Paul Finebaum offers his expectation of Dan Mullen's punishment following Missouri fight
Dan Mullen did not put himself and the Florida program in the best light on Saturday at halftime of the Missouri game. How he’ll be punished by the SEC office, though, is still up for debate.
SEC Network host Paul Finebaum offered his opinion on how it would shake out on his regular Monday appearance on “The Roundtable” on WJOX 94.5 in Birmingham, Alabama.
“I don’t think he’ll be suspended,” Finebaum said. “I really would like to have seen more than one version of what happened. I don’t know if the replay booth has a couple of different versions here. Certainly if he’s not fined, I think Lane Kiffin will be outfront pretty quickly. He’s undoubtedly going to be fined. I don’t think he’ll be suspended.”
Finebaum added that he believes Mullen is an outstanding coach, but his behavior in recent weeks has been uneven.
“His last four or five weeks have been dangerously unpredictable and downright difficult to watch,” Finebaum said. “Going back to the fertile territory of the Swamp being filled and everything that happened after that. I just think you have to use good judgement. And he used terrible judgement. I think Scott Stricklin, his boss, his second go around being his boss, got him out of the last couple with very diplomatic, even stilted conversation. I don’t know where he goes here. It was the wrong look. Everything about it was wrong.”
Florida returns to action this week against Georgia, but in the mean time, the SEC office will likely hand down its punishment.
Give me a freaking break with this BS about his “packing The Swamp” comments and about what happened Saturday. Any coach that wouldn’t want to see fans in the stands doesn’t deserve to be on the sidelines… of course a coach should want to see fans in attendance: it makes a huge difference! As for Saturday, he just watched his QB take a blatant late hit that wasn’t called: any coach that wouldn’t get off his a$$ and challenge the officials after seeing that isn’t worthy of the players’ respect. Mullen is a players’ and a fans’ coach, and we’re lucky to have him… and Paul Finebaum can stick his opinion somewhere it’ll take a doctor to get it out
So you’re saying any time a QB takes a late hit, even a harmless one like Trask took, a good coach is going to all psycho and entice a brawl? Lmao. Is football even about football to you guys?
Psycho? HaHa! Entice a brawl??? HaHa! well I hope you liked that “L”!
Is that seriously the answer you want to go with?
That’s really all they can say, Booches. They know they can’t support their arguments so they just brag about winning the game.
So sad that Missouri fans need to troll to feel relevant. We are onto a new week, moving onto to a game and a team that actually matters but you are sadly still hanging onto the previous week because there is really nothing else for you all to talk about and no one else to talk to on your teams page. Sad.
@TigerTD: Yeah, I mean they act like a coach going half-sasquatch on the field enticing a brawl is like a really smart play call, or a really good trick play and part of the game. It’s why I asked the question. I’m not surprised at these answers so far.
Lol, ok pal. We’ll see how “not relevant” this is when Florida has multiple guys suspended for the UGA game.
Uh “Pal,” I do not think you can read. I did not say the play was irrelevant, I said your team was. “lol.”
That was not a hammerless hit and certainly the intent was not harmless.
He didn’t go for the head or to blow out his knees, he shoved him in the chest. Yes it was late but I thought this was the big bad SEC? If that’s considered a dirty with intent to injure hit, then this isn’t as big and bad as you guys like to claim.
Actually….it was. It was certainly not done with malice. Mullen just acted like a high school cry baby, which he has a history of doing.
Hey booches… man your really taking this L bad aren’t you??? Hahaha!!! I swear this is about your 50th response on the subject!!! Get over it and move on… your a fan of a program that will never be relevant!!! Dan Mullen did what 100’s of coaches have done before him… the only reason it blew up like it did is because it was halftime and both teams happen to be on the field!!! I PROMISE IF IT WAS REVERSED YOUR OPINION WOULD BE REVERSED AS WE’LL ALONG WITH ANY OTHER FAN OF ANY OTHER TEAM!!! AND THATS FACT!!!ALSO, BOTTOM LINE IS NO MATTER WHO WAS RIGHT OR WRONG THE REAL CLASSLES ACT CAME FROM MISSOURI STAFF AND COACHES THAT WERE THROWING HAYMAKERS AT GATOR PLAYERS!!! PLAYERS WILL BE YOUNG AND MAKE QUESTIONABLE DECISIONS IN A MELE BUT FOR A COACH OR STAFF TO PARTICIPATE IS A JOKE!!! Dont throw stones at MULLEN in your glass house!!! And again!!! PLEASE MOVE ON!!! YOUR TEAM GOT THEIR A$$ HANDED TO THEM!!! ITS OKAY!!!
Thank you, I was a little apprehensive that psycho may not have been the correct word choice but I’m fine with it now. Back to the question, Is football even about football to you guys?
cricketsssss. Not surprised.
I think the comment by Finebaum relates to the fact that after his pack the stadium comments the whole program tested positive for the virus. Not a good look. As for Saturday, sure the coach should advocate for his players but not by rushing the field having to beld back by an assistant and yelling and pointing at the opposing teams players. Watch the video. It is pretty clear.
Of course Mullen and every other coach want their home stadiums packed. That doesn’t change the fact that given the circumstances the world is navigating, it was a stupid thing to say. As for the melee, do you really think it’s a good idea for a coach to charge the field when he sees a personal foul committed on one of his players? What about an illegal block on one of his guys? Missed holding call?
As an avid Gator fan, I agree. It is not a good look for our program IMO. Some folks prefer this type of behavior from a coach. I on the other hand would rather have some one more concervative in behavior, however we all know one thing. Winning cures all in the SEC. Ask Saban and Alabama fans. If Mullen wins this week all will be forgotten. If he wins the SEC championship, all this non sense will be a moment forgotten in time.
*conservative
Nah, I’m pretty sure the rest of the SEC fanbase will continue to remind you that Dan Mullen is a douchebag.
Sec fans say the same about saban all the time and Bama fans could care less
I’d rather have a coach that other fans don’t like and we win them a coach everyone likes and we suck. No one liked Spurrier
Sportier would have never acted like that.
Saban is winning titles and Mullen isn’t. Big difference, Ben7254.
I would have to disagree about SEC fans not respecting Saban.
Correct and Saban is the greatest coach in CFB history. Also SEC fans $hit on Saban all the time. The media loved Muschamp and McElwein and they both sucked at UF. The media and fans hated both Spurrier and Urban Meyer
They don’t $hit on him. They laugh at him for throwing tantrums. Saban hasn’t even done what mullen has done, two times now.
I have never seen Saban act like that. He has lost his mind but he has never incited a brawl or come out at half time and act the fool. Your general statement that winning cures all is accurate though. Bobby Knight is a much better comparison.
Ben, you’re right. You never like the guy that beats you. I used to despise Steve Spurrier in the 90’s. With that perspective, I hope the rest of the SEC keeps on hating Bama for years!
Well considering it was halftime and everyone was already walking onto the field it’s not that outlandish!!! AGAIN NONE OF THIS ESCALATES IF IT’S NOT HALFTIME!!! COACHES CHARGE OUT ON THE FIELD ALL THE TIME ARGUING THESE TYPES OF HITS TO THEIR QB… IT JUST DOSNT ESCALATE TO THIS LEVEL BECAUSE EVERYONE ELSE IS STAYING ON THE SIDELINE BECAUSE THE NEXT PLAY IS UPCOMING!!!
Poor take at best. It has also been reported that the coach that cares so much about his players didn’t even see the hit. Packing the swamp was in reaction to losing to A&M who had a big crowd. You wouldn’t be spin doctoring such indefensible actions if this wasn’t a Gator coach.
Is Dan Mullen Florida’s 21st Century Norm Sloan?
Sloan was quite the complainer. I don’t think Mullen can ever come close to Sloan’s tirades
Oh man, Finebaum or anyone else waiting to here from the replay booth. I think we have seen/heard enough from the “replay booth” and Spankey to know THAT is a complete waste of time. Total incompetence.
Who are we kidding though, I’m guessing they’re going to tell Mizzou to shut down the entire football program, and Dan Mullen will just have to put his nose in the corner for 10 minutes.
I’ve learned to not expect justice to exist in ncaa football.
Mullen didn’t invite a brawl. It’s not like he waved his players over and said go beat their $hit. He went over and rightfully started yelling at the refs for a very blatant missed roughing the passer.
Yes he did. He had no justification for being that irate. He should have been thrown out of the game. The hit could have bee penalized, but it wasn’t egregious in any way.
You’re funny.
Right on – the hit on the QB was a cheap shot and then Mullen took some cheap shots too. Throw some flags.
I’d also like to say Saturday’s game, the recent arrest of a MU player, and the sideline activity during the Kentucky game only diminish the repute of the Tigers for Mizzou fans.
Mullen took cheap shots? Mullen never threw a punch
There were two missed penalties. Pass interference and roughing the passer. Mullen was upset about the interference call because our receiver was tackled.
Mullen did what he needed to do. I don’t agree with the fight but I understand. Mizzou’s linebacker also taunted and celebrated the illegal play as did Mizzou’s coaches. Mullen didn’t even know this when he went to complain to the refs. Given the history of poor officiating this year it’s understandable.
Incite a brawl and you get fined $25K. Point out that the officials on the field and in the replay booth blow a call and you get a $25k fine. Seems fair and appropriate.
Haha. Kiffin sure didn’t get his money’s worth.