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Lou Holtz (Official Thread)

Don't dislike or like the man for what he says...as he's reading a script. I choose to dislike him for selling out his obvious football knowledge to play the goofus character he does on TV. The man has probably forgotten more about football than most of us will ever know, yet he chooses to sit next to Mark May on a daily basis.

edit - Which I guess is punishment enough. I think "dislike" is too strong here. I dislike the character he plays on TV.

But that goofus character he does on TV is who he is in real life. He is so down-to-earth he comes across as being absolutely horrified at his own "celebrity" from having once been a successful head coach at Notre Dame. He still drives himself around to his paid motivational speaking engagements, is completely self-deprecating about it, yet also accommodating to any football fans that stop to chat him up. Then, at the first opportunity, he will get a cup of coffee and danish from the buffet cart and leave to hide in his car in the parking lot to eat so he can get ten minutes of privacy.

Have seen this first hand. The Lou Holtz you see on TV is not an act in any way, shape, or form. He is absolutely flabbergasted that he has to play sidekick to "actors" that are playing a part. He just wants to talk smart football.
 
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But that goofus character he does on TV is who he is in real life. He is so down-to-earth he comes across as being absolutely horrified at his own "celebrity" from having once been a successful head coach at Notre Dame. He still drives himself around to his paid motivational speaking engagements, is completely self-deprecating about it, yet also accommodating to any football fans that stop to chat him up. Then, at the first opportunity, he will get a cup of coffee and danish from the buffet cart and leave to hide in his car in the parking lot to eat so he can get ten minutes of privacy.

Have seen this first hand. The Lou Holtz you see on TV is not an act in any way, shape, or form. He is absolutely flabbergasted that he has to play sidekick to "actors" that are playing a part. He just wants to talk smart football.
That's the part that is the act. He can go do actual discussions on a show that wants to really talk about football. He plays dress up with Mark May. I heard him on a non-ESPN radio show a few years ago...and I'm sure I took away whatever you did from seeing him in person. The guy knows football, and loves talking about it. That's why it's so upsetting to see him get into scripted shouting matches with that walking penis.
 
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Yet he works for ESPN.

He's wanted to leave every year, and every year they throw more money at him to keep him there. Been going on for nine years.

I hate Mark May too, but I'm not above whoring myself for six or seven figures to sit beside him and watch college football games for 16 hours 14 Saturdays a year.
 
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Lord knows he needs the loot. :lol:

I don't hate the man. But if ESPN is throwing millions at him, he could most definitely get a big chunk of that to do the same shit without the clown show on another network. Maybe his agent could reach out to BTN and we could get all of the knowledge without some washed up has been that may or may not have sucked five dicks while attending Pittsburgh University, as well as countless cocks since.
 
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Lord knows he needs the loot. :lol:

I don't hate the man. But if ESPN is throwing millions at him, he could most definitely get a big chunk of that to do the same [Mark May] without the clown show on another network. Maybe his agent could reach out to BTN and we could get all of the knowledge without some washed up has been that may or may not have sucked five dicks while attending Pittsburgh University, as well as countless cocks since.

In a perfect world, maybe. But we live in a world where sports media is controlled by the Worldwide Leader.

I'm old enough to remember when GameDay was a shitty studio show with Lee Corso and Craig James and they did not have any rapport at all. It was awkward to watch. ESPN hiring Herbstreit to play opposite Corso, along with taking the show on the road, made it the show it is today.

If I were running the Mouse, I'd kick Corso to the curb (sorry Lee, but you aren't the analyst you used to be pre-strokes) and offer that job to Holtz. If Holtz doesn't want it then go after Mack Brown, who is already on the Disney payroll, or Rick Neuheisel (who would be a spot-on replacement for Corso). With the vacant studio slot absent Holtz, I'd get Dave Wannstedt. That would of course mean there are two Pitt guys on the ESPN studio show, but I think Wanny has been a revelation on FOX. He's one of the best studio guys on any network for any sport, IMHO.
 
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I think two Pitt guys would be more than I could bear. I don't always watch Gameday Final as it is...although Wannstache hasn't been too bad on FOX.

I agree that Corso's analysis isn't what it used to be, but he's evolved/devolved into more of a figure head. In a way he's become much like the mascot heads he dons at the end of the show. I don't know if Lou could fill that kind of lighthearted role, I'd rather see him replace someone like Desmond Howard. Desmond doesn't bring anything to the show imo.
 
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I think two Pitt guys would be more than I could bear. I don't always watch Gameday Final as it is...although Wannstache hasn't been too bad on FOX.

I agree that Corso's analysis isn't what it used to be, but he's evolved/devolved into more of a figure head. In a way he's become much like the mascot heads he dons at the end of the show. I don't know if Lou could fill that kind of lighthearted role, I'd rather see him replace someone like Desmond Howard. Desmond doesn't bring anything to the show imo.

Desmond and David Pollack are both garbage, added only to fill the air since Corso cannot continue in his role with the show expanded from 2 hours to 3. That's why I say can all of them and make the show Fowler, Herbstreit, and (ideally) Neuheisel, who is a younger Corso that would willingly play the ham role.
 
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In a perfect world, maybe. But we live in a world where sports media is controlled by the Worldwide Leader.

I'm old enough to remember when GameDay was a [Mark May]ty studio show with Lee Corso and Craig James and they did not have any rapport at all. It was awkward to watch. ESPN hiring Herbstreit to play opposite Corso, along with taking the show on the road, made it the show it is today.

If I were running the Mouse, I'd kick Corso to the curb (sorry Lee, but you aren't the analyst you used to be pre-strokes) and offer that job to Holtz. If Holtz doesn't want it then go after Mack Brown, who is already on the Disney payroll, or Rick Neuheisel (who would be a spot-on replacement for Corso). With the vacant studio slot absent Holtz, I'd get Dave Wannstedt. That would of course mean there are two Pitt guys on the ESPN studio show, but I think Wanny has been a revelation on FOX. He's one of the best studio guys on any network for any sport, IMHO.

The problem with this is that you're looking for analysts that would provide knowledgeable content. ESPN doesn't care about knowledge. They care about entertainment.
ESPN is looking for Glenn Beck, Bill Maher, and Jim Rome with slightly less controversy.
They're looking for clowns and actors. Without looking, I'd guess their two highest paid personalities are SAS and Skip.

This is why all the best analysts (Blackledge, Spielman, Gilmore when he's not being a shameless homer) are buried in the depth chart.
The marquee shows (Gameday and the post-thing with Holtz/May) and games (CFB Tonight) go to Yes-Men cliches and idiots. Desmond, Pollack, Palmer, Fowler, Rece, May, Herbie, Musburger, etc. ... Corso and Holtz find themselves lumped into that group; and they do play their parts. Unfortunately, because I'd like to respect both, and I can't blame them for taking huge checks, but it's impossible to respect somebody that prances around on tv like a fool.
Wannstedt would never feature on ESPN... he'd be matched up with somebody like Mowins to cover Boise State games.
I could see Neueheisel fitting in as he's a character... but I think he's too straight forward... he's no Yes Man like the other idiots they've hired.
 
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I need to back up Dryden on this one.

I have a very good friend, who is a very close friend of Lou Holtz. He describes Lou Holtz in real life as a genuine and kind person, who is utterly dismayed at the content of the programming at ESPiN. My friend says taht Lou is very much a humble person. Although he will be remembered by Buckeye fans for turning down the job, my Notre Dame fan friend says that Ohio State is one of his favorite teams. It infuriates my friend, but he accepts that he can't change Holtz's mind on the Buckeyes.

He tells me that Holtz is very well paid and that the money is a big part of why he continues.

As for Herbstreit, at first he added something quite valuable in my opinion. Then, he just sold out and became the absolute asshat that he is.
 
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I like Lou Holtz for the fact that he can so easily bother so many people. Like a few years ago when he picked Notre Dame to win the national championship. And that wasn't the year that they even went to the national championship game - this was just a year that they were supposed to be better than their 6-6 records of the previous few years. He picked Notre Dame to win it all before the season started. People whined like a Penn State fan talking about the referines, and I just laughed. I don't care if it's an act on TV - either for ratings or to bother people, or if that's how he really is. I find him funny at times.
 
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