Paul Finebaum on Jimbo Fisher's jab at Houston Chronicle, Sports Illustrated: I like him having fun

Recently the Texas A&M Aggies head football coach Jimbo Fisher made a few headlines after poking at a member of the media during a press conference. There were some individuals who took exception to how he handled the situation. But ESPN’s residential SEC expert Paul Finebaum is all in on Fisher’s antics. 

“Call me crazy, but I thought that was funny,” said Finebaum. “I thought Jimbo Fisher is having fun with the media and I think that’s a good sign. He is toying with the media. Let me give you the translation… TexAgs, that’s Billy Luchi’s site. That’s the site that is the biggest wing of media in relation to Texas A&M. Houston Chronicle, that’s the big city paper; nobody likes the big city paper. They’re down the road in Houston where the Aggies have to fight for space with all the other franchises there.  

“Sports Illustrated once proud magazine was the gold standard. When’s the last time you saw one? I didn’t mean to go off but I think Jimbo was having fun. I like him having fun.” 

Last year wasn’t a fun year for Fisher at Texas A&M, and it wasn’t a secret. The Aggies started the year as favorites to compete with Alabama for the SEC West crown. Instead, they finished the year 5-7 and at the bottom of the West division at 2-6. Because of that, members of the media, both locally and nationally, questioned whether or not his tenure would survive the season. Fortunately for him, it did, and Fisher is still at the helm at Texas A&M and having fun at their expense. 

Fisher’s playful jab at Houston Chronicle, Sports Illustrated

The back and forth with Fisher and the member of the media happened towards the end of his press conference following the Aggie’s Maroon and White Game. Fisher wanted to make sure that the last question of the session was a good one. Then, he took a shot at a pair of outlets in the Houston Chronicle and Sports Illustrated as two that he knew wouldn’t be asking the good ones.

“If it’s the last question, it (better) be a good question. I don’t need no Houston Chronicle questions. I need a TexAgs question, a good question,” Fisher said. “Sports Illustrated is just as bad. Sports Illustrated? That ain’t a good one either now. That ain’t a good one either.”

“(It) used to be the gold standard. Dadgum,” continued Fisher. “Y’all give me flack and I can’t give you flack? Y’all can’t take it. That got personal.”

It appears as though Fisher took note of who in the media may have recently given him a harder time than others. Still, there’s nothing that would obviously suggest a reason as to why he was frustrated with them. Even so, for all the shots he likely took over the last year, it looks like Fisher was both locked and loaded to fire back at both the Houston Chronicle and Sports Illustrated with these comments yesterday.