Kirk Herbstreit Expresses Surprise at Ted Cruz's Booing on College GameDay
ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit stated he was unaware of Senator Ted Cruz's political views and found the intense booing during a recent College GameDay appearance surprising.
ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit said he was surprised by the intense booing Senator Ted Cruz received during his recent appearance on College GameDay, adding that he is unfamiliar with the Texas Senator's political stances. Cruz was a guest on the ESPN pre-game show in Austin, where he intended to promote the Protect College Sports Act, a bill aimed at establishing regulations for college sports, including NIL and transfers.
From the moment Cruz appeared on screen, the crowd booed and jeered him, with some fans chanting "Ted, you suck!". ESPN has faced criticism for inviting the Senator onto the program.
Herbstreit, speaking before the LSU-Ole Miss game, commented on Cruz's ability to withstand the prolonged negative reaction. "I've never seen a guy booed that long and be able to just power through that," Herbstreit stated. "I didn't know if he couldn't hear what I could hear. I think he was booed pretty much the entire time he spoke."
He continued, "I didn't really understand it... I don't really get into politics. I'm kind of an independent guy right down the middle of the fairway; I'm for America. Whoever helps us as a country, I'm for, whether it's someone on the left or right, so I don't really follow it."
Herbstreit emphasized his detachment from political discourse. "I don't know anything about his political views. I don't know what he's for or against. I care about football, my family, my faith and my country. Those are things that I love. I don't really pick sides, and I was surprised. I didn't know what his deal was, so him being booed, I had to ask people like, 'What's going on here?'"
Senator Ted Cruz and Senator Maria Cantwell are co-sponsoring legislation intended to regulate the landscape of college sports.
Herbstreit clarified his position, stating, "I don't know anything about his political views."
College GameDay is scheduled to feature Morgan Freeman as a guest when it travels to Oxford, Mississippi, for the upcoming LSU vs. Ole Miss game.