Based on search data from Google and Twitter, many internet visitors are apparently wondering about the blood alcohol level of Bernie Kosar during his interview for an ESPN program last night.
(Dec. 13, 2009: 11:00 AM ET, Google Search Trends Rankings)
Appearing in a film about the Univ. of Miami football program called The U., apparently Kosar’s appearance and speech caused folks to wonder if he was, ahem, “drunk.”
Judge for yourself after the jump
In fairness, the harsh contrast of the lighting of the interview, not to mention the unflattering angle of camera wouldn’t make most folks look their best.
But Kosar’s appearance and speech is a stark contrast to how we knew him as a player. Perhaps it’s remembering Kosar as a young, bright, athletic NFL star that caused so many people to think he was inebriated.
Kosar does looks pale, sweaty and bloated, and perhaps his speech isn’t perfect. But I don’t think he was drunk.
11:32 am on December 13th, 2009
Kosar has said that his speech has slurred because of all the hits to the head he took as a player….saying he had dozens of concussions.
He may not be as eloquent as he used to be, but is still as sharp a football mind as there is out there…
11:36 am on December 13th, 2009
Bernie,
His slurring actually doesn’t sound that bad to me. I think more than anything, people are shocked at his appearance. And he has that thick accent, which doesn’t help things.
11:38 am on December 13th, 2009
Brooks is officially the first person in history to describe Bernie Kosar as “athletic.”
11:51 am on December 13th, 2009
I’ve heard Bernie speak multiple times, including at University of Miami events at 9 a.m., and that’s just his style of speech. Perhaps it’s the hits, but he hangs on his L’s a bit longer than most. He’s still sharp as a tack.
12:24 pm on December 13th, 2009
Artie Lange has never looked better.
3:01 pm on December 13th, 2009
Dont Think he was drunk
but, that had to be one of the greatest football documentaries ever.
I recorded it and watched it twice since last night.
3:42 pm on December 13th, 2009
The director who did this documentary also directed Cocaine Cowboys. It’s an awesome documentary of the cocaine wars in South Florida in the early 1980’s.
5:40 pm on December 13th, 2009
I didn’t think he was drunk, but he seemed like an old punch drunk boxer or like he had a stroke, kinda disturbing
7:57 pm on December 13th, 2009
I can honestly say that Kosar was not drunk for the ESPN 30 30 film. The reason for knowing this is because a family member of mine is personal friends with Kosar and told me that he has been hit so many times that the effects from his concussions cause him to look and sound like he is inebriated all of the time.
10:01 pm on December 13th, 2009
He certainly nailed the word Academia…
10:49 pm on December 13th, 2009
everyone always things The Big B is drunk, shoot, that is just how he is man. This is pre-get hit in the head and take a month off NFL fooball. Shoot. The Big B got hit so many times my todays NFL standards he should have played about 8 games…
11:11 pm on December 13th, 2009
@ G
and Cocaine Cowboys was amazing I agree, check out their new one about backyard fighting in south Florida ( where Kimbo Slice came from) called dawg fight,
http://www.rakontur.com/dawg-fight/
11:12 pm on December 13th, 2009
Bernie was fine - just animated. Coming from Brooks, who was often lite up at his own gigs by 8PM, it’s almost humorous. ‘The U’ was an awesome look back at the Miami program. Schnellenberger was a genius - first major college coach to run a pro style offense successfully. And for his efforts to keep the gold mine of local talent at The U.
10:27 am on December 14th, 2009
I like someone commenting that he was for sure not drunk, because they have 3rd hand info not really having anything to do with the filming of the doc. I for sure think he was wasted, He was sweaty and bloated and glassy eyed. It was one of the first thinks my wife, who was only half watching, commented on.
11:05 am on December 14th, 2009
Makes you wonder whether or not to allow your kids to play football. Bernie was awesome, but now he is looking scary.
3:15 pm on December 14th, 2009
he looked so messed up
5:09 pm on December 14th, 2009
welcome to 2005 or was it 2006? Kosar does preseason games for wkyc cleveland & this has been a topic amoung browns fans for a few years. WJW Fox 8 cleveland recently did a piece about bernie and he said his speech is slurred a bit b/c of taking shots to the head during his NFL career…
10:55 pm on December 14th, 2009
John McKay’s Fisherman hat
/bow
2:06 pm on January 8th, 2010
I did not know concusions made you sweat like a fat man doing Bikram Yoga
6:59 pm on February 7th, 2010
He was so wasted. Thats how people from Ohio sound when they r drunk. Still that was one of the best things I’ve seen on ESPN in along long time.
11:33 pm on June 2nd, 2010
Kosar! Wow! When I saw him on the “U” program it made me sad. In fact that’s why I checked out this website. Not only did he sound messed up, he looked so messed up it was scary. I thought the guy might have a serious bout of cancer. I then have to check him out further on the net and find out he declares bankrupt?? Wow. I was young and liked this guy. What a disappointment. Just another example of what money does to people. He had it all and now Nothing. Good Luck Bernie. You back home with Mom?
9:06 pm on August 6th, 2010
Pitiful is the only word that comes to mind when I watch Bernie Kosar in this video. He was a handsome man, even after his NFL days, but the man in this documentary looks like he is at death’s door. Whether or not he was drunk in the video I can’t decide but his aged and withered face clearly shows someone with a drinking problem. And as far as the “too many shots to the head” theory, both Troy Aikman and Steve Young took at least as many blows to the head and both speak normally. Poor Bernie. At least he has a Super Bowl Ring - unless it was hocked .
6:05 pm on August 21st, 2010
He’s an fn drunk. Everyone knows it. He hangs out now at sporting events and at the Longaberger Homestead in Frazeysburg, Ohio. I’ve smelled him. We all make fun of him and his relationship with the rich woman Tami.