Kirk Herbstreit mispronounces Arkansas during ESPN CFP rankings show
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Was it a slip of the tongue or just the matter of him having a little fun? Either way, social media was buzzing not just over Tuesday’s College Football Playoff rankings, but Kirk Herbstreit’s pronunciation of “Arkansas”. Instead of the proper way with “-sas” pronounced “-saw”, Herbstreit curiously said it exactly how it looked.
Herbstreit really did say Ar-Kansas. pic.twitter.com/R5XbteLTSA
— Curtis (@Curtos07) November 27, 2019
And, of course, the viewers took notice, responding with either disbelief or derisiveness.
https://twitter.com/Imthatmom3117/status/1199484970034761729
Hey @drakectoll, Kirk Herbstreit just said Arkansas instead of Arkansaw. How does that make you feel?
— DJ Ramirez (@_DJ_Ramirez) November 27, 2019
Did Kirk Herbstreit really just call Arkansas “ArKANsas?”
Maybe the Razorbacks have been dressing out players from “ArKANsas” and that’s why they suck?
— 32×130 (@32×130) November 27, 2019
Later on, when confronted about it on Twitter, Herbstreit chalked it up to just being a joke.
Was just kidding. Sorry https://t.co/hvQ0E9dP79
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) November 27, 2019
Herbstreit apparently said it as a nod to Les Miles, the former LSU coach who is now leading the way at Kansas. Miles famously pronounced it “Ar-Kansas” during a press conference in 2007 where he responded to speculation surrounding him and a potential move to Michigan.
😂😂😂😂😂😂
That is always for Les!!
I never heard it that way until he said it. https://t.co/EApdAK6fap— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) November 27, 2019
The question is, why did Herbstreit decide then and there to pronounce it that way, or at least give some indication that he was joking during the program itself? The world may never know.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.