In Michigan, Chris Iott noted FS Detroit switched to a three-man analyst rotation for Tigers broadcasts for the'15 season and is "expected to have at least that many analysts" in '16. A source said that analysts Rod Allen, Kirk Gibson and Jack Morris "are all expected to return as in-game analysts" next season. The source added that current studio analyst Craig Monroe "might also be added to the in-game analyst mix" (MLIVE.com, 9/16).
YOU CAN CALL ME AL: NBC’s Al Michaels appeared on Fox Sports Radio’s “The Herd” yesterday and talked about his proclivity to reference point spreads during NFL broadcasts. He said, “I’ve been doing this for a long time, dropping in these subtle hints. But it’s reached the point now where on ESPN, they’re overtly talking about point spreads. On a ton of radio shows, they’re talking about point spreads. When I began to do this, it was like, ‘Oh, he’s not supposed to do it, but that’s great.’” He noted a lot of people watching the conclusion of the season-opening Steelers-Patriots game, which the Pats won 28-21, had a “very vested interest” in the final score. Michaels: “Especially in that particular game, where it depended where you made your wager, whether it was seven or seven-and-a-half” (“The Herd with Colin Cowherd,” Fox Sports Radio, 9/16).
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS: THE MMQB's Peter King writes the "best part" of HBO's "Hard Knocks" is "player interaction and their understanding -- or lack thereof -- of how fleeting their opportunity is." This dilemma of "Hard Knocks" is the "push-pull that goes on in many situations over the course of a year between the two sides of an NFL franchise: the business/marketing side and the football operations side." The league and team marketing side "are always interested in more access -- that is what the public wants -- while the football side is holding the dam against that deluge of requests for access." It is something that "will only become more pronounced" (MMQB.SI.com, 9/17).
