Al Michaels is a living sports media legend. But he shared that working alongside Kirk Herbstreit and his dog, Ben, has rekindled a hosting job he’s never held at the Westminster Dog Show.
During a discussion about his duties on Thursday Night Football for Amazon Prime Video on The Dan Patrick Show, Michaels was asked about Herbstreit’s dog who has accompanied him on several trips, and nearly every TNF broadcast.
“The dog is here. We had our meeting. The dog was in repose today, let’s put it that way,” Michaels said. “The dog even passed up on the bacon — which wasn’t very good — at the buffet this morning. Ben is on a regular basis … I’m not an animal person. I’ve never had an animal in my life. I’ve never had a goldfish, Dan, but I kind of fell in love. Ben is like a gorgeous golden retriever.”
Al Michaels then shared a story that during an assignment last year, Ben found his way back to the hotel room Kirk Herbstreit was staying at by himself, off-leash, which impressed the legendary NFL announcer.
When asked if interacting with the dog made him get one of his own, Michaels quickly shot that down before noting he’d like to host the dog show one day.
“I am not considering getting a dog, but one day I would like to announce the Westminster Kennel Dog Show,” admitted Michaels. “I think that would be a lot of fun. That’s one thing I haven’t done, but I gotta say, I’m not saying it’s on my bucket list.”
Michaels joked that he wouldn’t know what to say during the event, but would welcome the opportunity. He continued by noting that he’d welcome movie star Will Farrell to serve as his partner during the broadcast.
Kirk Herbstreit’s dog, Ben, has become an internet sensation from videos and photos posted by the college football and NFL broadcaster. In recent weeks, he’s been given a credential by college football information staffs.
