DALLAS – When it comes to ESPN’s Colin Cowherd, there are two types of people.
The ones that love him and his syndicated talk show The Herd and the folks who can’t stand his guts.
“Listen, I don’t see myself as controversial, but some people do,” Cowherd said on Friday from Sundance Square in Fort Worth, Texas. “The blog world does. Whatever. I don’t care about it. The truth is, Glenn Beck is controversial and he struggles to sell ads. I’m not interested in that. I want to sell ads. I don’t have any interest in being controversial. I think I’m outspoken and even critical of ESPN at times.”
Cowherd might not have an interest in being controversial, but at times he is. Most recently, he took a shot at Washington Wizards rookie John Wall and implied that he wouldn’t be a great guard in the NBA because of his father. Wall never knew his father as he was in prison for his entire childhood.
Regardless of what you think about his show, Cowherd is hard not to like as a human being. He’s honest and not afraid to speak his mind. In an industry that’s often filled with politically correct answers, Cowherd is an exception to the rule.
“Fans treat me great,” Cowherd said. “You get the occasional guy. But there are a million choices. You have to cut through. You just have to in this business. I don’t live the world the blogs report. My kids love me. My wife loves me. My ex-wife likes me and I have a lot of fans.”
And in case you’re wondering who influenced Cowherd as a broadcaster, look no further than legendary play-by-play announcer Howard Cosell.
“I loved Howard Cosell. In fact, in high school, I was called Cowherd Cosell. He just broke through the screen to me. He was outspoken and I like to argue. I argue with my wife. It’s an authentic relationship. I argue with my kids. I’m not passive aggressive.”
There’s no arguing that.