Paul Finebaum is one of the country’s most respected sports media personalities. He is known for his bold opinions and often harsh critiques of teams across the nation.
Finebaum’s comments sometimes irritate coaches, leading to “feuds” between the analyst and coaches. One of his most famous feuds is with Lane Kiffin, the head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels. The feud started when Kiffin was at USC, after Finebaum referred to him as the “Miley Cyrus of college football coaching” during a segment on “College GameDay.”
On the “Saturday Down South” podcast, Finebaum was asked which coach disliked him the most and why some people think it’s Kiffin. Finebaum clarified that it is actually not Kiffin, but another coach who is now in the NFL.
It’s not Lane,” Finebaum said. “I know everybody thinks it is, but we actually are pretty good friends. We text a lot. We talk occasionally. I know there might be 100 people that can say the same about Lane. … Around the country, I would say in all the country, both pro and college, I would say Jim Harbaugh dislikes me the most. But, he no longer factors into my life.”
Finebaum has been highly critical of Harbaugh, particularly regarding the sign-stealing allegations involving his time with the Michigan Wolverines. Last year, Finebaum labeled Harbaugh a “sociopath” after the now-Los Angeles Chargers head coach claimed he was unaware of the scandal’s existence and refused to apologize for it.
However, Finebaum acknowledged Harbaugh for winning the national championship following the 2023 season. He congratulated him and admitted that it might be the most wrong he has ever been about anything in his life. While there may still be a feud, Finebaum had no problem recognizing Harbaugh for an impressive season.
