Finebaum finally leaves WJOX

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BamaInBham

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Feb 14, 2007
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The thing I most like about PF is that he is the only major media personality in the state who acknowledges the historical and present superiority of Bama over AU. The others act like Bama and AU are 2 sides of the same coin when the truth is that Bama has approx 2 1/2 times the fan support in state and the gap in their performance over the years is as great as the Grand Canyon. PF has acknowledged this for 30 years and that he owes his career to Bama football. He rightly said over 20 years ago that Alabama football, not even the University, was the most important institution, not just athletic institution, in the state.

OTOH, what is so annoying about the Roundtable is Dunnaway's constant inclusion of AU when he says anything that would imply Bama's superiority. It's allmost like a verbal tic. It is a pity because, IMO, otherwise they have a good show except for the non-sports segments. All 3 are intelligent, knowledgable, articulate and witty and Lance and Ryan are willing to tell it like they think it is, but ironically, Dunnaway, who is a genuine Bama fan, insists on AU being included as an elite program like Bama. AU is historically a good program (top 15-20), while Bama is not just great or elite, but has now become almost transcendent. At least the RT actually likes Bama and college football, unlike Scarbinsky and Raita who dislike or hate Bama, with KS being more subtle - Raita welds a meat cleaver. Most others don't know the difference or are otherwise not worth listening to. The RT also discourages callers from making the distinction between Bama and AU.
 

RJ YellowHammer

Hall of Fame
Sep 1, 2009
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I'm thrilled about Finebaum being on ESPN. Not because I'm going to listen to him but because he'll no longer be making my home state a laughing stock.

For years he's weeded out intelligent fans, zeroed in on the lowest common denominator, then presented those loonies to the world as "callers." The black eye he gave us will heal..eventually.

Good riddance.
 

4Q Basket Case

FB|BB Moderator
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Nov 8, 2004
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I actually think Finebaum is more of a front-runner than a media member with an agenda. Though he has partially matured out of it lately, over the years, he has repeatedly exhibited a tendency to go with the zeitgeist, no matter where that momentum is directed.

When we hired Perkins, two strong egos clashed (Finebaum's and Perkins'). When we hired Curry, Finebaum quickly and accurately identified a man out of his depth. When we hired Stallings, Finebaum was initially doubting, but got on board as time went on. He did predict an undefeated season prior to the 1992 NC. Early on, Finebaum correctly identified Dubose as out of his depth. I'm not aware that he took a strong position one way or the other at Fran's hiring. He did lambaste Fran's method of exit, but that's not exactly ground-breaking journalism.

After the Price debacle / Shula hiring, I stopped listening for a long time. Finebaum correctly identified Shula as the third coach in four (or five, depending on how you treat Price) out of his depth. Problem there is he advocated strongly for Sylvester Croom, based primarily on the relative handling of their opening press conferences -- Shula's deer-in-headlights performance in Tuscaloosa vs. Croom's polished edition in Starkville. And he forever harped on "winning the introduction," as if that were a qualification for the head football coach at the University of Alabama. To my knowledge, Finebaum has never admitted his error here. As unsatisfying as Shula's tenure was, a Croom tenure would have been a disaster. Just ask Mississippi State.

During this time, I stopped listening. Finebaum was just another piler-on, and we had plenty of those. He was telling the truth, but he wasn't helping the situation (strange and logically inconsistent as that may sound).

In recent years, I must admit to having turned to Finebaum's show. His interviews are excellent. As he has matured over time, he has learned to walk the fine line between serving up Katie Couric-like softball questions and being a LeBatard-like jerk. Repeatedly, he gets the interviewees to open up on the subject matter of tough questions, without putting them off with tough phrasing.

In his early years, Finebaum was all about public opinion, and he swayed with it. In later years, I think he sees himself as more of a statesman -- a Bob Costas wannabe. Still, you have to admire a man in his 50s who still has the desire to grow in his profession.

I wish him the best in Charlotte. As to the callers......
 

JDCrimson

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Feb 12, 2006
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Pretty interesting article expounding on how content will be developed for the network.

I think if done correctly hiring PF could be really good for the network; however, it has the potential of being unflattering. I think it will take a fine balance to get the mileage out of his show. Maybe the coaches wont get all bent out of shape from PF's heckling now they know they will indirectly benefit financially from it.

I really hope ESPN takes a higher with its commentary of the league - as opposed to what CBS does on gameday. I think CBS goes out of its way to appear independent to the point on their halftime show and with Verne and Gary basically talking down the teams they are broadcasting and talking down the conference in general. It really incenses me when Brando et al start down that path. Seriously if it was for SEC football CBS likely would be the most irrelevant network in all of television.
 
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Crimson1967

Hall of Fame
Nov 22, 2011
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I guess the "sports station on the rise" just took a fall. The bad part is Finebaum is now going to be back on the afternoons when I'm driving home from work and I'll miss hearing the Round Table. But after Finebaum was such a jerk about being on Jox, I'm glad he has to go back there.
 
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