Well, folks, hell has officially frozen over.
ESPN’s Paul Finebaum has waved the white flag in terms of defending the SEC. This morning, on ESPN’s First Take, the voice of the SEC decided it was time to shift stances.
“There’s no way to defend the SEC,” Finebaum said. “It’s been terrible.”
When asked how he would defend the SEC’s performance this postseason, Finebaum said, “I’m under contract to disagree with you, but I don’t really care about the contract. Yes. I have been on that hill, Stephen A, and I am getting destroyed. There’s no way to defend the SEC. It’s been terrible.”
Finebaum mentioned that Ole Miss could win it all, and that would help repair some of the damage, but ultimately, “This has been a long year for the SEC, and I think in the end, I kept wrapping my arms around Alabama and saying, ‘Remember what they did? They went through that gauntlet in the middle of the year.’ Well, a lot of those teams they beat really weren’t good after all. They lost in bowl games, and they looked terrible.”
The words from Finebaum are interesting in two aspects: one, because many never knew it was possible for Finebaum to have self-awareness when it comes to mediocrity in the SEC, and two, because it’s honestly refreshing to hear someone under contract at ESPN actually call it like it is for once.
Finebaum has made a career out of bolstering the SEC’s stock in every possible moment behind a microphone, but for once, he’s seeing it like the rest of the sport. Now it’s up to the rest of ESPN to stop all the jockeying for what really is, just another top-heavy Power Conference.
