Paul Finebaum says Thomas Castellanos’s Alabama comments ‘will be stuffed down his throat’
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Paul Finebaum is aware of the college football calendar, and he understands we’re in the doldrums of the preseason chatter in late June. However, new Florida State quarterback Thomas Castellanos tossed a lightning rod into the discussion regarding the season opener vs. Alabama.
In recent comments, Castellanos said the Crimson Tide are vulnerable this year without “Nick Saban to save them.” He claimed he doesn’t see Alabama being able to stop him in Week 1.
On Tuesday, Finebaum addressed what Castellanos had to say during his weekly appearance with “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning.” Ultimately, Finebaum felt Castellanos took a shot at the Tide via some low-hanging fruit.
However, the analyst also said it’s hard to respect Florida State at this juncture, and he believes Alabama is on its way to a massive season-opening beatdown under Kalen DeBoer:
“You’ve got one guy who popped off, and I think what he really did is take low-hanging fruit,” said Finebaum. “I’m sure Nick Saban listening to this is going, ‘What do you mean, low-hanging fruit?’ What I mean is you just go for the most obvious thing about Alabama, that’s Nick Saban, and you just crash the piñata with your baseball bat.
“… When I saw it yesterday, I just laughed. I know some people in the media love that. I think it’s a terrible look for him and for the university, and does it make people mad? Yes, of course, but we’re also sitting here on June 24 when most of the news cycle has dried up… I think it matters. Some people say these things don’t matter. I know one thing: Every Alabama player has read it. They didn’t really need motivation, it’s the first game of the season, but the motivation comes in the perception is that Florida State sucks… It’s impossible for me to respect Florida State, and this comment just made it even worse. I think Alabama will go in there and obliterate them.”
If that scenario plays out, Finebaum is sure Castellanos will have a reckoning of sorts for his bravado:
“It is going to be a blowout, it is going to be a wipeout, this comment will be stuffed down his throat like somebody being stuffed in a locker in junior high,” predicted Finebaum.
To Finebaum’s point, the game is not expected to be a close one in Tallahassee, adding a bit more confusion to Castellanos’s decision to pop off. Alabama is a 12.5-point road favorite, according to BetMGM, and the Seminoles are coming off a 2-10 record last season. Fans can grab any of the available betting apps in their area to get into the action.
Now, Castellanos will have to live up to his brave comments to avoid some inevitable blowback this fall.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
