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Paul Finebaum

Hoganman1

Hoganman1

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Nov 28, 2022
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Can someone explain to me why this guy is so popular? Granted he has some strong opinions about college football in general and the SEC in particular. However, I have found he is only correct in his predictions about half the time. People obviously like him because he is on the SEC Network every day for hours.
Why people think having drunk fans call in to his show is entertaining is beyond my comprehension. I used to tune in occasionally but stopped because I could feel my IQ dropping listening to that drivel.
 
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Gamecock Jacque

Joined Dec 20, 2020
Jan 30, 2022
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Hoganman1 said:
Can someone explain to me why this guy is so popular? Granted he has some strong opinions about college football in general and the SEC in particular. However, I have found he is only correct in his predictions about half the time. People obviously like him because he is on the SEC Network every day for hours.
Why people think having drunk fans call in to his show is entertaining is beyond my comprehension. I used to tune in occasionally but stopped because I could feel my IQ dropping listening to that drivel.
Click to expand...
I've never watched him.
 
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BftCocks09

Joined Aug 2, 2014
Jan 24, 2022
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Never found anything he has to say to be informative or entertaining.
 
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Guy in the Back

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Jan 22, 2022
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I don’t think people do like him. He like to incite the crowd, which keeps folks coming back.
 
18IsTheMan

18IsTheMan

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I don't really get it, but I don't know why anyone's opinion on sports matters. Aside from giving me the game details or interviews, I've never understood why random people's opinions matter. Maybe if it's someone like Nick Saban or someone who was active in the game, but most of these guys are just couch QBs.
 
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Harvard Gamecock

Harvard Gamecock

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Hoganman1 said:
Can someone explain to me why this guy is so popular? Granted he has some strong opinions about college football in general and the SEC in particular. However, I have found he is only correct in his predictions about half the time. People obviously like him because he is on the SEC Network every day for hours.
Why people think having drunk fans call in to his show is entertaining is beyond my comprehension. I used to tune in occasionally but stopped because I could feel my IQ dropping listening to that drivel.
Click to expand...
 
18IsTheMan

18IsTheMan

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Piscis said:
I think every hour someone watches or listens to any sports talk shows reduces their IQ by about a quarter of a point.
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In my younger days, I liked Mike and Mike on ESPN. At some point I began to wonder "why am I listening to two dudes just talk about sports?" Why should I care what Paul Finebaum thinks about this or that? He's not a decision-maker or influencer. His opinion is no more meaningful or valid than anyone on this forum.
 
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Gamecock Jacque

Joined Dec 20, 2020
Jan 30, 2022
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18IsTheMan said:
In my younger days, I liked Mike and Mike on ESPN. At some point I began to wonder "why am I listening to two dudes just talk about sports?" Why should I care what Paul Finebaum thinks about this or that? He's not a decision-maker or influencer. His opinion is no more meaningful or valid than anyone on this forum.
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I remember the Seinfeld episode when they were pitching their show about nothing. The executive asked why would anybody watch a show about nothing. George replied because it's on tv.
 
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KingWard

KingWard

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Feb 15, 2022
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Piscis said:
I think every hour someone watches or listens to any sports talk shows reduces their IQ by about a quarter of a point.
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I've been looking for some reason for my slightly reduced cognition in my seniority. I'm afraid that only some of it can be accounted for by this cause.
 
Thunderstick

Thunderstick

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Jan 21, 2022
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Finebaum has often said he doesn't know enough to be taken seriously and that no one should ever place bets based on his opinions and/or prognostications. His guests (not callers), on the other hand, are quite knowledgeable. His show is a revealing MRI of southern culture and was spawned from his wildly popular call-in radio show on WJOX-FM based in Birmingham (I stumbled upon it 15-20 years ago via satellite radio). It is purely an entertainment show and is only gaining in popularity (based partially on the increasing number of callers from the Midwest).

And, the suits at ESPN are not dumb - they know exactly what they have in "The Paul Finebaum Show."
 
will110

will110

Joined Aug 17, 2018
Jan 20, 2022
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18IsTheMan said:
In my younger days, I liked Mike and Mike on ESPN. At some point I began to wonder "why am I listening to two dudes just talk about sports?" Why should I care what Paul Finebaum thinks about this or that? He's not a decision-maker or influencer. His opinion is no more meaningful or valid than anyone on this forum.
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I'm the same way. It's why I rarely turn on 107.5 anymore - the guys talking never seem to know more than I do, so what's the point? The one sports show that is the exception for me is Dan Patrick. He's got the connections to get pretty much any name on the show and actually does know more than me. Between that and the excellent interactions between he and the "Danettes," it's just a really good radio show.

Even then, I only listen to him every once in awhile if I'm tired of listening to music or a book during my commute.
 
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Evilchicken

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Mar 25, 2022
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Finebaum absolutely skewered Beamer on today’s show. Ouch!
Paraphrasing:
1. Beamer should improve his record before lecturing the media
2. Beamer has said some idiotic things but his recent comments were just dumb dumb
3. Basically Beamer has no credibility and should keep his mouth shut
 
1vagamecock

1vagamecock

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Jan 19, 2022
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Evilchicken said:
Finebaum absolutely skewered Beamer on today’s show. Ouch!
Paraphrasing:
1. Beamer should improve his record before lecturing the media
2. Beamer has said some idiotic things but his recent comments were just dumb dumb
3. Basically Beamer has no credibility and should keep his mouth shut
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Heard that too.
For some reason he doesn't like Shane.
He is such a good judge of Character though, he said Hugh Freeze was the salt of the earth, he loved Joe Paterno and loves Stoops.
He thinks he is a lot smarter than he is.
 
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Uscg1984

Uscg1984

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Gamecock Jacque said:
because it's on tv.
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True, but dang. There are soooo many other options on TV nowadays. I enjoy sports, but there are a million things on during a random Tuesday afternoon more interesting and informative than a couple of dudes talking about sports. How can anybody skip over an episode of Top Gear or Mountain Men to watch Finebaum blather on?
 
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Gamecock Jacque

Joined Dec 20, 2020
Jan 30, 2022
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Uscg1984 said:
True, but dang. There are soooo many other options on TV nowadays. I enjoy sports, but there are a million things on during a random Tuesday afternoon more interesting and informative than a couple of dudes talking about sports. How can anybody skip over an episode of Top Gear or Mountain Men to watch Finebaum blather on?
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I said it in jest. I don't watch him.
 
Hoganman1

Hoganman1

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I guess his show is entertaining for some people. SURVIVOR has been on TV for decades. Wasn’t it PT Barnum who said no one ever went broke by under estimating the taste of the American public (or something to that effect). I’m not a fan of Pat McAfee but he clearly has a following.
At least he has played football and is knowledgeable about the game. I just hate that Nick Saban has to sit next to McAfee and watch him act like a clown on Game Day.
 
Thunderstick

Thunderstick

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Jan 21, 2022
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Hoganman1 said:
...I’m not a fan of Pat McAfee but he clearly has a following.
At least he has played football and is knowledgeable about the game. I just hate that Nick Saban has to sit next to McAfee and watch him act like a clown on Game Day.
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McAfee is GREAT!! A welcome respite from the talking heads.
 
18IsTheMan

18IsTheMan

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will110 said:
McAfee is a buffoon. I haven't even tried to turn on Gameday once he got hired.
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Ditto. I find Game Day unwatchable with McAfee. They have always had serious, reputable guys on Game Day. Not sure the motivation to go with someone so unserious. There was a significantly major drop in quality from David Pollack to McAfee. Feels more like just reality TV show with McAfee. I guess they thought the show needed some comic relief to balance out the informative members, but I don't think he's very funny either.
 
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Piscis

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Aug 31, 2024
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Something to keep in mind is the low bar shows have to meet as far as audience size in today's media market. In the past when there were only 3 networks, if a show didn't draw millions of viewers to every episode it was axed pretty quickly. Today, with so many cable channels and other options for viewers, a show that attracts a few hundred thousand viewers is pretty safe from cancellation. CNN only draws about 600k viewers in prime time on an average day.

ESPN isn't looking for millions of viewers to Finebaum.
 
F

FootballLVR

Member
Sep 25, 2023
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Hoganman1 said:
Can someone explain to me why this guy is so popular? Granted he has some strong opinions about college football in general and the SEC in particular. However, I have found he is only correct in his predictions about half the time. People obviously like him because he is on the SEC Network every day for hours.
Why people think having drunk fans call in to his show is entertaining is beyond my comprehension. I used to tune in occasionally but stopped because I could feel my IQ dropping listening to that drivel.
Click to expand...
OK, I'll chime in. He is a Tennessee graduate and a Bama homer. He constantly pushes the SEC. That's why SEC fans like him. I think he is an idiot. Taking phone calls just doesn't work for me. Living in the Upstate, I occasionally listen to the upstate sports radio station (I won't give their call letters or dial position for obvious reasons). It is much like the Finebaum show. The same people call with the same dumb questions every show. I can see why the school up north isn't taking calls anymore. "Do you remember me? I met you 6 years ago outside of church and it was raining."

Odd thing is, there are many ACC people wishing they had a Paul Finebaum on the ACC network (not that anybody watches it anyway). It's just bad TV and it's bad radio. I don't mind the "text in" questions. That allows someone to cull the crappy questions and maybe address some of the real ones that people in general may want to hear about. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm just an old crotchety man. Now, Get off my lawn.
 
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FootballLVR

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Sep 25, 2023
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KingWard said:
It's shtick, interviews, and interaction with callers. Mainly it's subject matter. His show has been a great outlet for college football, particularly in the South, where it is exceedingly cultural.

Millions of people religiously watch "The View". I will say no more.
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And those millions of people are STUPID! :)
 
F

FootballLVR

Member
Sep 25, 2023
395
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Hoganman1 said:
Can someone explain to me why this guy is so popular? Granted he has some strong opinions about college football in general and the SEC in particular. However, I have found he is only correct in his predictions about half the time. People obviously like him because he is on the SEC Network every day for hours.
Why people think having drunk fans call in to his show is entertaining is beyond my comprehension. I used to tune in occasionally but stopped because I could feel my IQ dropping listening to that drivel.
Click to expand...
I will say that the only call in show that I have ever really liked was "Kiffen's Krimson Korner" :)
 
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