Why impartiality on 'Protect College Sports Act' is a tough sell for ESPN

Kirk Herbstreit pleads ignorance. I reckon I can, too.

A lot of people sure seem to be upset with the ESPN college football commentator this week, and for the life of me, I (can at least claim to) have no idea why. He seems like a nice enough fellow.

Like Herbstreit, I’m (at least claiming to be) “kind of an independent guy, right down the middle of the fairway.” And like Herbstreit said about the United States senator who he and the rest of ESPN’s “College GameDay” crew hosted on set in Austin last week, I (at least claim to) “not know anything about his political views. I don’t know what he’s for or against.”

Now, I realize you might find that hard to believe. When I, a professional sports columnist paid to offer opinions about the topics of the day, claim that I haven’t given much thought to what other people’s opinions are, or whether those opinions are good or bad, you might be skeptical.

But like Herbstreit explained to a gaggle of reporters Friday in an interview captured by Mississippi Today, some of us just choose to ignore all of that silly political stuff.

“I don’t really pick sides, and I was surprised,” Herbstreit said of the persistent booing Ted Cruz received from Texas fans throughout his 10-minute segment stumping for something called the Protect College Sports Act. “I didn’t know what his deal was, so him being booed, I had to ask people, like, ‘What’s going on here?'”

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian, left, talks with Kirk Herbstreit before an NCAA college football game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (Eric Gay/Associated Press)

And I have to say, I (can at least claim to) wonder the same thing about why so many folks seem to find Herbstreit’s words so disingenuous. Is it just because a guy who says he doesn’t pay attention to politics happens to follow a bunch of political accounts on X? Is it because he has a documented public history of opining on Cruz’s politics, going back at least 10 years?

Well, in more than a quarter-century at this job, I too have left an easily searchable record of my own opinions. But just like Herbstreit, just because people think they know which way I lean on a particular issue, that can’t stop me from (at least making a claim of) being completely impartial.

Let’s take all of this hubbub about the Protect College Sports Act, for instance. I (can at least claim that I) don’t understand why people are getting so worked up about it.

Is it because it’s being pushed so hard by massive entities trying to reverse the pieces of progress made by athletes in the courts over the past decade?

Is it because the bill has the potential to be a terrible deal for those athletes, and in particular for women’s sports, which under a capped system would be in danger of losing all the economic gains they’ve made in recent years?

That last point might have been explored in a highly informative interview with college football analyst Steven Godfrey on “The Right Time with Bomani Jones” this week, but I (can at least claim that I) didn’t see it.

Godfrey and Jones might also have discussed the idea that Herbstreit and ESPN have a huge financial interest in making sure that the Protect College Sports Act passes, because it would bring back an era in which under-the-table payments are encouraged, and that might be a positive for schools in the Southeastern Conference, but I (can at least claim I) don’t know anything about that.

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz attends the Texas Longhorns game against Ohio State at Royal-Memorial Stadium in Austin on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman)

After all, there’s nothing that proves I saw the similar point former Texas quarterback Chris Simms made on an episode of the NFL on NBC’s Pro Football Talk.

“Let’s call this what this is,” Simms said. “This is the ‘Save the ESPN and the SEC Contract Act.’ That’s what this is.”

That sure is a provocative way to think about it, but boy howdy, I don’t know. Like Herbstreit, I (can at least claim to) keep it right down the middle of the fairway. I don’t (claim to) have a personal point of view here, and neither do the straight shooters on “GameDay.”

“We had Cruz on because (senators) were going to be voting this week, and maybe he could give us some insight into what’s going on,” Herbstreit said. “That was really it. We’re not picking sides in any way at all.”

And if some of you accuse Herbstreit and me of insulting your intelligence? If you suspect that we both know exactly why fans were booing Cruz, and exactly why viewers are upset with ESPN, and that we’re just pretending otherwise to avoid saying what we really mean?

Wow. We couldn’t (claim to) be more surprised.