Just say "NO!" to ESPN

[daddyphatsacs]

What would be even better is if they did come to Columbus, and everyone staged a walkout right when gameday started. Everyone lines up around the set, then suddenly walks away leaving a few Texas fans standing behind the crew. That would be hilarious, a gameday set where tumbleweed goes blowing past in the background.

I do agree with other analogies that a Texas night game/visit from ESPN could be a bad formula.

 

[casey_buckeye]

Wouldn't it be better if Gameday was on campus, and no one show up? I know it would be difficult, but someway organizing everyone to not show up would be better than not letting them on campus! JMHO

 

[jackson]

revenge and all that is a great motive but I simply do not want my buckeye game experience, like it was at the bowl game, ruined by espn. They are not going to relent and I am not even mildly interested in thier involvement.

 

[Steve19]

Did I miss someting somewhere? Are people just pissed with Herbie because he works for the Pin or what. He has seemed pretty supportive of tOSU on his radio show in 1460 The Fan, and stated many times that they are told what they can and cannot talk about on the air during ShameDay. I think he was just doing his job. He is still one of the biggest Buckeye fans in the world of broadcasters, but he has to try hard to not play favorites.

RC, please don't take this as a personal attack, because it isn't, and I must admit at the outset that I am in a foul mood after finding two good friends have died in a week.

If Herbstreit takes a job in which he just says what he is told to say, then what expertise is he bringing to that job? Is Herbstreit not arguing that he doesn't dare say what he believes because he might not please his masters.

OK. That's a business decision he has made. But it is a decision that puts his integrity right on the line in my opinion.

Of course, he has been supportive on 1460, that's also a business decision. What does Herbie really think? And which is the real Herbstreit? The one who speaks on 1460thefan or the one who silently acquieces while ESPiN bashes the very University to which he owes his career?

Herbstreit wants to be a national radio personality and I wish him well in that endeavor. But, you can't play it both ways and his status as an alumni and former player have no sway in this GameDay decision.

ESPiN's attack on OSU has been premeditated, dishonest, repugnant, and disgusting. It has damaged our players, coaches, administrators and University. One could argue that it has damaged the value of our degrees and our community solely to line the pockets of Disney shareholders with money and that Herbie has played a role in that by his silence.

Personally, I am tired of all of the arguments that we need to understand about his paycheck and career and the like. He's a big boy who has chosen against tOSU, why do we need to understand him? He's chosen cash over integrity. Furthermore, by his telling us that the presenters are told what to say, he's telling us that this was indeed a premeditated and managed attack on Ohio State. How else could Prince Albert and the May Queen said the things that they and the other "wonderful investigative journalists" have said? How else would "Where's the money, Mommy?"'s best Friend have published that pack of rubbish?

Herbstreit is where he is BECAUSE he played football at Ohio State. He OWES Ohio State. In return, he has done nothing to help set the record straight except play out platitudes on Columbus radio and whinge about having to please his masters at ESPiN.

I don't begrudge Herbie, that's a lot of cash he'd be throwing away. But he mustn't now think he will get special treatment because he is a homeboy. He has picked his side in this fight and it wasn't Ohio State. I think he will be getting everything he deserves in that new Bristol home and wish him well but I don't want to see him and his buddies at OSU-TEXAS until ESPiN apologizes.

No apology. No GameDay. Boycott ESPiN.

 

[OH10]

Also, it could get personal w/ Herbstreit, but that's what happens when you don't stick up for your homies.....

I'm not down with this statement at all. That's implying that Herbie somehow deserves the way some Ohio State fans have been treating him - particularly those responsible for the death threats. I don't want, nor does OSU need him to stick up for us on national tv in a biased manner -- that would be counterproductive. He has a job, he does it. I'm proud to have a former Buckeye on that show, but I don't expect anything from him in return. "Some" Buckeye fans are idiots, and think that Herbie is a traitor and has sided against us. Well, those people are just morons - and I'll call them morons, idiots, and sorry excuses for fans without apology or regret.

 

[JohnnyCockfight]

That's implying that Herbie somehow deserves the way some Ohio State fans have been treating him - particularly those responsible for the death threats.

I don't think you can group people who make death threats with any other segment of society--they're sick and should be locked up somewhere. I think that's so obvious that everyone agrees with it, and it's not necessary to imply that a significant portion of Buckeye fans should be put in the same category as those sick jerks.

I do think, however, one could appropriately have some amount of disrespect towards Herbstreit. Read Steve19's post directly above yours--it's a rational, well thought out criticism of Herbstreit.

 

[Steve19]

I'm not down with this statement at all. That's implying that Herbie somehow deserves the way some Ohio State fans have been treating him - particularly those responsible for the death threats. I don't want, nor does OSU need him to stick up for us on national tv in a biased manner -- that would be counterproductive. He has a job, he does it. I'm proud to have a former Buckeye on that show, but I don't expect anything from him in return. "Some" Buckeye fans are idiots, and think that Herbie is a traitor and has sided against us. Well, those people are just morons - and I'll call them morons, idiots, and sorry excuses for fans without apology or regret.

There is no excuse for anyone to make any threat against Herbstreit. Ever. for any reason. Every American has a God given right to a personal opinion.

However, I will respectfully disagree with your characterization of people who believe that Herbstreit has chosen against Ohio State. His behavior makes it very clear that he indeed has, no matter what explanation he gives for his behavior.

Again, I don't begrudge Herbstreit and I am quite glad I don't have to make the decisions he has to make in all of this. But that doesn't cloud my ability to evaluate his behavior and draw conclusions about where his loyalties lie.

 

[Alan]

I still can't believe people get on Herbie....it is shameful....

anyone remember him b4 the miami-tosu game giving a nearly perfect explanation of how the buckeyes would upset miami? then going down to the sidelines and riding piggy-back on eddie's shoulders?

and here's a quip from pete's "stream" during the alamo bowl...
"Ohio State on the OkSt 29 … Talk about your confidence boosts, Justin Zwick came up with a nice first throw, and then he hit a wide-open Anthony Gonzalez for a touchdown. Gonzalez is going to be a really good one. OSU couldn’t have dreamed this up any better. … And there it is. Herbstreit just soiled himself. … Ohio State 7 … Oklahoma State 0"


Herbie is already perceived as a Buckeye homer and for people to expect any more from him is ridiculous....

 

[jwinslow]

However, I will respectfully disagree with your characterization of people who believe that Herbstreit has chosen against Ohio State. His behavior makes it very clear that he indeed has, no matter what explanation he gives for his behavior.

What anti-buckeye sentiment are you referring to? Again, while you seem much more reasonable than most of those who dislike Herbie's actions, what are you expecting from him? Had Clarett never existed and ESPiN began their ratings campaign against tOSU, would people be upset with him? Is it Herbie's job to try and defend tOSU? Doing so surely would have gotten him fired and left us with no visible representation from tOSU alums.
Herbie was supportive during the Alamo bowl which saw the most vicious set of attacks by ESPiN. Him and Tirico (I appreciated his "soapbox" about journalists jumping to conclusions) stood up for tOSU when no one else would.
You have to realize that for the most part he cannot speak his mind most of the time. He has to work within a script where he does offer up his opinions, but there is not a window for defending tOSU during the highly generalized Gameday summations of everything in CFB.
I guess I'd like to know what people want from him, and explanation of which times you think he had a chance to speak such things.

 

[OH10]

Moving from the topic of Herbie for a second....

I don't think the type of fan that would send a death threat to Herbie is somehow one or two people. I have seen that type of fan too many times in Columbus. From fans throwing beers, taunting kids with Michigan gear on, burning cars in a drunken stupor, sending death threats to a certain ESPN Gameday analyst, picking fights with opposing fans (both idiot opposition and those who did no agitation whatsoever).... and this is just the type of shit that has stood out to me over the years. Based upon this shit that I have actually seen from a sizable minority of Ohio State fans, I can tell you that the so-called isolated, small segment of idiots calling themselves Buckeye fans is much larger than people are willing to admit.

And at risk of being "dinged" (or whatever that it is), I will defend ESPN somewhat. When you have a fanbase as nuts as this one, why not, for business purposes continue to slam an institution? I mean, OSU vs. Northwestern is the highest rated program on ESPN2 EVER. The gameday show with Trev/May gets great viewership from irate Buckeye fans who hate their obviously contrived opinions of Ohio State. The halftime slamfest of the Alamo Bowl was clearly designed to keep the easily distracted viewer during halftime of the game. The Clarett stories in the Mag (both)?.. I'm sure they got above average circulation. Hell, even Stewart Mandel, who defended the Bucks during the title run in '02, could see the popularity of slamming an institution with crazy fans. He now blasts OSU himself on CNNSI.com on a regular basis, even calling for the death penalty for all OSU athletics, which I'm absolutely certain was designed to get readership and emails. And you know what? I bet it all works. ESPN, and all the other writers and commentators that slam OSU are walking to the bank because our fans are often times just plain ludicrous.

With that being said, sacrificing journalistic integrity to make a buck isn't explempary and certainly not admirable, but all the other so-called "real" news stations like CNN, Fox News, and CBS do it. Why should ESPN be any different? You have a mark like Ohio State fans, you play 'em. And we play right into their hands. Shit, if no one showed up to Gameday, it would get monster ratings. Everyone would wake up, turn on the tv, see that no one is there at the OSU gameday, and then they would call their friends and tell them to check it out. It would be unique and thus, profitable.

 

[mb7015a]

I wonder if the $500,000 obscenity fines for broadcasts will apply to spectators of a live event.

 

[nwbuckeye]

just my two cents worth but... what if for example herbstreit had played ball at miami, or nebraska, or usc and they were the program under the microscope. what would you take out of watching a game on espin and hearing him defend his school to any degree. mine and probably your first thought would be stfu you homer, who cares what you have to say, you went to that cheating garbage heap of a university and of course you would turn a blind eye to whats going on. nobody would believe or care what you say because they already KNOW that miami/nebraska/usc runs a dirty program etc etc etc. its not as if espin has sat down with herbstreit and said well kirk what do you think about whats going on at OSU and what is your opinion of the whole situation there while the cameras are rolling. they havent and they wont because they dont want his side of the story. i think that he has decided that I am gonna do my job the best that i can and i dont want anybody to watch me who isnt familiar with my background and be able to tell what school i went to. it doesnt matter where he went and it shouldnt effect his reporting of the game as he sees it. if nobody asks him his side he isnt about to volunteer it without souding like a homer.

 

[casey_buckeye]

I don't get why on Game Day before the Indiana game (I think) he spent 5 minutes trashing OSU, Tressel, and questioning why any recruit would come to Ohio State! I couldn't believe a OSU alum was on National tv trashing his alma mater the way he was!

 

[Folanator]

Casey, KH does not like JT's offence. That does not make him anti OSU. He only stated why would top offensive talent want to come to such a boring offense? At the time he was 100% correct.

Now, whether that was because of young personell or it is JT, that is open for discussion. But at the time, our O was just awful. No one can deny that. Herbie was just saying it out loud.

 

[BuckeyeBill]

Based upon this shit that I have actually seen from a sizable minority of Ohio State fans, I can tell you that the so-called isolated, small segment of idiots calling themselves Buckeye fans is much larger than people are willing to admit.

Asshole fans that embarass the Buckeye nation are inevitable simply because we're so damn big. On Michigan weekend, it is estimated there are 200,000 fans down in the campus area, I'm thinking that a good 30% of them are male, age 30 and under. That puts 60,000 young males down on campus for the Michigan game. By personal experience, 1 in 10 people that I encounter in the world are total jerks. It goes to 1 in 5 after 4 beers (them, not me, I'm a nice drunk).

That leaves roughly 12,000 total assholes down on campus during game time. Fortunately, I don't think all the assholes cause problems, but you get the idea, its hard to stem the flow.

I have to say, I don't see that much nasty behavior. But when I see an opposing fan with their family getting harassed by a bunch of jerks, I don't hesitate to help them out. This is one reputation we don't need. The buckeye nation needs to represent class and integrity, and for the most part, I think we do.