ^
Lived at 9 Mile and Gratiot during the time of East Detroit transitioning to Eastpointe, right after the Malice Green Riots.
October 3rd, 2023 at 2:13 PM ^
What if the lyric was supposed to be "born and raised in Southfield/Detroit" but that was too many syllables so they cut out "field"??
October 3rd, 2023 at 2:39 PM ^
Steve Perry said they switched the song to South Detroit because it sounded better and rolled off the tongue easier. Nothing more than that.
October 3rd, 2023 at 3:41 PM ^
Windsor claims 'South Detroit' with an odd amount of pride. They have signs and memorabilia throughout the city that say it.
October 3rd, 2023 at 6:20 PM ^
Just so y'all know, that song is still a big hit at the U of Wisconsin "Beloit" bars.
There is also a South Beloit, Illinois. Never been but I'm sure they like it, too.
October 3rd, 2023 at 12:15 PM ^
Don't know why people are so worked up about that. There is a Southwest Detroit, not to mention the Downriver area.
The city gets name-dropped in an iconic song and people are all "You suck, Journey, for not knowing our geography perfectly."
October 3rd, 2023 at 1:46 PM ^
I don't think everyone is trying to say "you suck Journey". It's more just a funny mishap with the lyrics. Most people who are not from SE Michigan don't realize "South Detroit" is not a thing, so telling them about it makes for a quick laugh.
October 3rd, 2023 at 1:53 PM ^
South Detroit is a thing. It’s just called Canada.
October 3rd, 2023 at 2:44 PM ^
If Detroit has a center (middle), doesn’t it also have a north, south, east, and west of center? It does, so there has to be a south Detroit.
October 3rd, 2023 at 2:48 PM ^
Found it
October 3rd, 2023 at 3:20 PM ^
So... Fort Wayne is south Detroit? Interesting.
October 3rd, 2023 at 12:06 PM ^
You're being facetious, right?
October 3rd, 2023 at 12:13 PM ^
I think he's talking about his six-year-old self.
October 3rd, 2023 at 12:20 PM ^
I don't know if that is the correct term but I WAS naive. But I was young and confounded by how he could know where everyone was from. My dad certainly didn't let me in on the joke.
October 3rd, 2023 at 12:32 PM ^
Gotcha, thanks.
For a minute thought we needed to have the talk about Santa Claus.
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:43 AM ^
True. I was thinking of current play by play people. I grew up in Philly with Harry Kalas so he is really my gold standard.
October 3rd, 2023 at 12:51 PM ^
Play by play? The one and only...
October 3rd, 2023 at 1:17 PM ^
"Just a reminder fans, coming up is our 'Die-Hard Night' here at the stadium. Free admission to anyone who was actually alive the last time the Indians won the pennant."
October 3rd, 2023 at 1:15 PM ^
Even George Kell would like a word.
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:32 AM ^
Doug Karsch knows his stuff - but cannot stand that nasty smokers hack like voice for a whole game even on TV.
Dude needs a voice implant, if such medical technology were available...
October 3rd, 2023 at 12:28 PM ^
Petros Papadakis says hold my beer.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:49 AM ^
I thought I was listening to Peter Griffin the first time I tuned into a Petros game
October 3rd, 2023 at 3:25 PM ^
Doug Karsch was good for the 3 to 5 minute weekly update videos that Ed Kengerski has taken over. But 3 to 5 hours is tough.
October 3rd, 2023 at 3:25 PM ^
Doug doesn’t really know his stuff. He works hard, does research to find obscure facts to point out, has spent his career kissing all the right butts to finally get the gig. He’s a genuine good person with a big heart that means well but he is just not a high knowledge football or sports guy in general.
That said it is the play by play gig and not color so being an expert isn’t really a requirement I was just responding to the comment but also as was pointed out he makes alot of mistakes in the play by play and doesn’t really draw you into game a way a great play by play guy can. It just feels sloppy
October 3rd, 2023 at 5:53 PM ^
Agree to disagree, honestly. The guy has lived and breathed Michigan sports since he was a baby, growing up in Ann Arbor — he knows it all. He's an absolute expert.
He also, to his credit, is fully aware that his voice is a drawback. If he had the right pipes, he'd have been in this position many many years earlier. But what can he do about it?
Doesn't mean you can't be bothered by it, of course. Just pointing out that there's not much he can do about it.
October 3rd, 2023 at 7:26 PM ^
Seems like not having the voice should preclude you from the job. Like being ugly when you want to be a model.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:39 AM ^
Bruh, if you think being ugly precludes you from being a model, you have no idea about the industry. Maybe you're thinking of the stereotypical supermodel.
October 3rd, 2023 at 8:20 PM ^
Being around the program and having a few story’s to tell is not the same as knowing your stuff. Maybe we are just disagreeing on what we mean by knowing your stuff but if I want critical analysis or expert opinion on football Doug Karsh is not on my list of people I’d take the time to listen too.
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:02 PM ^
I wouldn't bag on him for anything, other than his voice is not made for radio. He's a Michigan guy through and through. Got to give him time to figure out the play by play stuff.
October 3rd, 2023 at 3:31 PM ^
I can handle his voice OK and am glad he's a good guy. What gets me most is on big plays his first word is always "Jon!" Obviously we're not going to get Gus Johnson, but the difference in play description, especially for the big plays, is unfathomable.
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:33 AM ^
Karsch's voice is like fingernails on a chalkboard for me. I can barely get through 20 minutes of Inside Michigan Football. Can't imagine listening to him call and entire game, even if he was the best play by play person on the planet.
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:38 AM ^
Bob Ufer says Hi! He and Johnny Most are playing cards.
October 3rd, 2023 at 12:26 PM ^
Hearing Frank Beckmann’s voice whenever I see highlights from his time really solidifies this. We had a great 40 year run with him for play-by-play and now just meh for the last 10 years with Brandy & Karsch
October 3rd, 2023 at 3:16 PM ^
brandy was full-on bad at being a PBP guy. typical brandstetter quote, said in an excited voice: there's a run!...(pause)....they go left!....(more pause)....oh boy, did he get tackled hard......(pause)....what do you think, dan?
karsch is okay, not everyone's cup of tea (see many comments in this thread), but he's definitely better than brandstetter.
October 3rd, 2023 at 3:34 PM ^
We'll have to disagree. Brandstetter could get the big calls better. With Karsh's first words out upon breaking a big play usually being an exclamation of "Jon!", give me Brandsetter.
October 3rd, 2023 at 5:09 PM ^
Even if Karsch was actually okay at PBP (which I don’t think he is), his voice is awful for radio or TV. Unlistenable.
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:36 AM ^
I’ve never had a hard time listening to Karsch. Think he does a nice job.
October 3rd, 2023 at 6:52 PM ^
Agree.
Some people just love to bitch n complain.
Now, having said that I live in Florida so I never listen to him on the radio but I do listen to him on YouTube.
His calls on Edwards TD's will forever live on in my head as a wonderful experience
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:38 AM ^
I thought Shephard was great doing Michigan basketball radio, along with Terry Mills.
October 3rd, 2023 at 12:32 PM ^
Agreed. I was bummed when he stopped doing the basketball games.
October 3rd, 2023 at 2:11 PM ^
Shep is indeed great doing UM hoops on the radio, the pacing of baseball just isn't a good fit for him. He also hasn't had great help in the color commentary chair next to him either. Gibson is a legend and while it is great having him around the team, doing commentary probably isn't the right spot for him now with the effects Parkinson's has had. And then Craig Monroe has never done much for me at all.
October 3rd, 2023 at 4:11 PM ^
When I heard Shep was going, my first thought was "Take Gibson with you." Great Tiger, responsible for one of the most iconic moments in team history, and I salute the way he's faced his Parkinson's with dignity. But whether it's the disease or whether he's simply got a voice for mime, the guy simply can't speak coherently. He's so bad it's painful.
October 3rd, 2023 at 6:20 PM ^
His voice is the result of Parkinson's. It causes soft, monotone, "breathy" speaking in 9 out of 10 people with the disease.
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:11 PM ^
I fuckin’ love Gibby. Only when he’s on the air do I keep the radio off while watching Tigers games. You just don’t hear anything like him in broadcasting. It’s like hanging out with your kooky great uncle. He’s the best. To me, that is.
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:55 PM ^
He was a great tiger, and a tiger fan for his whole life. He really knows a lot about the game. I can put up with the unavoidable effects of Parkinson’s.