Paul Finebaum says he has changed his mind on Dabo Swinney statement he previously criticized
The Paul Finebaum-Dabo Swinney saga has taken another turn. After Finebaum said Swinney’s statement “fell way short of what I was looking for and what most reasonable people were looking for,” during a Monday evening appearance on “SportsCenter,” the talk show host and ESPN analyst said differently in a Tuesday morning appearance on “First Take.”
“When I heard it last night, I reacted viscerally,” Finebaum said on Tuesday’s show. “I was upset. I asked the question, why did it take so long? I started thinking overnight. I started trying to do what I’ve been telling other people to do. Listen instead of react. Overnight, I changed my mind. In the end, Dabo Swinney addressed it, whether a week after the fact, who cares? We’ve been talking about being too light on so many things for so long. The time doesn’t matter. He did it. And I believe it.
“I know Danny Pearman. I don’t believe he’s a bad person. I know Dabo Swinney is a very good person. I’ve been around him since he was in high school and college. In the end, he put this to bed. Maybe not exactly like I would have preferred. But who cares what I prefer? He was there. I wasn’t. In the end, he’s put a bow on it. He’s ended the conversation and I give him credit for that.”
Swinney’s lengthy statement came after it was revealed that Pearman, a Clemson assistant, had used the N-word in practice a few years ago. The Clemson head coach faced more criticism after he was photographed in a “Football Matters” shirt this weekend, which some took as disrespectful toward the Black Lives Matter movement.
While it’s doubtful Swinney will be calling into the “Finebaum Show” any time soon, it appears the host is ready to close the book on the latest controversies.
[H/T 247Sports]
Finebaum is awful. All that really needs to be said.
Once again, Finebaum has lost respect and most of his credit. Stick to one opinion, as everyone is saying now, he showed his true colors with his first statement. He can’t go back on it now because the world won’t let you do that now even if you apologize and repent.
Paul, you said, “Who cares what I prefer?” I care, Paul, I care. I care what everybody prefers. Except Kirby Smart. Who cares about what he prefers? Not me, I don’t. Except for him, I care about what everybody prefers. Even animals. Even people of different race, ethnicity, sex, religion, weight, height, educational level, whether they have a harelip, and/or whether they have trouble hearing. It doesn’t matter to me because I care, Paul. I really do. Do you prefer chocolate or vanilla? Either way, it doesn’t matter. Whatever you want, I don’t give a hoot.
As we know, if you jump into the conversation from the start, there is a chance you may misspeak, and then it’s an all-out war on you. Take your time to assess the situation, learn, and then speak up, if you want to.
I think Dabo told Paul he was gonna snap his like a no.2 pencil if he didn’t back off.
Everyone is entitled to make mistakes, even radio and tv folks. While you expect those who talk for a living to be better, at least he owned up to a rash judgement and critiqued himself. Most on SDS hate him but there must be a lot elsewhere who like him or he would be gone. He is a strange bird but he doesn’t bother me much.
You have to feel for Paul and these other sports “journalists “. They walk a fine line. Strike the wrong cord and they are history.
Cut them some slack.
And that is why each coach should do and say what their heart tells them to do. Don’t say anything and you owe it to the black players. Say something and it gets criticized for not saying enough or saying the wrong thing
I thought Finebaum’s initial comments were horrible. I’m glad he now realizes that.
Don’t say all lives matter. Don’t say blue lives matter.
Don’t say anything other than black lives matter – otherwise you will be labeled a racist.
Some of you can wallow in that bizzaro world all you like.
No thanks. I choose reality…