Kirk Herbstreit Is Dead to Me
Kirk Herbstreit just suggested that Michigan would duck OSU two weeks from now on ESPN's Top 25 countdown show. When Rece Davis gave him an opportunity to explain what evidence he had that that might be the case, he had nothing. Zippo. Nada. He only offered that some coaches around the country are 'throwing up the white flag' when faced with opponents they cannot beat. Looked like a wanker on a barstool in Keokuk, and sounded like one, as well.
Highly irresponsible, coming from someone who styles himself a journalist; from a former OSU player on whom the onus for sportsmanship and fair play remains--on might hope--particularly strong.
What's more the guy has gotten [edited: intellectually lazy] during his confinement, and badly needs to [edited: cut all ties with his loathsome alma mater]. Ought to be censured by ESPN.
[I appreciate that the OP now understands that fat-shaming is inappropriate, as I take note of his apology further downthread. I took some um..."liberties" with my edit of the OP -rob f]
December 1st, 2020 at 7:27 PM ^
I lost all respect for Herbstreit when he refused to call out the refs during the 2016 game broadcast...I exchanged some (non G-rated) words with him when ESPN was here for Gameday in 2018
December 1st, 2020 at 7:41 PM ^
Name me the broadcaster who calls out the refs.
December 1st, 2020 at 7:42 PM ^
Joel Klatt.
December 1st, 2020 at 7:58 PM ^
Joel Klatt is great. I enjoy how he describes the game in a logical but interesting way. I also appreciate how he is not afraid to say what he is thinking about referee calls or even coaching decisions.
December 1st, 2020 at 9:05 PM ^
Great post -- typical Michigan getting screwed by refs.
Go Blue.
December 3rd, 2020 at 12:08 AM ^
Joel Klatt is awesome, one of the best in the business.
December 1st, 2020 at 7:52 PM ^
I feel like I’ve heard former players turned color commentator say a few things about officials.
December 1st, 2020 at 7:52 PM ^
Name one team that has done this, and don't say Florida St. They had every reason to not play.
December 1st, 2020 at 8:34 PM ^
Putting here so that people see. He just apologized on twitter
December 1st, 2020 at 8:41 PM ^
Good for him. That is a legitimate apology.
December 1st, 2020 at 9:15 PM ^
This is Pathetic on two levels:
1. He is a f-ING homer so who the heck believes this shit apology.
2. Would love to say “let’s play The Game and kick their ass” but we have no way of backing that up. Some day ?
Forever Go Blue !
December 1st, 2020 at 9:45 PM ^
I don't agree with #1. Herbie has always been fair in his commentary. I like the guy and this apology only makes me like him more.
On the other hand, I DO agree with #2.
December 2nd, 2020 at 12:37 AM ^
Lol Herbie is not a homer. Remember when he lit into Terrell Pryor and then had to move because Columbus was no longer safe for him? The only thing remotely approaching homerism I've ever seen from him is wearing a red tie while broadcasting The Game. I can live with that
December 2nd, 2020 at 9:03 AM ^
not a homer huh? follow the link:
Hes not as bad as others are or can be, but he has his moments...
December 2nd, 2020 at 10:08 AM ^
Very much agree here. If anything, I have always felt that Herbstreit goes out of his way to give Michigan the benefit of the doubt over the years. He never seems to take the bait and take a cheap shot at the program. He always provides reasonable analysis and gives other explanation for the things wrong in AA other than "haha, TTUN SUCKS." Clearly, the man respects the hell out of the program and Jim Harbaugh.
Like you said above, a homer is not one who is forced to move his home and family from Columbus.
He should not have said what he said. He made a mistake. He apologized. It seems reasonable to move on.
December 4th, 2020 at 10:25 AM ^
And he moved because his wife caught him cheating and demanded a move otherwise divorce. Not being judgmental just a fact.
December 2nd, 2020 at 10:39 AM ^
You're gonna complain about Herbstreit being a homer...have you listened to Desmond talk? THEY'RE ON THE SAME SHOW.
December 2nd, 2020 at 10:54 AM ^
Underrated comment. Desmond has his moments. But I think both are very fair when it comes to critiques about their respective alma maters.
Deep down inside they both bleed their colors. It would be odd if they didn't let homerism slip every now and then.
December 1st, 2020 at 8:42 PM ^
Most likely forced by his boss here. But he did what he wanted to do. He needs OSU to get into the playoffs and to play their final two games. So he made sure he planted the seed of Michigan backing out so that it picks up steam. In the instance that it does happen he will look right, also now that he's brought light to the situation he feels that he is pressuring Michigan into playing.
Although i don't agree with that last line because Harbaugh would never duck anyone.
December 2nd, 2020 at 12:27 AM ^
Why does he need this? Obviously that's what he wants but you're acting like he's down 30 large to the local bookie and is betting the house on OSU
December 2nd, 2020 at 7:12 AM ^
He’s a bigger OSU fan than anyone is a Michigan fan on this blog. Does he NEED it? No. Want it? More than anything. Don’t be a fucking idiot.
December 2nd, 2020 at 7:15 AM ^
I'm his bookie. It's only 22 large.
December 1st, 2020 at 8:46 PM ^
This is a good apology. I have a lot of respect for that.
And, it seems, Globules has something worth being miffed at, my snark aside.
December 1st, 2020 at 9:32 PM ^
I disagree on this one. He can go fuck himself.
I’ve always thought he was one of the best and did a fair job of being impartial. He manipulated the Les Miles process and I think he thinks he is manipulating this process as well.
It does not seem like an oops again.
December 1st, 2020 at 9:40 PM ^
Ha- what is he manipulating this time around? If anything, maybe this reversed the course !
December 1st, 2020 at 9:33 PM ^
This is not a good apology. You apologize in front of the same audience you made the remark to - everyone. He rolled out some shit to cover an attorney's version of boilerplate on Twitter, which is NOTHING at all like the original remark's audience. It doesn't deserve recognition...
December 1st, 2020 at 9:47 PM ^
I would be shocked if Herbie did not apologize again on the Gameday show this Saturday.
December 2nd, 2020 at 3:14 AM ^
He will.
December 1st, 2020 at 9:27 PM ^
I thought it was a sincere apology until he did two things.
- blame Covid for being hard on him thus making him say what he did
- blame the negativity around college football for making him say what he did
You know who has a huge sway on the impression of a sport? The media! You don’t like the negativity around college football? Say something about it to your co-workers. Use your public platform to address it. Don’t use it as an excuse for your own dumb mistake.
December 1st, 2020 at 9:30 PM ^
Fuck this. Apologize on national TV - where you made the comment. People don't watch fucking Twitter. And what about the intent behind his words?
This is not an apology, its bullshit.
December 1st, 2020 at 9:47 PM ^
Not gonna lie, I thought that was a really honest apology. Good stuff. If my job was to talk for a living, I would get in trouble all the time by saying dumb stuff, and stuff that didn't come out quite the way I wanted.
I think Herbie did a good job of following Don Canham's rule of not turning a 1-day story into a 2-day story.
December 1st, 2020 at 10:15 PM ^
I appear to be the only one that thinks this is BS apology. Herb knew what he was saying and reiterated the same sentiment when Rece asked him again. Now, we get an apology on Twitter and blaming COVID got the best of him? Nah, I don’t find that sincere IMO. He can eat it.
December 2nd, 2020 at 3:01 AM ^
Most will except. Probably worried OSU will not have enough games to get into the playoffs.
December 1st, 2020 at 10:32 PM ^
Though I agree with the OP’s original intent to call out Herbstreit’s stupid accusation about Michigan football, Herbstreit clearly regretted what he said and made a sincere apology.
At this point, I have much more respect for Herbstreit than the OP who resorted to saying “Herbstreit is fat”. The OP, after pointing out the issue could have stopped but joined the “idiots making stupid statements” group by resorting to stupid insults. And if the OP doesn’t feel a need to step up to Herbstriet’s level and apologize then he/she is worse than Herbstreit and should be banned, or warned, because personal insults in an OP have no place on MgoBlog.
December 1st, 2020 at 10:54 PM ^
Gonna get negged to infinity for this, but I have much less respect for the folks on this message board for getting bent out of shape over this. Herbstreit talked some shit about U-M being scared to play OSU. 1) Who cares? 2) I'm not certain he's even wrong. There aren't many fucking M players this year that are playing like they want to be on the field.
December 2nd, 2020 at 10:00 AM ^
Re: Number 2
I feel like I have heard backing out joked about by M twitter and the podcast. What he said was baseless, but let's not get sanctimonious and hypocritical.
December 2nd, 2020 at 11:50 AM ^
IMO, the blog that wrote "Please Clap" doesn't get to be sanctimonious at Herbstreit for suggesting that M players don't want to be playing in The Game. M players didn't look interested in playing against a terrible, winless Penn St team. Calling Herbstreit's comments "baseless" is a stretch to me.
December 2nd, 2020 at 11:56 AM ^
Some on the team seemed scared last year the way receivers were short arming the ball.
December 2nd, 2020 at 12:00 PM ^
It seems many on this board have been all for exactly what he said. He kind of echoed their feelings.
December 1st, 2020 at 11:18 PM ^
The guy had to leave Ohio because his own fan base is full of fucking assholes. Move back to Ohio and live in your filth
December 1st, 2020 at 7:28 PM ^
I hope they duck OSU. OSU is ineligible for the Big Ten Title game and Michigan actually doesn’t lose the game this year.
December 1st, 2020 at 7:49 PM ^
He's pulling the ole reverse psychology. He figures Harbaugh will do everything in his power to prove him wrong. Fuck OSU. I hope he is right. ?
December 1st, 2020 at 8:41 PM ^
The ole galaxy brain move.
Give me Joel Klatt any day of the week.
December 1st, 2020 at 9:07 PM ^
Klatt, while not naming anyone, also stated that he had heard that coaches in some programs were trying to use the covid card to opt out of games they had little chance of winning.
December 1st, 2020 at 10:50 PM ^
Joel “2020 is Jim Harbaugh’s best team yet!” Klatt?
December 1st, 2020 at 9:41 PM ^
Exactly. UM could screw them out of the BIG champ game, pre-emptive strike to make sure they play.
December 1st, 2020 at 10:14 PM ^
The sad thing is, that's all it'd take to bait Harbaugh.
December 1st, 2020 at 9:28 PM ^
Interesting, a fan says it and we upvote him or her, but Kirk says it and people come unglued.
December 1st, 2020 at 9:36 PM ^
We don't have a national audience or the power of media attention behind anything we say.