In a heated exchange on social media, ESPN lead college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit defended his decision to remain silent following Notre Dame’s game-winning touchdown against Duke last Saturday.
Herbstreit, who was commentating the game for ABC, received criticism from a fan who accused him of being “dead silent” during the crucial moment, perhaps hinting at a anti-Notre Dame bias.
The pivotal play in question occurred with just 31 seconds remaining on the clock when Fighting Irish running back Audric Estime broke free for a 30-yard touchdown run, securing the victory for Notre Dame.
It was a thrilling moment and one of the biggest plays of the entire college football season to this point.
However, Herbstreit’s decision to withhold commentary during this critical moment was not unusual in the world of sports broadcasting.
Commentators often opt for silence during high-stakes plays to allow viewers to fully immerse themselves in the raw emotions of the game, hear the crowd’s reactions, and appreciate the significance of the moment without anyone talking their ear off.
Despite this being a well-known common practice, a critical fan took to social media to question Herbstreit’s silence:
Fan: “You were dead silent when Estime walked into the end zone with 30 seconds left Kirky.”
Herbie, to his credit, didn’t hesitate to fire back and put the fan in his place…
Herbstreit: “Wow. You really are an idiot. When there are special moments like a deciding TD in an exciting game-you lay out and let the director cut to shots that capture the moment and give your analysis AFTER those reactionary shots. If you’re insinuating that I don’t like ND, you’d be dead wrong. Give credit where credit is due-for all teams.”
Good for you Herbie!!
It seems like spending all that time with Pat McAfee has loosened him up a bit.
Great to see!