{
  "id": 3879024,
  "title": "Kirk Herbstreit unloads on Reds during 'Pat McAfee Show' appearance",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/kirk-herbstreit-unloads-on-reds-during-pat-mcafee-show-appearance",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-28T03:28:42.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/kirk-herbstreit-unloads-reds-during-032842765.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Kirk Herbstreit, a lifelong Cincinnati Reds fan hailing from Centerville, Ohio, voiced his frustration during an appearance on ESPN's Pat McAfee Show on August 27. Herbstreit, who has attended every Reds baseball game throughout his life, lamented the team's underperformance and lack of competitive spirit over the past decade. He expressed his disappointment, stating that the organization has \"beaten the competitive fire out of me.\"\n\nHerbstreit pointed to the empty seats at home games, noting that he is not alone in his dissatisfaction. He recalled the glory days of Reds baseball, describing it as one of the proudest professional organizations in sports. However, he lamented that those days seem to be a distant memory.\n\nHerbstreit made similar criticisms during a July appearance on McAfee's show, expressing his difficulty in supporting the Reds. He mentioned that the team's season concluded in late April, and he is eager for the NFL season to begin. Herbstreit described Reds baseball as \"a disaster\" and lamented the lack of progress over the past 13 years, which he believes has negatively impacted the summer for fans.\n\nIn October 2025, during the Bengals' thrilling NFL Week 7 victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Paycor Stadium, Herbstreit discussed the mindset of Cincinnati sports fans in close games. His remarks on the Pat McAfee Show shed light on the challenges faced by Reds fans who remain loyal despite the organization's struggles.",
  "summary": "Football analyst and Ohio native Kirk Herbstreit on the Reds: \"I'm still a fan. I just get disgusted with them.\"",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Kirk Herbstreit finds ESPN guilty of limited college football coverage",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/kirk-herbstreit-finds-espn-guilty-of-limited-college-football-coverage",
        "published": "2026-08-26T15:42:38.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}