Michigan coaches love Noon games
Harbaugh on why he likes noon kicks over night games: "It most appeals to my football sensibility."
— Adam Schnepp (@aeschnepp) September 25, 2017
Michael Zordich: It's a beautiful thing. College football should be played at Noon every Saturday.
Don Brown: "I love the Noon games" just now on Inside Michigan Football radio show when asked about night game.
October 10th, 2017 at 11:04 AM ^
That's nice, but TV contracts are TV contracts. This is 2017.
October 10th, 2017 at 11:07 AM ^
You know, I actually understand what you're saying (reading charitably) and think you're right, but to express it this way...
"Law of identity. Current year."
...is silly. But I guess you're just tired of going at it with WD?
I can't think of another reason to write a correct comment so unpersuasively.
October 10th, 2017 at 11:08 AM ^
Another brief comment:
English: Do you speak it?
October 10th, 2017 at 11:18 AM ^
Hi Bando. I think you are right that the current situation of TV contracts funding a large chunk of the Michigan athletics budget leads to a significant influence on scheduling that won't be done away by the preferences of a few folks.
Do you think your original comment will persuade someone who doesn't see it the same way?
October 10th, 2017 at 11:41 AM ^
This kid won't be convinced of anything, from the fact that Bo is dead to the fact that TV contracts dictate game times--not coaches' preferences.
Other than that, I'm not sure what your point is.
October 10th, 2017 at 11:44 AM ^
I read through some of your recent comments, and it looks like you've already argued this well a couple of times over the last two days, and WD just wants to keep bringing it up. So in that context, I now understand why you would be short with him.
October 10th, 2017 at 1:34 PM ^
elements"?
To Harbaugh's credit, I haven't heard him or the coaches do anything like blaming the time of the game. They have just been asked questions about game times and answered them honestly.
So I think we as a fanbase need to stop making any kind of deal out of this, and let the sports writers keep justifying their existence by creating false narratives.
It might be justified, if it was a night game on the West Coast, and this was actually exacerbating a physiological advantage that the West Coast team already had.
But this is a total non-story. The only thing it affects is how drunk we fans are by the time the game starts, and I actually think our fans acquitted themselves well this time around.
October 10th, 2017 at 2:10 PM ^
October 10th, 2017 at 2:17 PM ^
I believe he's contractually obligated to do at least 8 of these per year.
October 10th, 2017 at 4:11 PM ^
And I also assume coaches love their salaries. Those salaries don't get paid out without aforesaid lucrative TV contracts.
So maybe if the coaches were willing to take a 25-30% cut in their salaries, the schools could push back and leave money on the table and not schedule so many night games, etc.
Either way it works out though, the scheduling and the whole "bottomless budget for your program" do go hand in hand whether they like it or not.
October 10th, 2017 at 1:10 PM ^
October 10th, 2017 at 11:06 AM ^
October 10th, 2017 at 11:26 AM ^
This is exactly why WD likes noon games.
October 10th, 2017 at 3:15 PM ^
I prefer noon games, since that's 6am in my backyard. Nothing beats a 6am Michigan football game.
October 10th, 2017 at 11:39 AM ^
I ALWAYS rent from Hertz BTW....
October 10th, 2017 at 11:48 AM ^
I only buy Aris gloves!
October 10th, 2017 at 11:53 AM ^
Indeed yes. The only reason I smoke Chesterfields is because there was a sign on the center field wall of the Polo Grounds that told me to do it. I saw it in a photo and everything.
October 10th, 2017 at 11:56 AM ^
And the same reason why, for relaxing times, I always make it Suntory time.
October 10th, 2017 at 12:54 PM ^
October 10th, 2017 at 11:08 AM ^
we will probably have two or three more night games this season so it may be time for them to start loving night games too!!
October 10th, 2017 at 11:28 AM ^
Just one more, likely. Obviously PSU is that game. The only other possibility is at Wisconsin. Maker help us if that is a night game.
October 10th, 2017 at 11:36 AM ^
Wisconsin and Maryland won't be night games, as Michigan has the right to single handily veto any night games after the first week of November and it seems highly unlikely our AD/Jim would be willing to agree to one.
Besides PSU, the last option is Minnesota, but that seems highly unlikely given how bad the Gophers are becoming.
October 10th, 2017 at 12:10 PM ^
One of Michigan's remaining games must be on BTN, per contract. That will, obviously, be either Rutgers, Minnesota or Maryland. Since Rutgers is locked into noon, there's a chance it's on ESPN2 or something like that. Minnesota has a pretty good chance to be the BTN game.
I don't blame you if you haven't noticed, but the BTN has started showing a good number of night games. Nobody watches, but they show them anyway. It's the worst time slot in the conference--even worse than the noon BTN time slot--for ratings. Everybody is watching ABC, FOX or ESPN at night.
There is a small chance that the Minnesota game is a BTN night game.
October 10th, 2017 at 3:06 PM ^
Genuine question: How does the BTN contract work?
I thought it was one home game per year (in which case we'd be covered with Air Force)?
Is it instead two games total, regardless of home or away?
October 10th, 2017 at 3:12 PM ^
Home/Away doesn't matter to the BTN: they need the "big names" twice and don't care where the game is. The rule is pretty simple: the BTN gets 2 games from each team, and at least 1 of those 2 must be a conference game.
There are other rules as well: some weeks BTN gets a higher choice, sometimes only the leftovers. The BTN also gets a certain total number of conference games and total games. But the team-specific rule is 2 total, including 1 conference game.
http://mattsarzsports.com/Contract/GameList/BigTen/2017#.Wd0bgBXyvIU
October 10th, 2017 at 4:06 PM ^
Michigan still needs a conference game on BTN. That one sort of "screams" BTN.
October 10th, 2017 at 8:34 PM ^
True, although it is at Noon which goes against the BTN current. Noon slates are generally crappy, so often times it's good enough for the networks to merely have a top 5 fanbase/brand in a noon slot, regardless of who it's against.
Michigan at Maryland at 3:30 would be my best bet, with the Rutgers game a close second.
October 10th, 2017 at 11:51 AM ^
Teams have the right to veto a night game in the last three weeks of the regular season. This means that theoretically the networks could choose to make Michigan/Minnesota a night game, although with both teams most likely having multiple losses by then, it would be a surprise.
Regarding Wisconsin, I would be shocked beyond belief if Michigan didn't choose to exercise their veto ability, both from a stadium atmosphere standpoint (Camp Randall at night) and the coaches' professed affinity for afternoon games.
(This assumes that Maryland will not be considered for a night game given their projected number of losses.)
October 10th, 2017 at 7:16 PM ^
October 10th, 2017 at 7:24 PM ^
Right, there needs to be two more over the rest of this season and all of next.
October 10th, 2017 at 9:37 PM ^
October 11th, 2017 at 8:42 AM ^
Home games. It's not overall night games, home and away.
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October 10th, 2017 at 11:23 AM ^
I love noon games. I love night games. I love late afternoon games.
October 10th, 2017 at 11:29 AM ^
This guy gets it.
October 10th, 2017 at 11:33 AM ^
I don't love games in the rain. I love games in a house. I love games with a mouse
October 10th, 2017 at 12:03 PM ^
I stayed for the whole Purdue game in 1995. The 5-0 game.
i thought the Indiana game with the snow was cool too.
To me, outdoor football adds another complexity which is interesting.
October 10th, 2017 at 1:25 PM ^
One of my favorite games in the history of football. Brutal weather conditions. Mike Alstott carrying the rock for Purdue. Horrible sod field.
+1 for attendance.
October 10th, 2017 at 1:18 PM ^
Do you like Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain?
Are you not into yoga, do you have half a brain?
If so, meet a girl tomorrow noon, and cut through all the red tape
At a bar called O'Malley's, where you'll plan your escape
October 10th, 2017 at 11:29 AM ^
Why does no one ever ask the players what time they prefer? They're the ones actually playing in the game.
October 10th, 2017 at 11:42 AM ^
Because they don't have a voice in this, either.
For the millionth time: TV dictates kickoff. Period. Don't like it? Don't sign the contract, give up the TV money, fold half the Athletic Department. Great solution.
October 10th, 2017 at 11:50 AM ^
I agree with you. Just saying the coaches preference isn't the only thing that matters. I'd prefer the game be when the players want to play.
October 10th, 2017 at 11:58 AM ^
It just creates an annoying narrative.
October 10th, 2017 at 1:33 PM ^
I'm unsure why they are the only ones who ask the coaches. You should ask them. Then the TV people won't be the only ones who ask the coaches.
October 10th, 2017 at 11:30 AM ^
Great, further evidence they are giving away this franchise.... the public wants night games, the recruits wanna play in night games for prime time..... msu gets this and plays alot of them and late afternoon games and is beginning to get more on national TV.
The one thing I'd have expected Harbaugh the promoter to want is exposure, and to play at night on national TV.
October 10th, 2017 at 11:30 AM ^
October 10th, 2017 at 11:35 AM ^
October 11th, 2017 at 9:32 AM ^
Recruits want to PLAY.. For a winning team. For a decent school.
I seriously doubt any recruit anywhere chose one school over another because it had a greater number of night games.
October 10th, 2017 at 11:39 AM ^