Herbstreit = Dumb Jock

I have been really curious to see what Kirk Herbstreit has to say since his Buckeyes got thumped in the BCS championship game last week. Well, he hosts a talk show in Columbus and his first segment since he returned is archived thanks to the station's web site.

The only thing I can think after listening to him is that he is the epitome of a dumb jock. As you probably know by now we take analysis seriously around here. I can't speak for Mergz but I'm a bit of a moneyball type of guy, meaning I don't subscribe to a lot of the old cliches about sports. I prefer stats to slogans and tangibles to intangibles. I'm talking specifically about the intangible voodoo stuff like "having the mental edge" or being motivated by "bulletin board material" or having "intensity" and so forth.

In his segment where he discussed the BCS championship Herbie claimed that it was less about coaching decisions and startegy and talent and more about "motivation" and "disrespect" and lack of "focus". I mean he couldn't have used more of these idiotic cliches in an hour if he tried.

Man what an easy way to make a buck. You can actually sit on camera and look pretty and spout garbage like that while overlooking the obvious: Florida is a more talented team, with a better defense, that plays in a tougher conference, had a better game plan and executed that game plan flawlessly.

I understand that emotion probably plays a lot more of a role in college football than in some other sports but it takes a lot more than emotion to win big games. Boise State didn't beat Oklahoma because they were "more up" for the game or played with more "intensity" but because they showed the Sooners formations and plays they weren't prepared for.

But hey, I hope that Jim Tressel feels the same as Herbie. In fact I hope any future opponent of Florida thinks that way. Why worry about mismatches, schemes and in-game decision making when you can "play like your hair is on fire."