Next Meeting
Speaker on August 14th
Jim Brandstatter, Sportscaster
Jim Brandstatter has been broadcasting since his graduation from the University of Michigan in 1972.
An offensive lineman for Bo Schembechler’s Wolverines between 1969 and ‘72, “Brandy” played on two Big Ten Championship teams including the 1969 squad that upset #1 ranked Ohio State, and the unbeaten ‘71 Champions. Along the way, he participated in two Rose Bowls.
After graduation, it was off to Saginaw, Michigan, then Jackson, then Detroit, working television newscasts. In 1980, Brandstatter was named to host “Michigan Replay,” the U of M football coach’s TV show. It re-united Brandstatter with his former coach, Bo Schembechler. While the name has changed to “Inside Michigan Football,” the program is still going, and Jim is still hosting. He has worked with Bo, Gary Moeller, Lloyd Carr, Rich Rodriguez, Brady Hoke and now Jim Harbaugh in a run of 38 years. Since 1979, Jim also served as color analyst on Michigan Football games for PASS-TV, ON TV, and different radio outlets. He held that post with longtime broadcast partner and friend Frank Beckmann of WJR radio until 2014.
In 2014, Jim moved to the play-by-play chair on the broadcasts, and he was joined by friend, teammate, former Michigan All American, and NFL Hall of Famer Dan Dierdorf. With over 60 years of broadcast experience, and a deep love for U of M football, this duo brings unmatched intangibles to the Wolverines radio broadcasts.
In 2013, Jim was elected to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. In 2014 Jim was inducted into the Gridiron Greats Hall of Fame, and the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. In 2016, Jim added induction to the Greater Lansing Area Sports Hall of Fame.
Jim has twice been named sportscaster of the year in Michigan by the National Sportcasters and Sportwriters Assn. And, he has served as President of the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Assn. for four terms. Jim is also a past DSBA Ty Tyson broadcast excellence winner.
Since 1987, Jim has also served as the NFL’s Detroit Lions color analyst on their state wide radio network. In 2016 Jim and broadcast partner Dan Miller were honored as “Best in Category” winners by the Michigan Assoc. of Broadcasters in play by play sports for their Lions broadcasts.
2017 will be his 31st year as the Lions analyst. His Play by Play partner for Lions broadcasts is 2013 Ty Tyson sportscaster of the year honoree and friend Dan Miller of Fox 2 Detroit, TV.
Jim is married to former WXYZ-TV Detroit news anchor Robbie Timmons. Robbie is now retired but working hard on her favorite charity, CANTER, a thoroughbred horse transition/rescue.
Pointes Area Assisted Transportation Service
(PAATS)
Available to SMCGP for Lunches and Events
- Need transportation assistance from your home to and from the GP War Memorial for a reasonable price?
- Service area – anyone bounded by 11 Mile Rd, Gratiot, Alter, and Jefferson
- Pricing – within Grosse Pointes or Harper Woods is $3.00 each way
- 8 Mile to 11
