Paul Finebaum says leagues that have not shifted to conference-only schedules 'are hoping for a miracle right now'
Paul Finebaum continues to share his somber outlook when it comes to the outlook of the upcoming college football season.
Following news that the Big Ten and the Pac-12 have both shifted toward conference-only schedules for the 2020 season, Paul Finebaum recently shared his take on the status of the upcoming season during an appearance on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” on Monday.
The way the SEC Network host views things, the conferences that have yet to decide to shift toward a conference-only slate — the SEC, the ACC and the Big 12 –are simply throwing up a Hail Mary in mid-July.
“I think other conferences are hoping for a miracle right now, hoping that suddenly these numbers will go down dramatically but I think we all know the reality,” Finebaum said on the show. “So I think the outlook for the college football season, at this moment, is very very bleak.”
Here is what Finebaum shared when asked to expound on his take regarding the dim outlook for the season.
“Moving games to only conference games, that means instead of playing 12 games – instead of playing schools at which you have no earthly idea whether they have testing or any sort of protocol, to play with in your own league doesn’t necessarily solve the problem,” Finebaum responded. “In the Big Ten alone, you have Rutgers in one part of the country, Nebraska on the other. In the SEC you have Texas A&M, you have South Carolina and Florida in different places.
“And the real issue, just like you heard from Adam a minute ago, these hotspots are everywhere. Texas, Florida, California, and it’s hard to imagine that we’re going to be able to get games in, especially early in the season. So I think commissioners, like the SEC, is meeting today, trying to come up with contingency plans, but I think they’re tilting at windmills right now and trying to get this season in. It’s not over yet but the signs are very bad.”
That message is on point with where Finebaum has been in recent days and weeks. For college football to be played come the fall, things need to turn around in a hurry. Based on Finebaum’s response, he doesn’t have much faith in that happening.
“like the SEC, who is meeting today, trying to come up with contingency plans” Isn’t this what Sankey has claimed he’s been doing the entire summer? Looking at data, following the data and developing multiple scenarios and contingency plans. Evidently not, it’s go time and it sounds to me he’s done nothing but just wait for it to get better. Not a good plan Greg.
I think the problem is more they sat down to come up with multiple scenarios and contingency plans, realized it was all nonsense, and threw their hands up in the air and hoped to get lucky. Sadly, we didn’t get lucky.
Honestly, I’m not sure how going conference-only really makes a difference here. Even inside of conferences, there are going to be some states that contribute hotspot areas from the outbreak (such as California in the PAC, or Michigan and NY in the B1G). There will still be problems that can compromise the ability to play.
Couldn’t agree more. They are just making this crap up as they go. Just like everything else from the beginning. Because nobody has the answer. Why can’t leadership say that instead of spouting off more nonsense to the public. Wear masks…no wait, wear masks, etc. Are they doing this to try and scare us? Anyways, I’m over Finebaum and his same grim outlook Everytime he speaks. He may be right, we may not have a season, but can we not try and spin some sort of possible positive outcome? Otherwise, we should all just give up now…
They want to be the last ones to make a decision…a decision that, in reality, we already know what it’s going to be.
What is it that we know?
Yup.
College men will be more safe going to practice and games than they will be not going to practice and games. Take that to the bank. The cost of TV ads during televised SEC games (all of them) is going to go way up. # of Merchants who want these adds will go way up. Pay-out to colleges/conferences per game will go way up. The only loser in this season will be people who want to see live games, not all the tickets will be available but for those who can pay seats will be there and the profit from these per seats will go way up. Athletes never had more of an incentive to play because all the fame and fortune will be split by fewer programs and conferences who play the most and highest profile games. One big block, tackle, breakaway, one-handed catch, sack or stuff might send a player to the NFL because so many other programs might be taking the day off. College men will get in line fast to transfer from the sinking ships of the programs that crawled in holes and waited.