Paul Finebaum believes NCAA’s recent incompetence will lead to an end of organization’s power, calls Mark Emmert ‘arrogant, egomaniacal leader’
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The sports world as we know it has been changed irrevocably over the last few days with cancelations and postponements across the sports landscape but one thing hasn’t changed — Paul Finebaum is still ready and willing to call out those that he believes have done a very poor job.
During his latest Monday morning appearance on Birmingham-based 94.5 FM WJOX radio program “The RoundTable,” Finebaum was asked to respond to the fact that SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey revealed on Thursday — during an appearance on the “Paul Finebaum Show” — that he found out that the NCAA had canceled the 2020 NCAA Tournament and all winter and spring sports from a reporter.
The key issue there being that Sankey and the rest of the Power 5 commissioners were not informed of the decision before it was made public.
“I know this is the wrong time to make absolute statements but I’m going to make one anyway — that moment was the end of the NCAA as we know it. It may have power in existence for some times but that was an existential moment in the history of the NCAA where knowing the commissioners like we do, they are going to band together at some point, when the storm clears, and are going to say, ‘You know what, we’re not going to take that anymore.'”
While that may seem like a bold take, it’s not hard to believe that the Power 5 leagues will take action in the weeks and months to come in order to take power from the NCAA or simply break from the organization.
Finebaum went a step further in his comments, blasting NCAA president Mark Emmert for his handling of last week’s news.
“For Mark Emmert, not to have more consultation with the people that feed the system was inexcusable. And what was interesting is we all praised him on Wednesday afternoon, ‘What a great decision to go ahead and announce that there would be no fans (for the 2020 NCAA Tournament)’ and in the moment it did look good, but once again – no consultation with anyone.
“There’s Greg (Sankey) in Nashville and Kevin Warren in Indianapolis and (John) Swofford over in Greensboro who had no earthly idea what was going on. I mean, their games were beginning as this announcement was coming down and then you know that the real-time scene of the players on the court in Greensboro, and then the fact that the Big East Commissioner we just made the look like an absolute idiot. When she was having a game going on.
“That’s not the way this organization is supposed to run. And by the way, there’s no reason to do it that way other than Mark Emmert is just an arrogant, egomaniacal leader who needs to be replaced immediately for the way he handled that last week. Let’s quit praising him for making the right call. I mean, that well it wasn’t a difficult call. I mean, listen, if you live in real-time, which we all do, it looks fantastic. But when you bring the camera back, there was nothing left in America by Thursday afternoon.
“So, let’s not give him too much credit, or give anyone too much credit, this was this a domino effect, which we all know was caused by the NBA (suspending its season).”
Last week was a difficult time for many sports fans, but if Finebaum is right, some good may come of it in the future if it leads to an end of the incompetent and poorly run NCAA holding control over the college sports landscape.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
