Boomer Herbstreit

Kirk Herbstreit is seen, and presented, as a face of college football but over the last couple of weeks has revealed himself, he's a mouthpiece. Herbstreit isn't the deep insider to refer to for college football news, he's a the pretty face meant to further an agenda, namely the network he works for and the College Football Playoff Committee. He has lost touch and put it on full display during 'pregame' coverage of New Year's Day bowl games.

Ahead of the Rose Bowl between Utah and Ohio State Herbstreit stuck his foot in his mouth by saying “I think this era of player doesn't love football.” when referencing opt outs and playoff expansion. He tried to back track with a weak apology, saying “Of course some players love the game the same today as ever. But some don't.” while also adding “I'll always love the players of this game and sorry if people thought I generalized or lumped them all into one category.” Of course this is a weak and BS apology, because he did generalize and lump them all in. While he believes with his 'clarifying' that he directed the criticism to those that opt out, he said 'this era of player' and that is not a small group he's referencing. Truth be told, he generalized his apology to try and get away from his embarrassing and out of touch comment.

Now, the whole issue of of opting out and the NIL has changed things for college football and there are coaches who don't care for it and plenty of fans, and everyone is entitled to their opinion. You can view it as bad or good, but the truth is there is a lot more money in play for kids today and now they're making business decisions that everyone around them was already making. I'm not going to defend or attack those choices, but simply state that an overwhelming majority of everyday people would make the exact same choices if they were in the players' shoes.

Loyalty, love for football, those phrases have been thrown around when the truth of the world is mobility to chase your opportunities and money. Herbstreit is, of course, already a hypocrite on the subject because he has nothing to say about the coaches that abandon their programs to chase greener pastures. Why is the player required to avoid the same thing? The players are the backbone of college athletics, yet are criticized when they look to their future. Would you risk millions of dollars on a potential injury? In regards to the coaching changes, would you really turn down another company offering you more money to do the same job? The answer is no for so many, but as fans we get to yell from the armchair because it's not our money.

Herbstreit's comments are a loose veil for who he truly serves, ESPN and the College Football Playoff Committee. Without the top players, the TV and ticket sales could potential suffer and that's all he's referencing. He serves his master and to pretend like it's anything else is laughable. What's worse, as a former player and father of players, Herbstreit uses that to lend credibility to his 'opinion' to just say 'back in my day...' Things change, they evolve and all Kirk is doing is acting like an old man yelling at a generation he is losing touch with.

As a Millennial, these criticisms hit close to home as they come often. There's no mental toughness, no loyalty, when the American social fabric has moved away from all of that as well. Mobility is the name of the game; you chase the opportunities to better your life. If you have a better job, you go after it, and in the social media age it's that much easier to create more opportunities for yourself. Power was shifted to the individual to have more control over the path they follow, yet, somehow this is chalked up as generational weakness instead of the evolution of the workplace and society.

This is also and indictment on the criticisms for the college transfer portal. Again, no loyalty or work ethic are shouted at these players because they chase better opportunities. In the age of the NIL, with so much more money in the NFL, how can you say there's no competitiveness in these players who want to get on the field and show what they can do? Maybe, maybe, you could say it's an admittance that you're not the best man and conceding defeat, but who would want to sit on the bench instead of playing? Not to mention, let's not ignore that there's more behind the scenes that so many aren't privy to. Maybe there was a change in philosophy, maybe the promises made weren't upheld, perhaps that particular college isn't what you wanted, who knows? An example that comes to mind is Joe Burrow. Was he wrong for transferring from Ohio State to LSU where he won the Heisman, won a national championship and made himself the number one overall pick?

Kirk Herbstreit made comments on competing as well, saying “Isn't that what we do as football players, we compete?” It's a challenge to the mental fortitude of the players, the era 'he wasn't generalizing' when he ultimately he inadvertently criticized the College Football Playoffs. Of course, that wasn't his intention because that's the other master he serves. Look no further then his comments after the playoff four were released. “After SEVEN years of bitching and complaining from a vocal minority that the CFP system is rigged and the “small guy” will NEVER GET A CHANCE-haven't heard much from ya last couple of days. Everything okay? What's the next conspiracy theory?? Can't Wait! Cause that one is history.”

Now, let's actually provide some actual analysis on Cincinnati making it to the CFP. Did they deserve to be there? Absolutely. Did the Bearcats barely make it in? Yes. Oklahoma State not winning the Big12, the ACC and PAC12 not having teams in the hunt and the next team being Notre Dame, who Cincy beat, was the perfect storm to get them in. Herbstreit showed one thing with his tweet, he serves his masters and is not actually an honest analyst. Let's not forget this was the same guy who told Northern Illinois to give up their Orange Bowl spot years ago because it should go to a power five team. But don't they compete Kirk? Didn't NIU have the perfect season that earned them their spot?

Ignoring the very obvious, and pathetic point, that Herbstreit marginalized fans and attacked them in a very little man way, his tweet was completely devoid of an actual understanding of the sport he covers. The truth is, up until this season it had basically been some combination of Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson and one other team in the CFP every year. Cincinnati earned their spot this year, but it was the perfect storm. It was the chaos to finally change out some of the familiar faces year in and out, that's just a fact. Even more so, it is exactly that, and the creation of the CFP that has rendered all other bowls 'meaningless.'

Now far be it from me to generalize like the idiot Kirk Herbstreit, but the CFP has carved out the top dog programs and made it playoffs or bust. When they fall short then even the New Year's Six Bowls feel like a consolation for them. I'm not saying it's right, but that is the downside of the four team playoff. Now, it worked out for Herby because neither playoff game was close and his precious Ohio State won the Rose Bowl despite that narrative, but we've even seen the great Alabama lose one of the BCS bowls when they weren't in the playoffs.

Herbstreit made the comment that he didn't think expansion was the answer, again trying to deflect criticism from the precious committee, but it is. There will be less opt outs if there's expansion and more chances to play for a national championship. And despite Herby taking a shot at the 'conspiracy theory' he said didn't exist, expansion would actually help someone other than the big five or so have their chances. Kirk didn't believe in Cincy nor, dare I say, actually want them in, but used their playoff birth to defend his master.

Experts in the college football field have heaped plenty of criticism on the committee this year. Normally, they try and get it not wrong as opposed to right. Herby can continue to sit at their feet, but that's all he is. 'Boomer' Herbstreit has shown he isn't an actual analyst, but just a mouthpiece for ESPN and the committee and clearly is out of touch despite whatever he says. He's an embarrassment and just a face who will push an agenda, not provide honest analysis.