For all his faults, Kirk Herbstreit still has his objectivity.<\/p>\n
You might disagree, especially if you remember his emotional reaction in the booth<\/a> after Ohio State steamrolled its way to another national title. But there was more to that moment than fandom. Herbstreit was dealing with the loss of his dog<\/a> and his wife\u2019s breast cancer diagnosis<\/a>.<\/p>\n It was a rare slip of emotion from someone who otherwise tries to keep his personal ties out of the booth.<\/p>\n Herbstreit has praised Ryan Day for weathering the storm of criticism<\/a>, and make no mistake, he\u2019s an Ohio State lifer.<\/a> But he\u2019ll call out Buckeye fans over<\/a> and over again<\/a>. Some other fan bases might not see him as neutral<\/a>, but Herbstreit\u2019s biggest fear is sitting in the booth with Chris Fowler for an Ohio State\u2013Alabama game and having people think he\u2019s rooting.<\/p>\n He flat-out rejects the idea that objectivity in broadcasting is dead. Sure, if you\u2019re someone like Bill Simmons, Stephen A. Smith, or Pat McAfee, he\u2019ll give you a little more room, because the shtick is part of the brand. Even McAfee hams it up for West Virginia on College GameDay. But Herbstreit? He says he\u2019d never do that with Ohio State.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s why Ohio State fans probably don\u2019t care for me,\u201d he told John Crist on the Net Positive Podcast. \u201cIt might be different if you\u2019re in the studio, but if you\u2019re calling games and let\u2019s say you\u2019re an Alabama fan \u2014 and I\u2019m calling an Ohio State-Alabama game\u00a0\u2014 how the hell can you take what I say seriously if I\u2019m saying, \u2018We, almost caught\u2026\u2019 I would never do that. I don\u2019t think you can cheer when you do games on a national level.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou watch SportsCenter and Elle Duncan is sitting there cheering for Georgia,\u201d Herbstreit continued. \u201cShe\u2019s openly cheering. I\u2019m not a fan of that personally. I think it hurts your credibility. When that team is playing other teams, fans are looking at you like (*dismissive hand gesture*)\u2026 That\u2019s different.\u201d<\/p>\n That was indeed the announcement. Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr. will participate in the 2025 Home Run Derby. https:\/\/t.co\/VwXw0vq858<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/STWPI67A5G<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 25, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n But it\u2019s not all that different from how Mike Tirico sees it,<\/a> either. A former die-hard Mets fan, the Sunday Night Football voice walked away from public fandom years ago. Not because anyone asked him to, but because he felt his credibility mattered more. Herbstreit feels the same. He\u2019s cut from the same cloth.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t have to like him \u2014 plenty don\u2019t<\/a> \u2014 but he\u2019s not trying to be liked. His approach isn\u2019t for everyone, but it\u2019s rooted in the belief that objectivity still matters in the broadcast booth. And at a time when more on-air personalities are embracing open fandom, Herbstreit continues to take what he feels is a different path.<\/p>\n \t