During an appearance on Fox and Friends, ESPN football announcer Kirk Herbstreit criticized NBC Sports anchor Bob Costas for talking politics while announcing a game when most Americans just want to watch the game.
Speaking to co-host Brian Kilmeade on Tuesday, August 26, Herbstreit insisted that “when I'm calling a game, the way Al Michaels would do and the way I do on Saturday night, I'm going to talk about the game.” [See video below.]
Herbstreit’s comments came in response to Brian Kilmeade highlighting how “Al Michaels came out today and said, I’m a- you know, I will not be talking about what's going on in the world during my day. It annoys the viewers. Bob Costas comes out talking about the Redskins, talking about what’s happening with gun control.”
The ESPN announcer responded by strongly disagreeing with Costas’ decision to inject politics into his sports duties:
Well I work on two shows, College GameDay in the morning, studio show like you guys do. I’ll talk about that topic...I'm going to break down the game, analyze the game, the subject matters involving that night and that broadcast. I just don't think that's the platform to do that. I agree with Al.
As NewsBusters has documented, Costas has a long history of pushing his liberal agenda while covering sports for NBC. In December of 2012, Costas blamed an NFL player’s murder-suicide on guns by proclaiming “If Jovan Belcher didn’t possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.” During the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, Costas proclaimed that Vladimir Putin was a better statesman that President Obama.
Costas has also weighed in on the debate over the Washington Redskins name, insisting in October 2013 that “Redskins can’t possibly honor a heritage...It’s an insult, a slur.” While Costas has eagerly talked politics while covering sports, millions of Americans would likely agree with ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit that politics and sports shouldn’t mix.
See relevant transcript below.
Fox News
Fox and Friends
August 26, 2014
BRIAN KILMEADE: Real quick, before I kick, Al Michaels came out today and said, I’m a- you know, I will not be talking about what's going on in the world during my day. It annoys the viewers. Bob Costas comes out talking about the Redskins, talking about what’s happening with gun control. Where does Kirk Herbstreit stand with that?
KIRK HERBSTREIT: Well I work on two shows, College GameDay in the morning, studio show like you guys do. I’ll talk about that topic. But when I'm calling a game, the way Al Michaels would do and the way I do on Saturday night, I'm going to talk about the game. I'm going to break down the game, analyze the game, the subject matters involving that night and that broadcast. I just don't think that's the platform to do that. I agree with Al.
KILMEADE: Okay, he’s Al, less Bob. Both great broadcasters.
