Paul Finebaum is almost always going to anchor the front line for the SEC. Even if he runs for Senate, that will probably never change. Sometimes this is for better, other times it’s for worse. In terms of his relationship with Todd McShay, it was definitely the latter.
McShay stamped Finebaum as an “all-time coward” for continued criticism of Kalen DeBoer during his namesake podcast on Saturday night. The classification, which followed Alabama’s victory over Georgia, came out of left field in the eyes of many. On Wednesday, via the God Bless Football podcast, McShay revealed it’s a feeling he has held for years due to Finebaum “being a bad teammate.”
I worked with Paul… under the same umbrella for about a decade. There were several things that rubbed me the wrong way,” McShay described. “I think there’s a loyalty [when you work together]. And several times over the years, he crossed the line on that. It’s like, ‘I thought we were teammates.’
McShay specifically noted Finebaum’s response to his reporting on Jalen Carter as the thing that “pushed him off the edge.” Early in the 2023 NFL Draft process, McShay reported that his sources had character concerns with Carter. News that Carter was involved in a street race — resulting in a crash that killed both a Georgia staffer and football player — seemingly confirmed McShay’s report. Despite this, Finebaum continued denying McShay’s claim, even after the crash became public knowledge.
The Jalen Carter situation … was what pushed me off the edge,” McShay explained. “I don’t trust the man, I think he’s a coward of a man. And that’s it.
On the God Bless Football podcast, McShay said he’d “give more detail” about his feelings on his show. What all McShay says will remain a mystery until then, but deciding to unleash this criticism now, shortly after Finebaum revealed he’s considering a political campaign, is impeccable timing.
[H/T Awful Announcing]
