Paul Finebaum and Bryce Young both tangled with Gators on Saturday in Gainesville.
Finebaum, an SEC Network analyst, called his actions “fairly stupid,” while he was quick to defend Young.
For those that need a refresher, Young - the Alabama quarterback - has been the subject of many “to run or not to run” debates this week after the Tide’s 31-29 win over Florida in the Swamp. Both Young and coach Nick Saban have discussed the development of the quarterback’s game.
For Finebaum, it wasn’t an issue.
“I know he’s come under some criticism by people who feel like he’s not taking too many chances,” Finebaum told me on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 in Mobile on Thursday. “I, quite frankly, think he’s been very wise so far.
“He’s still starting. He’s not hurt. And, quite frankly, that’s not a problem Alabama fans want to be dealing with.”
What is an issue for Finebaum - in hindsight - is the way he handled his run-in with an alligator.
“There’s no way you can look at the video of what I did with a live alligator - who was not being held by a trainer or had duct tape on his mouth - and explain why I did what I did,” he said with a laugh.
He added perhaps the adrenaline on stage in front of a live audience might have given him a sense of false security.
“Now that I know a little bit more about how alligators operate, it was fairly stupid,” he added. “I thought they snap. I didn’t realize they run at you, grab you around the neck and then snap.”
He said he wasn’t scared, which - as he points out - was the scary part.
“I didn’t realize how stupid it was,” Finebaum said. “I tapped the table as if to say this is my table, buddy.”
Still in a way only Finebaum can joke, he quipped he probably isn’t worth a gator’s time.
“I think the alligator said this is guy isn’t worth eating,” he joked, “probably not enough meat on those bones.”
Mark Heim is a sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.
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