Tennessee defensive back Rashaan Gaulden questioned if Kirk Herbstreit has double standards after his glowing praise of newly minted Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma given what ESPN’s lead college football analyst said about him after he flashed two middle fingers toward the Alabama fans following a touchdown during an embarrassed loss to the Tide Oct. 21 in Tuscaloosa. Herbstreit told the Knoxville News Gaulden should be kicked off the team.
“You’re thinking, ‘With everything that’s been going on at Tennessee, that guy probably will never play again,” Herbstreit said. “Next series he is on defense on in the field. No. 7 is back in the lineup playing. And you wonder why Tennessee has issues. They don’t have any discipline. Butch Jones should have taken his uniform off, sent him upstairs and said, “Go get a popcorn. You are no longer on the football team’ and sent a message to the whole team.”
Now compare that to what Herbstreit said about the Sooner’s quarterback, whose last year has included a public intoxication charge and arrest, a controversial flag planting at Ohio State, a threat during a pre-game skirmish to ‘spank” Baylor players and crotch grab followed by series expletives directed at the Kansas bench in November. Herbstreit claimed Mayfield was simply misunderstood. “Very misunderstood,” Herbstreit wrote in a tweet. “His competitive spirit and sure, sometimes has gotten the best of them. But he is a good man that is driven to be the best. Congrats Baker!”
If you think that seems hypocritical, it’s because it is and Gaulden spotted it right away. He fired off a tweet to Herbstreit that said, “Lol bro but i should be kicked off the team and eat popcorn and i don’t have a chip on my shoulder and i’m not competitive. Used to have a lot of respect for you!!”
Herbstreit must have realized he needs to be consistent in his criticism, especially after multiple social media types wondered if the fact that Herbstreit will be covering the Oklahoma-Georgia national semi-final for ESPN was a part of the motivation for his comment.
Herbstreit did send an apology to Gaulden via Twitter.
“When you make a mistake it’s important to own it,” he wrote. “@Gmoney 7era is 100 percent right and I apologize to him. Was more disappointed that day w/Tennessee’s lack of discipline as a team and this was my breaking point. Unfair to Rashaan. I’m sorry. I’m glad you pointed this out man.”
