Pat McAfee defends Lee Corso, fires back at Ryan Leaf, Jake Dickert
During Week 4’s edition of ESPN’s College GameDay, Lee Corso dubbed Washington State vs. Oregon State the ‘Nobody Wants Us Bowl,’ after becoming the only two teams not to find a conference after the unofficial disbanding of the Pac-12 Conference.
Former WSU star Ryan Leaf was offended by Corso, and co-host Patt McAfee’s reaction toward the two teams playing. Current Cougars coach Jake Dickert also took exception to CGD host’s comments despite taking the victory 38-35 over the Beavers last week.
When given the opportunity during this week’s CGD, Pat McAfee blasted both of them, name-dropping Leaf in particular while verbally stomping all over Washington State’s parade.
“Ah, who cares! Were you guys showing this flag when they were 1-11 in 2009?” McAfee asked after CGD showed Ol’ Crimson for the 292nd consecutive week. “How about 2-10 in 2010? You were? That’s wild. So when they sucked, [College GameDay] was showing them every single week on the biggest college football show? Wow! Handle success, Ryan Leaf!
“I want a West Virginia flag flying up there every single time. We don’t get it, Washington State gets it, and all of a sudden, Washington State’s going, ‘Now Big Beav’s up there!’ Like, shut up! Washington State, [I’m] about sick of you! Waste of time on this show.”
McAfee was his usual, animated self while cutting this promo and his co-hosts Rece Davis and Kirk Herbstreit were laughing along with him — but those the former WVU specialist did not mince words.
At the same time, McAfee noted that when or Oregon‘s Dan Lanning talking about respect and Hollywood against Colorado, or Ohio State‘s Ryan Day calling out Lou Holtz after defeating Notre Dame as similar situations.
“It all revolves around respect,” McAfee said while discussing the Day-Holtz saga. “I appreciate the fact that coaches will pull from anything to galvanize their group of 18-to-22 year olds. If you get your group to believe that they’re being disrespected, normally you’re going to get the best out of them.”
Leaf’s whole gripe with Corso and McAfee was that they were putting two teams, filled with 18-22 year old athletes, down while both programs continue to navigate through the adversity that the dissolved Pac-12 Conference has caused.
Whether Leaf responds remains to be seen, but until then it seems as though he’s relaxing and watching college football like the rest of us, as his No. 16 Cougars take on UCLA on the road in LA at Noon PT.