In the bleachers: 5 questions with football analyst Michael Felder

I started following him on twitter (he’s popular, 14,000+ followers) and he has quickly become one of my favorite people online for the following 3 reasons:

• He is hilarious.
• He knows college football.
• He loves Charlotte.

Michael has lived in the Queen City since 1993 and currently works as a college football analyst for Bleacher Report (produces about 20 videos a week and his content is enjoyed by millions, yes millions) – so I tweeted him to see if I could interview him and he graciously responded and now I can’t stop laughing.

(1) As resident of Charlotte since 1993 what are 5 words would you use to describe the city’s growth?

Super explosive with great backfill.

(2) As a college football analyst for Bleacher Report, how do you spend your typical Saturday during the football season?

During the season I’m at home every Saturday. The day starts at noon with dual screens going plus the DVR working for what I cannot watch live. I shoot some videos in my studio upstairs for B/R for post-game reactions and analysis. This goes on until the final bell sounds for the west coast games. No leaving the house, no drinking, no cooking, just me and the two televisions with football going on as I take notes.

I really have not considered how many hours per week that I spend watching games. Sunday I like to watch things I missed, or rewatch things that stood out to me. Monday I watch football from 10 am until probably 5 pm putting things together for videos and to clear up points of note. Tuesday is a lot of putting together videos, less watching but then Wednesday and Thursday are both heavy watch days to prep for reactions and what I expect to happen. Mix in watching some high school things to do recruiting and the grand total is somewhere in the neighborhood of a lot.

(3) Some consider you a fashion icon for your cat t-shirts and Houston Astros baseball caps. Where would you say you draw your inspiration from?

There are really only 2 answers here, myself and the industry. I wear what I like and what I feel comfortable putting on my body. I’m a t-shirt guy, mostly Nike or Tommy Bahama to be specific. They feel better than other t-shirts. I’m a shorts everyday, year round wearer and those are Stanton’s from J. Crew, 7″ of course. Khakis from Banana Republic, the Dawson which they don’t carry in stores anymore.

Since my freshman year of college when my legs expanded mightily due to a ton of squats and power cleans*, I’ve had to make clothing choices with that in mind. Which is why comfort is key for me. However, I’ve really been into fashion over the last decade or so, including subscribing to Harper’s Bazaar, and it makes me want to take some risks or co-op some runway styles. I really like a cropped pant or a pinch roll to my khakis. It scares some people, they call them capris or manpris, but I think it’s a really cool, casual look. Unless I have on sneakers, I don’t wear socks, another move that picked up from looking at some more fashion forward folks. Realizing letting that ankle show in a pant, or pairing a desert boot or oxford with shorts and no socks is a great look.

*He played football for UNC

(4) Surprise! The mayor has named this Saturday Michael Felder Day. What are 3 things that all residents of the city must do on that day to celebrate you?

My 3 are easy, sit out on a deck, crush ice cold Bud Lights and listen to good jams in your sunglasses. Is that 4 things with the sunglasses? I don’t care, I always wear sunglasses, everyone should.

(5) Other than the rocking chairs in the airport what makes Charlotte a great city to live in?

The list is long, for me, because the weather, the food, the people are all elite. The only drawback is the lack of true walkability, but certain neighborhoods and areas of the city actually have that down pat, too. I think Charlotte is the perfect city, I’ve been asked to move several times and my answer is always no. This is the place I want to raise my future kids who do not currently exist, and the place that I want to die whenever that day should come. I grew up here, my family still lives here, my wife is obviously here now although she’s a Michigan transplant (there are so many people from the north here now), my brother and his wife, who’s pregnant with my niece, is here.

No place I’d rather be than Charlotte and from the growth of the city, it seems there are plenty of folks who feel the same way.