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ESPNs Brian Windhorst Denies Falling Asleep During SportsCenter

ESPN‘s Brian Windhorst found himself at the center of a social-media flurry on Tuesday after the spread of a video appearing to show him falling asleep mid-question during an appearance on a live “SportsCenter” segment.

As ESPN anchor Cari Champion presents the sports journalist with a question about Oklahoma City Thunder’s Russell Westbrook, Windhorst averts his gaze downward and pauses — appearing to have briefly nodded off — before offering up a response.

Brian Windhorst going full Bob Knight on SportsCenter. Never go full Bob Knight… pic.twitter.com/Dg5hVfA8RK

— College Sports Only (@CollegeSportsO) March 29, 2016

The episode ignited Internet rumors that he’d fallen asleep during the on-air interview. Windhorst was quick to set the record straight, taking to his Twitter account to clarify that he was not sleeping, but glancing down at his phone during the lapse in his speech and eye contact.

“When Adam Schefter looks at his phone on TV he gets endorsement deals. When I do people think I have narcolepsy. #SportsCenterProblems,” Windhorst joked in his tweet.

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A SportsCenter rep insisted to Variety that “he was looking at his notes” during the incident in question. Champion also took to Twitter to clear the air.

He didn't. Looks that way https://t.co/sq1OYMi5gr

— Cari Champion (@CariChampion) March 29, 2016

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Update: 2024-07-18