Herbstreit Gone Wild - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

nikeball · 11-01-2006, 07:40 PM

is there a bigger homer in college football reporting...than Herbstreit??

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/si_...gone-wild.html

Herbstreit Gone Wild

An ex-Ohio State quarterback, ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit feels the Buckeyes will roll over Michigan.
Al Tielemans/SI
The first shots have been fired in what is sure to be no shortage of buildup to the Nov. 18 Michigan-Ohio State game -- but strangely, they weren't uttered by a player, coach or employee of either school. The source? ESPN GameDay analyst and former Buckeyes quarterback Kirk Herbstreit, who, according to the Detroit News, had some none-too-kind words for the Wolverines on his Columbus radio show Wednesday. A couple highlights:

? "I personally don't think [Michigan's] defense, the way Ohio State will spread them out, can just dominate the game and shut Ohio State down."

? "If those two teams were to play right now, just the way they're playing, I don't even think it would be close. Ohio State not only wins that game the way they're playing right now, maybe by a few scores."

? On Michigan receiver Steve Breaston's role once injured star Mario Manningham returns: "Breaston can go back to whatever he's doing these days, if they could ever find a way to actually apply him in the offense. He's worthless in my mind, outside of returning a few punts."

Care to wager whether some of those comments will be making there way around the Wolverines locker room the next few weeks?

Herbrsteit is the most astute studio analyst on television, bar none. Unlike some of the downright clowns the networks hire to be their talking heads, he actually talks to coaches and players, knows what he's talking about and usually takes a very level-headed approach to his comments -- at least when he's on ESPN.

Unfortunately, he also treads a fine line between his role as an analyst and his status as an OSU icon, particularly in Columbus, where, in addition to hosting a radio show, his voice can be heard on seemingly every other ad on the radio, and where he's lent his name and services to the popular Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA high school football event.

I don't necessarily disagree with most of his comments in that article. Michigan's offense isn't playing very well right now. It's entirely possible the Wolverines' defense won't dominate the Buckeyes' offense. And if he wants to go ahead and predict a Buckeyes blowout, hey, that's his prerogative. His GameDay colleague, Mr. Corso, has certainly made more outrageous picks than that.

But where Herbstreit crossed the line was in calling Breaston "worthless." Don't get me wrong, the Michigan receiver -- who once put up 315 all-purpose yards against Texas in the Rose Bowl -- has been a tremendous disappointment and an apparent non-factor in the Wolverines' offense. But he's also a college athlete. Journalists don't call college athletes "worthless."

I think I can say with absolute certainty that Herbstreit never would have uttered that phrase were he talking about Breaston on GameDay or any other ESPN program. But on a Columbus radio station, with an audience comprised almost entirely of OSU diehards, the Scarlet-and-Gray Herbstreit couldn't help but come out. And now he's going to be in an awkward position for the next three weeks.

If OSU and Michigan do indeed meet as the No. 1 and 2 teams in the country, it will be the biggest regular-season game college football has seen in a decade. As ESPN's top college football analyst, he will undoubtedly be asked on numerous occasions to provide his analysis about the contest. I'm sure he will take careful measures, as he always does, to present himself in an objective manner at all times. But after that rant, how could anyone possibly buy it?

Five-ofan · 11-01-2006, 08:58 PM

Hes been a HUGE ND guy this year for no good reason...

ocelot_ark · 11-01-2006, 11:07 PM

How many guys AREN'T homers for their alma mater? I don't remember many UT fans giving OSU much of a chance in their game.

capitalcity · 11-01-2006, 11:15 PM

Dude's the kiss of death. It was only 6 days ago that he pronounced Clemson the best 1-loss team in the country.

Don't forget, cockmaster picked Miami to win the national title this year.

capitalcity · 11-01-2006, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikeball

Journalists don't call college athletes "worthless."

And they don't crown a team the GoAT and a 3peat champs before the championship game is even played.

"Worldwide Leader" of what exactly?

Five-ofan · 11-01-2006, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capitalcity

And they don't crown a team the GoAT and a 3peat champs before the championship game is even played.

"Worldwide Leader" of what exactly?

Especially considering they had only won one in a row before that...

TheBlueVan · 11-02-2006, 08:21 AM

Herbstreiets just full of it. He's one way on national tv and another in Columbus. I hope we kill O$U

Five-ofan · 11-02-2006, 10:48 AM

The funny thing is hes still better than corse. Man I hate that guy. The best national college analyst is EASILY Mark May. I dont know if thats a compliment to him or a denegration of the other guys.

capitalcity · 11-02-2006, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Five-ofan

The best national college analyst is EASILY Mark May. I dont know if thats a compliment to him or a denegration of the other guys.

I'd give the nod to craig james... and he only works one day a week.

Five-ofan · 11-02-2006, 11:10 AM

I forgot craig james. I do like James but I think he is a little homerish toward the texas schools which while I am too, is still being homerish...

ocelot_ark · 11-02-2006, 11:37 AM

Herbstreit is the only one that gives Arkansas any chance of getting to the SEC Championship game. I think he actually said he considers Arkansas the best team in the entire SEC last weekend. So, I think he's not so bad!

Five-ofan · 11-02-2006, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ocelot_ark

Herbstreit is the only one that gives Arkansas any chance of getting to the SEC Championship game. I think he actually said he considers Arkansas the best team in the entire SEC last weekend. So, I think he's not so bad!

And its saying crazy stuff like that that bothers people.....

Just kidding man

ocelot_ark · 11-02-2006, 01:38 PM

I know, dude! He must be smoking the good stuff!

capitalcity · 11-02-2006, 02:14 PM

Ark you must consider Brutus Buckeye's pole the "good stuff" cause that's exactly what he's smoking.

4cwebb · 11-02-2006, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Five-ofan

I forgot craig james. I do like James but I think he is a little homerish toward the texas schools which while I am too, is still being homerish...

The good thing about James is that he's effectively not allowed to be a homer for his alma mater, what with the death penalty the program received and all soon after his playing days. He and Herbstreit are both good, but I like James just a little bit better...and let's not forget that he started with College Gameday in the role Herbstreit now occupies.

TheBlueVan · 11-02-2006, 04:33 PM

I've got to go with May, I had liked Herbstreit until this deal. I don't care that he supports his team, I just wish he'd have some consistency and not call a college athlete worthless.

by the way, I played Breaston in intramural basketball, he's so freakin' fast. if only he had some hands...

Five-ofan · 11-02-2006, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBlueVan

I've got to go with May, I had liked Herbstreit until this deal. I don't care that he supports his team, I just wish he'd have some consistency and not call a college athlete worthless.

by the way, I played Breaston in intramural basketball, he's so freakin' fast. if only he had some hands...

I know the feeling. Bethel Johnson(one of the 5 or so fastest guys in the nfl) is from corsicana and I know him fairly well. I played touch football with him one day. Its amazing how fast a 4.2 is in person. He flat out cant catch though. Hes the second best player on madden 2004 though not many people know about it since almost no one plays with him. Deep ball to him is almost unguardable with his 98 speed rating.

capitalcity · 11-03-2006, 09:22 AM

Guess who picked WV last night...

4cwebb · 11-03-2006, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capitalcity

Guess who picked WV last night...

I know Mark May did...did Kirk as well? Lou Holtz correctly picked Louisville.

Five-ofan · 11-03-2006, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capitalcity

Guess who picked WV last night...

Me???

capitalcity · 11-03-2006, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4cwebb

I know Mark May did...did Kirk as well? Lou Holtz correctly picked Louisville.

Yep.

Then as soon as the ass-kicking was cemented he was lobbying for Louisville to jump Florida to #3 in the polls. He identified himself as an AP voter and indicated he would vote that way.

Of course he wants to see the easiest possible matchup for his bucknuts. He knows damn well a 1-loss SEC/Big 12 team would have a shot - whereas an undefeated Louisville is just BCS fodder.

Dude is such a choad.

Five-ofan · 11-03-2006, 06:38 PM

Honestly and I know this sounds weird, I think either UT or a one loss SEC school would have a much better shot of actually beating the Buckeyes BUT what i think that if Louisville goes undefeated they should still get the shot over a one loss team. Now if its a bunch of one loss teams im gonna be arguing really hard for UT but even though the big east is week(though not as much as people think) its still a solid enough conference that if they go undefeated they shouldnt be jumped by a one loss team...