If you’ve followed Paul Finebaum over his career, you no doubt know that he often says sensationalized things to get his SEC fanbase going. However, he does from time to time make some good points across the college football landscape, and he just two-hand dunked all over the Big Ten, and it’s hard to argue with what he said.
The Big Ten shocked the world when it pulled the ripcord on the fall college football season before all the other Power Five conferences — punting things to efforts at spring ball. It was one that was met with harsh criticism, legal action, and a black-eye it may take a long time to heal from.
And now, at the end of last week, several reports surfaced that the Big Ten is now looking at performing a pivot of epic proportions and now entertaining the idea of starting the season around Thanksgiving. And while that has some a little more excited about seeing football in the Big Ten earlier than when snow turns to sleet, it looks like the conference doesn’t have its act together yet again.
Paul Finebaum on his show said 5 weeks ago the Big Ten was considered the Gold Standard when it came to college football and athletics. Now they have turned into a complete laughing stock, they have turned into a punch line. Look how far they have fallen in 5 weeks.
— jbook™ (@jbook37) August 28, 2020
Finebaum didn’t hold back during his radio program on Friday.
“Quite frankly, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. If you start that late you’re really at a tremendous disadvantage,” Finebaum said. “I know they’re talking about playing in domes and indoor stadiums. Once you get past the holidays the interest in your better players participating is going to go down dramatically — your upperclassmen — those who are going to the NFL.”
The “mouth of the south” then went a step further and really laid waste to what the league is morphing into.
“I think it’s also an indicator of just how dysfunctional this league has become — what a laughingstock this league has become,” he said. “It’s really sad to say that because five weeks ago the Big Ten was considered the gold standard in big-time college football, and now it’s the punchline to almost any joke you can think of.”
Sometimes leadership is about admitting you made a mistake and changing course, but until the Big Ten brass — and namely Kevin Warren — begin to get in front of plans, schedules, and send some more communication out on what’s happening, it’s a horrible, horrible look for the conference.
I don’t often agree with Finebaum, but it’s hard to find a reason to not fall in line with his comments in this case. Next thing you know, I’m going to start eating grits and drinking sweet tea at every dinner.
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