Was Donald Trump even listening when Josh Pate started talking college football? It seems like a simple question, but after their recent interview, it's become a hot topic of debate. Josh Pate, the host of The College Football Show, initially defended his decision to have President Trump on, assuring everyone it would be all about the gridiron, no politics allowed. Yet, the actual conversation painted a very different picture.
From the very beginning of their 10-minute chat, it was clear that Pate's attempts to get genuine insights into college football from the former president were hitting a wall. Instead of diving into the sport, Trump seemed to steer the conversation wherever his thoughts took him, leaving Pate to try and reel it back in.
But here's where it gets interesting: Pate kicked things off with a gentle question about the state of college football, asking Trump for his thoughts on the game's structure, rules, and enforcement. Trump's immediate response? "It's too bad. I hate to see it." But instead of elaborating on college football, he veered off into a discussion about the NFL's recent kickoff rule changes – a topic completely unrelated to the college game.
And this is the part most people miss: When Pate asked Trump about his process for choosing which college football games to attend, Trump mentioned liking teams like the 4-8 South Carolina Gamecocks and praising Georgia's quarterback, Gunner Stockton. He even turned to the audience at The Varsity, a popular Rome, Georgia eatery, to explain how he judges players, a question Pate hadn't actually asked. It turns out Stockton was present and had been appearing with Trump that weekend!
Trump then went on to name-drop Nick Saban and Urban Meyer, neither of whom are currently coaching college football. Pate's original question about game attendance remained unanswered.
Speaking of Saban and Meyer, Pate inquired about a recent golf outing. Trump admitted that their conversations "always" involve politics, which directly contradicts what Urban Meyer had stated on his own podcast about their discussion being solely about college football. This discrepancy raises a significant question: who is remembering the conversation correctly?
Pate then tried to pivot again, bringing up the Miami Hurricanes and then Curt Cignetti, who led Indiana to a championship. But the conversation quickly shifted again when Pate asked Trump about his hiring process. This prompted one of Trump's signature monologues about his own greatness and the success of his administration. While Trump did manage to steer the conversation back to college football, it was in a rather peculiar way – by bringing up Herschel Walker, a former star player and a candidate in a Trump-backed Senate run that didn't go as planned. Trump lauded Walker, calling him perhaps the greatest college football player ever, despite his controversial political career.
From that point on, the interview had very little to do with college football. Questions about coaches and strategy were fleeting, with the focus returning to Trump himself, discussing topics like the First Lady and his ability to separate personal and business matters.
As Trump himself commented, "He’s a good interviewer." And Pate was indeed correct that those expecting political discussion would be disappointed. However, it seems the disappointment might stem from a lack of genuine college football discussion as well. The interview felt more like a series of easy questions that allowed Trump to deliver his usual talking points, interspersed with casual political jabs and historical revisions.
Interestingly, Pate revealed that he had initially planned a much longer interview, aiming for 30 to 40 minutes to delve into topics like NIL. However, the schedule was changed very late, reducing their time to just 10 to 15 minutes. Pate also mentioned that Trump was planning to discuss fixing college football in the future, which he felt was a reason to keep the current conversation light. But does this truly explain why so many questions veered away from the sport itself?
While it's understandable that an invitation to discuss college football with the President is a rare opportunity, the substance of that discussion left much to be desired. The result was, as some observers noted, a normalization of Trump at a time when many might expect a move towards distancing from him. What are your thoughts on this interview? Do you believe the focus should have been more on college football, or was this the best approach given the circumstances?
