PMT DB
PMT DB
Paul Finebaum on Saban's Mercedes, Kiffin's Exit, and Michigan Elitism
Wild Card Weekend delivered a series of blowouts that left most of the football world bored, but Big Cat and PFT Commenter found plenty to sift through. Between the Texans dismantling a Derek Carr-less Raiders team and the Seahawks continuing their home dominance, the biggest takeaway was the sheer lack of competitive balance. PFT noted that for those who claim the Seahawks have some secret sauce, it might actually just be their mastery of the rulebook.
PFT CommenterThe Seattle Seahawks only win because they know the rule book better and 'cheat' more than everyone else
Did you notice the Seattle Cheahawks were back to their old cheating ways? ...They just cheat a lot. That's all they do. ...By knowing the rule book better than everybody else.
The Dolphins-Steelers game provided a scary moment for Matt Moore, but the real medical marvel remains Ben Roethlisberger. Big Ben finished the game in a walking boot despite not knowing when he actually got hurt, which is the most Big Ben move possible. PFT has a theory that these constant knocks actually make the Steelers' quarterback more effective by clearing out the clutter in his head.
PFT CommenterBen Roethlisberger gets smarter when he is concussed because it shuts off his dumb thoughts
I think Roethlisberger gets smarter when he gets concussed. ...More instinctual. Right, his head gets out of his own way. Right, he's just like a big, dumb animal. All of his terrible thoughts are no longer functioning in his head, so he's able to operate like a normal human being.
The Mouth of the South Speaks
Paul Finebaum joined the show to preview the National Championship game, and he didn't hold back on the chaos surrounding Alabama's coaching staff. With Lane Kiffin being shown the door right before the biggest game of the year, Finebaum characterized the move not as a mutual parting, but as a necessary purging of a "child" who had checked out on the program.
Paul FinebaumLane Kiffin is a 'child' and a 'loser' who air-mailed the national semifinal
Lane Kiffin is a child. And Nick Saban tried to nurture him and be a father figure. And in the end, he punched Saban in the mouth on the way out... I think it was the fact that Lane Kiffin, and this is hard to imagine, this statement I'm about to make, literally air-mailed in the national semifinal in college football. It's like he didn't bother... I just think he's a loser.
Finebaum believes the Kiffin brand is currently at an all-time low in the eyes of serious athletic directors. While he’s heading to FAU, the road back to a major program looks nearly impossible according to the SEC's most prominent voice.
Paul FinebaumLane Kiffin is toxic and will never get hired by another school that matters
I argued in favor of Kiffin for a long time. I really liked him. But in being down at the national championship and being with all the people that matter in college athletics, he's even more toxic today than he was a year ago because of this incident. I don't think anyone else will hire him. He would have to upset somebody of epic proportion to get on a radar screen of a school that really mattered.
When the conversation shifted to the actual matchup against Clemson, Finebaum was steady in his conviction. He isn't worried about being called a homer for backing the Tide because, at this point, betting against Nick Saban is just bad business.
Paul FinebaumPicking Alabama to win every game isn't being a homer, it's just being smart
The reason I like Alabama, and don't laugh, I've picked Alabama in every single game since the Iron Bowl in 2010... And that doesn't make me a homer. It just makes me smart. Because you guys know how many times Alabama has won since 2011.
Elitism and Under-the-Table Deals
One of the highlights of the interview was Finebaum’s absolute disdain for the University of Michigan. While Jim Harbaugh has certainly brought life back to Ann Arbor, Finebaum finds the fan base's self-importance to be completely out of touch with their actual trophy case.
Paul FinebaumMichigan fans are the most arrogant and elitist fan base in college football
It's Michigan. But Michigan, first of all, it's a good school. But it's not Harvard. They think they are not. Michigan fans, Michigan graduates are just the most arrogant, elitist... The fans talk like it's Stanford, Harvard, Princeton, and Caltech wrapped into one. It's not. It's a good school that's won a half a national championship in 60 years.
He isn't buying the hype that a playoff berth is inevitable for the Wolverines, either.
Paul FinebaumI would bet against Michigan making the College Football Playoff in the near future
I wouldn't lock that down. I mean, it's possible, but I'm not going to be one of these, well, anything's possible. Well, not really. I would probably bet against Michigan [making the final four].
Big Cat and PFT also pressed Finebaum on the legendary "bag man" rumors of the SEC. While Finebaum wouldn't explicitly confirm players are getting cash, he did point out that Nick Saban's business interests might make it very easy for a top recruit to find themselves behind the wheel of a luxury vehicle.
Paul FinebaumNick Saban owns Mercedes dealerships in Alabama and Tennessee
[Saban] does own two Mercedes dealerships... one in Birmingham and... he owns one in Nashville. He's a part owner of them. I don't mean to say he's a total silent owner... it's public.
The Boat Party and Bad Radio
The Giants' wide receivers took a lot of heat this weekend for their pre-playoff trip to Miami. Between Odell Beckham Jr. dropping passes in the cold and the general lack of life jackets on the vessel, Big Cat reminded everyone of the golden rule for NFL vacations.
Big CatIf you are going on a boat party before a playoff game, you better win that game
This is a classic if you're going to go on a boat party. It's the old Tony Romo with Jessica Simpson and Cabo rule. If you're going to go hang out before a playoff game, you better win that fucking playoff game.
The episode wrapped up with a look at the "Year of Matt" officially coming to an end, as every quarterback with that name was bounced from the playoffs. From Matt Moore to Matthew Stafford, it was a rough forty-eight hours for the Matts of the world.
PFT Commenter2017 is not the 'Year of Matt' after every quarterback named Matt lost in the Wild Card round
Wait, so every Matt lost this weekend, huh? ...Not the year of Matt. Tough weekend for Matt.
Hopefully, the National Championship provides more drama than a weekend of NFL blowouts and boat pictures.
