Paul Finebaum has interviewed countless coaches throughout his career. However, one weekly guest stands out for all the wrong reasons.
Speaking at the Barrett Media’s Audio Summit, the longtime ESPN host joked that his three-year run of weekly interviews with former LSU coach Brian Kelly was one of the most difficult stretches of his broadcasting career.
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Finebaum said the arrangement came together after former Alabama coach Nick Saban began making regular appearances on The Pat McAfee Show, prompting LSU to pursue a similar setup.
Finebaum agreed to the idea, but admitted he quickly realized just how challenging it would become: “A couple years ago, Nick Saban started doing Pat McAfee every week, so we got a call from LSU and Brian Kelly saying he wanted to do our show every week,” Finebaum said.
“Now I don’t know if any of you know Brian Kelly. Spending 20 minutes with Brian Kelly for three consecutive years every Monday? I think I would rather have a colonoscopy on the stage right now without anesthesia. It’s that painful.”
Finebaum laughed as he reflected on the experience, saying there was always a trade-off when booking high-profile guests: “So there’s always a trade-off, and we bought it and ended up dying with it,” he joked.
While Kelly’s interviews weren’t his favorite, Finebaum pointed to another SEC coach who provides a completely different challenge behind the microphone. Lane Kiffin, according to Finebaum, often creates memorable interviews simply because of how unpredictable he can be.
“But then there’s Lane Kiffin,” Finebaum added. “I’ve had a couple of interviews with Lane Kiffin that people say are unlike anything they’ve ever seen, not because he’s really a good interview, but because he’s just so bizarre.”
Finebaum explained that conversations with Kiffin often begin awkwardly before eventually taking unexpected turns: “So I like interviews like that where you literally sit down … and you don’t really know what to say,” Finebaum said. “Eventually, though, Kiffin will say things.”
Moreover, the veteran broadcaster also discussed how interviewing coaches has changed throughout his career. With social media and school-controlled content platforms, Finebaum believes many coaches no longer rely on traditional media to communicate with fans.
“Football coaches, by and large, don’t like the media in today’s world,” Finebaum said. “Everything is done for them. They can communicate with their fan base directly.”
Finebaum added that he understands why coaches have become more guarded during the season, noting that interviews are generally far more productive during the offseason than in the middle of a championship chase.
“You don’t ever want to talk to the head coach of the Giants in football or anybody else in the middle of the season, because they were worthless,” Finebaum pointed out. Don’t expect any talk between the ESPN analyst and Brian Kelly this season.