Jim Brandstatter

Childhood and family Brandstatter was born in East Lansing, Michigan, one of five boys born to Art Brandstatter Sr., an All-American fullback for the Michigan State Spartans football team in 1936. From 1969 to 1972, he was an offensive tackle on the varsity team during Coach Bo Schembechler's first three seasons. Brandstatter made the All-Big Ten team in 1971 and played in two Rose Bowls, during his time with Michigan (1970 and 1972). Brandstatter signed with the New England Patriots of the National Football League after going undrafted in the 1972 NFL draft, but was released during training camp in June. He joined the Lansing All Stars of the Midwest Football League in August 1974, where his brother Art was the head coach. He also played with the team in 1975 when they became the Lansing Capitals. ==Broadcasting career==

Television After graduating from the University of Michigan, Brandstatter was hired as the sports director of WEYI-TV in the Flint–Tri-Cities area. After 30 years, Brandstatter remains the original host and the show has grown from being seen only in Southeastern Michigan to available nationwide on cable and satellite. Radio Brandstatter formerly hosted a weekly college football radio show, called Brandy and Bo with Coach Bo Schembechler. Brandy and Bo talked with coaches previewing upcoming games and discussed issues facing collegiate football. Brandstatter could be heard calling play-by-play of his alma mater's football games on the Michigan Sports Network, teaming with color analyst Dan Dierdorf, sideline reporter Doug Karsch. and studio analyst Jon Jansen until the end of the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. From 1979 to 2013, Brandstatter was the color analyst on the Michigan radio broadcasts, while Frank Beckmann called play-by-play. From 1987 until July 2018, Brandstatter worked as the radio color commentator for the Detroit Lions Radio Network. Brandstatter also hosts the syndicated weekly Inside Michigan Football TV Show highlighting players, game day highlights and comments by Coach Jim Harbaugh and other coaches and players, along with Doug Karsch and Ed Kengerski during the college football season. ==Awards and honors==

Brandstatter has been inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2013. In 2014, the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the Gridiron Greats Hall of Fame added his name to their honor rolls. And in 2016, he was inducted into the Lansing Area Sports Hall of Fame. He was voted in 2004 and 2008 as "Sportscaster of the Year in Michigan" by the National Sportscasters/Sportswriters Association. He twice served as the president of the Detroit Sports Media Association (DSMA). In 2006, Brandstatter was named by the DSMA as the Ty Tyson Award winner for Excellence in Sports Broadcasting in Michigan. Brandy and Bo twice won Michigan Association of Broadcasters "Best in Category" honors. Michigan Replay/Inside Michigan Football has been nominated for Michigan Emmy Awards. ==Personal life==

Brandstatter is married to broadcaster Robbie Timmons, whom he met in 1975 while they both worked at WILX-TV. While at that station in 1972, Timmons became the first woman to anchor the evening news in America, and later anchored the weekday news on WXYZ-TV in Detroit from 1982 until her retirement in 2010. ==Bibliography==