Paul Finebaum explains decision to not run for Senate and his criticism of Notre Dame

Key Concepts

• Republican Senate Bid in Alabama: Paul Finebomb's consideration and eventual decision against running for the Republican Senate seat in Alabama.
• Political Operatives: The influence and advice of political strategists in shaping campaign strategies.
• "Woke Disney" Narrative: A political talking point suggested by operatives as a path to victory.
• ESPN Ownership: Disney's ownership of ESPN, a significant factor in Finebomb's decision.
• College Football Playoff (CFP): The system for ranking and selecting top college football teams for a championship.
• Notre Dame's Conference Status: Notre Dame's unique position as an independent in college football, not belonging to a major conference for football.
• ACC Membership (Non-Football): Notre Dame's participation in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for most sports, excluding football.
• NBC Contract: Notre Dame's separate television contract with NBC for its football games.
• Head-to-Head Matchups: The importance of direct competition between teams in CFP rankings.
• Pete Bevacqua: Notre Dame's Athletic Director, whose public statements and actions regarding the CFP exclusion are discussed.
• "Scorched Earth" Approach: Bevacqua's aggressive and confrontational stance in defending Notre Dame's CFP bid.
• "10-Game Record" Claim: Bevacqua's assertion about Notre Dame's record, which is disputed.
• Collegiality in College Football: The generally cooperative nature of individuals within college football, and how Bevacqua's actions contrasted with this.
• Big 12 Commissioner's Criticism: The involvement of the Big 12 commissioner in criticizing Bevacqua's actions.
• Greg Sankey: SEC Commissioner, mentioned in the context of discussions about college football reform.

Paul Finebomb's Decision Against Senate Run

Paul Finebomb, known for his expertise in college football and the Southeastern Conference (SEC), seriously considered a career change earlier in the year by launching a Republican Senate bid in Alabama. After three months immersed in the political landscape, dealing with donors and various individuals, Finebomb ultimately decided against running.

Key Reasons for Declining the Bid

• Pressure to Enter the Race: Finebomb felt rushed to enter the race, with figures like Coach Tubberville (Senator Tommy Tubberville) urging him to file paperwork and establish legitimacy.
• Influence of Political Operatives: The primary reason for his withdrawal was the advice from political operatives. They presented the "clearest and cleanest path to victory" as a Republican in Alabama to be running against "woke Disney."
• Inability to "Burn Down" ESPN: Finebomb could not bring himself to attack Disney, the parent company of ESPN, which had provided him with employment for the past 13 years as a Birmingham talk show host. He stated, "I could not burn down the place I had worked for the last 13 years."
• Wife's Questioning: His wife asked him if he could genuinely engage in such a campaign, to which he realized he could not.
• Personal Values and Comfort Level: Beyond the "woke Disney" directive, Finebomb was uncomfortable with the prospect of saying things he did not believe. He emphasized his career goal of bringing people together and fostering unity, stating, "I've always wanted to do on a program is bring people together and let them fight within under the tent. And I couldn't get up there and and just draw a line and say, 'I'm I'm for you and I'm against you.'" This was against "every fiber of my body."

Discussion on Notre Dame and the College Football Playoff

The conversation then shifted to college football, specifically Finebomb's criticism of Notre Dame's stance on being excluded from the College Football Playoff (CFP).

Notre Dame's CFP Exclusion and Performance

• Team Performance: Finebomb argued that Notre Dame was not a "great" football team this year, finishing with a 10-2 record. Their losses in the only meaningful early-season games cost them a CFP spot.
• Weak Schedule Post-Losses: After their losses, Notre Dame went on a winning streak against less significant opponents. Their best win was against USC, which Finebomb noted has declined significantly from its historical prominence.
• Impact of Conference Independence: A key factor in their exclusion was Notre Dame's status as a football independent. While they are in the ACC for other sports, their separate contract with NBC for football prevents them from participating in a conference championship game, which can bolster a team's resume.
• Head-to-Head Loss: Notre Dame was ultimately left out, with Miami being one of the final two teams considered. Miami defeated Notre Dame in a head-to-head matchup, a crucial factor in the selection process.

Notre Dame Athletic Director Pete Bevacqua's Reaction

• "Scorched Earth" Approach: Finebomb criticized Notre Dame Athletic Director Pete Bevacqua for his aggressive and confrontational reaction to the CFP exclusion. Bevacqua went on the Dan Patrick Show and a press conference, making threats and strong assertions.
• Disputed "10-Game Record" Claim: Bevacqua claimed, "No school in college football has ever had a better 10-game record than we have" (referring to their record after the two losses). Finebomb stated that statistical analysis showed this claim to be false, with Notre Dame ranking fourth in that period. Finebomb, while hesitant to call him a liar directly, implied it.
• Unsubstantiated Threats: Bevacqua also made threats regarding the ACC, which Finebomb suggested were unsubstantiated.
• Contrast with Collegiality: Finebomb highlighted that college football is generally a collegial environment, and Bevacqua's actions were seen as a departure from this norm, making him appear foolish.
• Big 12 Commissioner's Criticism: The fact that the Big 12 commissioner publicly criticized Bevacqua indicated a significant breakdown in communication and collegiality.
• Bevacqua's Background: Bevacqua was previously the head of the PGA and had engaged in discussions with the President of the United States about solving problems in college football, ironically becoming a source of problems himself.

Conclusion

Paul Finebomb's decision not to run for the Senate was driven by his inability to align with the politically expedient but ethically compromising strategy of attacking Disney/ESPN, a company that provided him with a platform. His core values of unity and authenticity prevented him from adopting a divisive political narrative. In the realm of college football, Finebomb critiqued Notre Dame's independent status and the aggressive, factually questionable, and collegiality-breaking approach taken by their Athletic Director, Pete Bevacqua, in response to their CFP exclusion.