Paul Finebaum just tore Texas A&M football a new one

Under Jimbo Fisher, the Texas A&M football team has had a handful of disappointing seasons. Despite showing promise, nobody can sit here and pretend like they’ll be happy with four straight seasons of nine or fewer wins. There is a caveat — the Aggies went 9-1 in a shortened 2020 season — but the team’s best season is still a “first out” situation.

At some point, Jimbo Fisher should not be considered immune to criticism, which is why many are considering the 2022 season to be a “make-or-break” year. But can this be taken too far?

It’s a rhetorical question, though some are quickly proving the answer to be a simple “yes.” After some disrespect from ESPN, the media outlet decided to pack it on. This week, ESPN’s Paul Finebaum had some very negative comments regarding the Texas A&M football team.

Did Paul Finebaum take things too far or is he right about the Texas A&M football team in 2022?

I’d like to preface Paul Finebaum’s comments by noting that these types of comments are not unusual for the sports personality. Finebaum tends to speak in black and white — much like many sports personalities, his tone often comes off stronger than the content of what he’s actually saying. That said, let’s break this down.

Here’s what Finebaum said about the Aggies.

"“I mean, he’s been there a long time now. He should have his full complement. And it almost seemed like we gave him a reboot. I think anything less than 10 games is a disappointment, Greg (McElroy), ’cause I don’t know how you could explain it.”"

In this quote, I think Finebaum is entirely correct. Heck, the argument could be made that even an 11-win season could be considered a disappointment. The goal for the Aggies should be College Football Playoff or bust. Again, Finebaum was right. Unfortunately, he didn’t stop there.

Here’s what the ESPN personality said about Fisher’s 2021 season, beginning with a comment about the Aggies’ opt-out of their bowl game last season.

"I mean, you don’t need me to explain it. They were going to lose to Wake Forest. They didn’t want another loss. And secondly, the recruiting class that has left us all breathless. But that’s not the first time they’ve had a good recruiting class. They’ve had one over the years. So I think we need to quit treating A&M like they’re a bunch of kindergarteners and Jimbo Fisher just got his first coaching job. He’s been there long enough for this to be successful. And any other coach who has been there long as Jimbo would be graded on a very strict curve."

This, in my eyes, was said to create shock value. To say that Texas A&M was going to lose to Wake Forest is a ridiculous statement — the Aggies would have played the game without at least half of the team’s starters. Losing that game would be no indication of the team’s abilities.

For him to take it a step further and say that this is “not the first time they’ve had a good recruiting class” is also out of context. A&M has had good recruiting classes — they haven’t had the greatest recruiting class in college football history. The only comparisons that should be drawn should be in relation to one of Georgia or Alabama’s classes from the past decade.

There is some substance to Finebaum’s words but you have to read between the lines.