Paul Finebaum reacts to ‘disconnect’ between fans, commissioners on House settlement news

In the wake of the House settlement, much is still unclear. The particulars of how college athletics will operate are beginning to become more understood, but the lasting impacts of the agreement remain hard to forecast.

One thing that doesn’t appear to be solved? How fans feel about the changes.

“I think the biggest surprise or maybe disconnect I see is the enthusiasm from college leaders, including (SEC) commissioner (Greg) Sankey, with whom we spoke yesterday, and the disconnect I think between the fans who, quite frankly, don’t really understand it and are at the point where they just don’t even care,” ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum said on the McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning radio program. “They just want to see the football as opposed to feeling like they’re back in high school again trying to understand geometry.”

Most fans don’t have the time to sift through all the nuances that the new House settlement has brought about. Understanding all the ramifications will take time.

Will that diminish the enjoyment of the sport for some? It could. But it’s hard to say, like much surrounding the new landscape.

Paul Finebaum still sees ways to cheat

One of the biggest remaining hurdles for college sports might just be the new enforcement guidelines under the House settlement. The College Sports Commission, headed up by CEO Bryan Seeley, will be responsible for that.

But for his part, Finebaum doesn’t see how the CSC possibly corrals everything. There are just so many moving pieces.

“To me, the most significant thing that is easy to digest is the NCAA is no longer in the enforcement business,” Finebaum told Cubelic and McElroy. “This is not a surprise because they really haven’t been in a long time, which makes me wonder, and I know this new attorney (Seeley) that’s in charge talks a good game just like the last group talked a good game, but is anyone really going to be serious about enforcement? And the answer is no.

“Because there’s still loopholes, there’s still ways to cheat, and ultimately I don’t think much has happened here except the top of the pyramid is going to continue to succeed. And if you’re in the middle or the bottom, you have virtually no chance at success.”

Until some of these things begin to get solved in actual practice now that the House settlement is final, expect to see a healthy degree of skepticism from onlookers. That’s just the reality of any big change.

On3’s Alex Byington also contributed to this report.