Paul Finebaum takes subtle shot at Ohio State fans for claim over Joe Burrow

People like to claim Joe Burrow as a shared commodity when it comes to his college football career. Before he won the Heisman and a national championship at LSU, Burrow spent three seasons at Ohio State where he saw action in just 10 games. Still, some Buckeye faithful still claim the 26-year old star as one of their own.

However, Paul Finebaum said he’ll allow them to do so during an appearance on ‘McElroy and Cubelic In The Morning’. He did so within an insult, though, as he said he gets it considering he doesn’t think Ohio State has much to claim success-wise over the last few years.

“Ohio State has to claim something. They don’t have much to wrap their arms around these days. So, if the Buckeyes want to claim Joe Burrow? That’s great,” Finebaum said.

While Burrow was an Ohio kid coming out of high school and spent three years in Columbus, he made a name for himself in Baton Rouge. He went from being deep down on the Buckeye’s quarterback depth chart to QB1 for the Tigers. That decision and success in the SEC are what propelled him to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft and the big name we now know today.

This is likely just Finebaum stirring the pot with those who bleed scarlet and grey. He has been quite critical of them but, in the end, he’s not far from the mark when it comes to the fact that, when it comes to college careers, Burrow is more so LSU’s to claim.

Finebaum evaluates the ‘remarkable tale’ of continued rise for Jalen Hurts

Jalen Hurts is a remarkable tale according to ESPN’s Paul Finebaum. The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback led the team to Super Bowl LVII with a 31-7 win over the San Francisco 49ers.

Hurts did not play his best in the game, but put up an MVP season this year and is one win away from winning a world title. It was the continued rise of Hurts since his days at Alabama that blew Finebaum’s mind.

Finebaum joined McElroy and Cubelic and recounted how Hurts went from the bench at Alabama to this moment with the Eagles.

“Well, I think it’s a remarkable tale of someone who is and was extraordinarily talented,” Finebaum said. “But through fate, he just happened to end up on the same roster with someone equal, or in this case probably better. And I thought the great part of Jalen Hurts’ career at Alabama was saving the day in the 2018 SEC championship game and then moving on and leading the (Oklahoma) Sooners to the CFP. I don’t know how you do much better than that. 

“And I know I’ve read an occasional piece about well, maybe Nick Saban made the wrong decision. Well, let’s cut right to the chase. He did not make the wrong decision,” said Finebaum. “At the moment that he had to make it, Tua (Tagovailoa) was better. And I think that was factored in and really what difference does it make now? But I think the real debate is who gets to claim Jalen Hurts? Alabama or Oklahoma? The easy answer is both.”