Over at the Crimson Chatter blog at al.com, Paul Gattis has this blurb from a recent appearance by Paul Finebaum on a Jacksonville radio show:
Gattis goes on to say that that seems a little over the top, but since Finebaum is so successful who are we to question his methods, and asks if these comments are even worth acknowledging. Well, no, they probably aren't, considering it's that type of hyperbole that has earned Finebaum either devotion or revulsion from those that have heard his program, but for some reason this just erks me to no end. I haven't been secretive about my agreement with Shula's dismissal, or even above throwing out a cheap joke or two, and I will happily state my position once again: Mike Shula was in way over his head at Alabama and desereved his fate. We all felt bad about it because he was a nice guy and we all liked him as a person and former player, but when it came down to it he just wasn't head coach material and it showed. That's just the cold, hard truth. Finebaum's comments, however, are plain old fashioned kick a man when he's down vitriol. There was simply no need to go so overboard with the criticism. What, he couldn't have simply said something along the lines of "I can't say how he'll do here in Jacksonville as a position coach, but he was in over his head as a head coach at Alabama and should never have been hired"? That wouldn't have been "Finebaum" enough for him? From everything I've heard, Finebaum in person is really very nice and the type of guy we'd all probably like if we were just hanging out or (for those of you that do) playing a round of golf, but it's his radio persona that continues to cause people to hate him, and rightly so. I don't know why his comments bothered me so, it's completely within character for him and I shouldn't even be surprised, but it did, and I just felt like I should say something.