Anyone who has ever tried to shoo a playful dog away while cooking dinner, working or doing something else important could certainly sympathize with Kirk Herbstreit Saturday.
The College GameDay studio analyst’s new golden retriever, Peter, wanted to play while Herbstreit served as the holder for Pat McAfee’s kicking contest. Herbstreit and McAfee both threw a ball and did everything they could to distract the dog, but the playful pup kept coming back to Herbstreit.
At one point, Peter just lay down on the ground inches away from the football.
“Jeez, Peter,” McAfee said.
Herbstreit picked up a red ball and tossed it down near the goalpost, giving them an opportunity for the kick.
“Hurry up,” Herbstreit said.
“Peter, you’re icing the kicker,” McAfee said.
“He’s coming into block it if you don’t hurry,” Herbstreit joked to the kicker, Carson Baer, a freshman from Pittsburgh.
“You got no chance, you got Peter all in your brain, Carson,” McAfee said. “This is a part of kicking. Sometimes a dawg is going to come around the corner and get in your mind.”
Baer missed the kick. Although McAfee had vowed he would not get a second chance, the student revealed he was from Pittsburgh. McAfee hails from Plum, a Steel City suburb. McAfee gave him another shot.
Peter lurked around Herbstreit for the second attempt, but McAfee shooed him away. Baer missed again.
As noted, anyone who has a dog has been through what Herbstreit experienced Saturday, just not on live TV. It might be a good idea to find a handler for Peter during future contests. There’d be no shortage of dog lovers willing to keep him occupied while Dad holds the football.
[ESPN]