Kirk Herbstreit's emotional speech on racial injustice in America during ESPN's "College GameDay" on Saturday was "as powerful a segment involving cast members as 'GameDay' has ever done," according to Richard Deitsch of THE ATHLETIC. The show on Saturday aired a roundtable discussion hosted by ESPN's Maria Taylor, with college football players across the country "discussing systemic racism and their attempts to make a change as player power grows in college football," after which each member of the "GameDay" crew was to "offer thoughts on what the players had to say." Herbstreit: "I just decided these are challenging conversations and I am going to speak from my heart. So I did." Herbstreit during his speech cried, while Taylor "also broke down." Meanwhile, the "same reaction was happening in the control room" in Bristol, Conn. "GameDay" Producer Jim Gaiero "decided to get rid of the bump, the promo copy that would highlight the next segment," and instead let host Rece Davis "simply take the show to break." Gaiero "praised Davis for knowing the right moment to help Herbstreit out." Herbstreit added that there is "nothing he has said on television during his 25-year career that has elicited more positive feedback" (THEATHLETIC.com, 9/5). Taylor said of Herbstreit, "It was a genuine reaction and honestly, I got emotional too. None of us want to do that on TV. It was a hard thing to listen to. ... These conversations have been opening up a new way to talk to your co-workers" (“GMA,” ABC, 9/6).
