Half the time I watch ESPN college football analyst Lou Holtz, I’m thinking to myself, “Does this guy realize he’s on TV right now?”
As it turns out, late on Saturday night, he didn’t.
Holtz taped a segment with Rece Davis and Mark May on Saturday night in which he argued that Florida’s Tim Tebow is the best quarterback in college football, May argued that Texas’s Colt McCoy is the best, and Davis had to judge who was right. After the segment, Holtz became increasingly passionate in his argument in favor of Tebow and against McCoy.
“You’re talking about one game. One damn game,” Holtz said, adding of McCoy, “The guy was not — the guy was not a good quarterback last year. He was very disappointing. We’re talking about the best quarterback. Not who had the best day. Not who’s played the weakest damn schedule. Who in the hell has Texas played until they played Oklahoma?”
At the end of the tirade, at least one viewer I heard from believes that Holtz muttered an F-bomb, although I can’t tell that from the audio I’ve heard. In any event, after a commercial break in which Holtz was informed that yes, he was still on the air during that tirade, he addressed the viewers again.
“I want to apologize to the people for some of my language there,” Holtz said. “I did not know the camera was over. I hate to lose. Hey, Colt McCoy, you’re a leading Heisman, God bless you, I don’t mean anything against you, but I’m representing Tim Tebow. When I represent somebody I’m going to do it to the best of my ability, and I still think it was a bad decision. I apologize. I’m glad we’re on at 1 o’clock in the morning and all the children are in bed.”
Here’s the video:
October 13th, 2008 at 8:50 am EDT
Lou Holtz is an idiot with a bad hairpiece and no brains. I’ve finally given up on ESPN all together. Between Low Holtz, Emmit “Blowed up” Smith, and Dick “Please scream at me some more” Vitale they couldn’t find a coherent sentence between them with two hands and an Oxford Dictionary.
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Rating: 2 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
October 13th, 2008 at 12:04 pm EDT
Why is everyone on his case? I’m glad he said what he said because he is right! In any event, regardless of whether you think what he said was accurate at least he was willing to have an opinion. Sports talk should be more like this than the LAME non-original thoughts that strangle the airwaves.
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Rating: 3.5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
October 13th, 2008 at 12:07 pm EDT
Lou’s just showing his passion for the game. It’s just that his timing and word choice could’ve been better.
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October 13th, 2008 at 12:23 pm EDT
Colt McCoy wasn’t a good quarterback last year? People said Eli was a good quarterback, and she threw 20 interceptions. Colt led his team to 10 wins last season. He WAS a good quarterback; I don’t care how many interceptions he threw. And how is Tim Tebow better this year? Statistics wise? No. Wins/losses? No; they lost to Ole Miss; Texas beat the number one team in the country.
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October 13th, 2008 at 12:42 pm EDT
First 10 wins does not mean much anymore. Teams play 14 games not 12.
Second and to the point - Why is Holtz being “asked” to represent a player. ESPN manufactures stories and players and the university of florida is well represented by grads in Bristol. Tebow has never brought the gators from behind in the second half. He may not even be among the top 5 QBs in the country.
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Rating: 2 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
October 13th, 2008 at 12:52 pm EDT
meh, Lou Holtz might have used bad tact in making that case, but he’s right. how you can state that Colt McCoy is a better QB than Tim Tebow is beyond me….. especially given that McCoy can’t put up better stats with better talent. I’m speaking, of course, of their entire body of work, not just the Oklahoma game guys.
Colt had the game of his life that day, but by no means is that indicative of how he has been, or will be, as a player. I like how the McCoy sympathizers on here are comparing McCoy’s game to Tebow’s game against Ole Miss. Yeah, that’s an even and fair comparison.
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October 13th, 2008 at 2:44 pm EDT
texasPHINSfan,
Have you watched any of Texas’ games? McCoy had the game of his life against Oklahoma? That Oklahoma defense was the best he faced, and he didn’t put up his best stats. In 3 other games, he had a higher completion percentage, in 2 other games he had more passing yardage, and in EVERY other game he had two, three and TWICE four times as many passing touchdowns. Oh, and he ran four touchdowns in earlier this year as well, something he didn’t do against Oklahoma.
“especially given that McCoy can’t put up better stats with better talent”
What does that even mean? McCoy has BETTER statistics… and he has the same talent level, if not less talent than UF’s Tebow. Florida has had a better “recruiting season” than Texas the past two years. Percy Harvin is electric; Hernandez was the top TE recruit last year. Carl Moore was the top JC transfer this year AND HE RARELY PLAYS.
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October 14th, 2008 at 5:16 pm EDT
SeanMartin -
I know there were better games… i’m saying as a complete game, he played better against Oklahoma than any other game this year that i can remember (i’m talking complete game, not singling out ONE statistic like comp. percentage or anything like that).
also i am not slighting colt mccoy at all. i’m speaking of their entire body of work - both players are juniors. You look at their entire body of work, Tebow just appears better to me. The talent question - that was a tip of the hat to Texas, not Florida. Texas has a better overall team IMO, and better talent.
it is good to see McCoy finally “blossoming” - this year he is worlds better than in years past, and i won’t be surprised to see him win the Heisman this year.
don’t lose sight of the original question - who is the better QB. It would be the same thing comparing Jay Cutler or Tony Romo to Tom Brady or Peyton Manning - you’re comparing a guy that is just blossoming to a guy that’s been producing at a high level and has already “won it all.”
just keeping in perspective brother.
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October 14th, 2008 at 6:25 pm EDT
But you’re wrong though… McCoy set the UT passing touchdown record as a freshman (a TRUE freshman, that is) with 29, and only 7 interceptions, starting EVERY game. He led them to a 10-3 record; I’d say he blossomed then… He had a “down year” last year, passing for 3300 yards with 22 TDs and 18 Ints, but they still won 10 games (which IS respectable, pieter32308); and he is picking up now where he left off at the end of his freshman campaign: mistake free football. Colt had better COMPLETE games against Rice, Arkansas and Florida Atlantic, than Oklahoma.
Again, Florida has the better talent. Percy Harvin, Hernandez, Carl Moore, Demps, Rainey; ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Tebow has so many weapons surrounding him that his opponents cannot key in on any guy. That’s why he does so well. Florida had a questionable running game heading into the Oklahoma game, for crying out loud.
Yes, the original question is who is the best quarterback; and I would still take Colt McCoy. It’s not even close to comparing Cutler or Romo to Brady or Manning. You’re contradicting your own statement: “both players are juniors”. Colt actually has more experience than Tebow. He has played extremely well this year and has for every game of his career. Brown was extremely lucky McCoy played so well, or else his team could have suffered without any other quarterbacks two years ago. But regardless, if I had to pick a quarterback to play for my team, it would still be Bradford… He makes the fewest mistakes, has a big arm, and knows the game of football coming from a prestigious program. Tebow can make plays, but he can also make crucial mistakes. McCoy is very talented and time will tell where he places.
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