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Lane Kiffin Announces Decision On Relationship With Paul Finebaum

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated May 28, 2025 5:53 PM ET

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin and longtime SEC radio host Paul Finebaum have a feud that dates back decades. Or at least, we were reminded that the feud is still ongoing in a recent interview between the two.

Kiffin was a guest on The Paul Finebaum Show this week in what has to be one of the most awkward interviews ever held on the show. The two stared awkwardly at each other many times as they tried to hold back from teeing off on one-another.

Finebaum had some harsh things to say about Kiffin when Kiffin was the head coach at USC due to the nature in which he left Tennessee prior to taking the job. Kiffin clearly remembered that since he was fired shortly after Finebaum spoke out against him.

Kiffin was ready to let bygones be bygones and pledged not to talk about Finebaum's role in getting him fired.

"We'll put it to rest here. There's the Gulf. I'm not longer gonna bring it up. I'm grateful for you, that's what I've said. Everything happens for a reason," Kiffin said.

Things got no less awkward as the interview continued. pic.twitter.com/3dBO7JiT2M
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 27, 2025

Things only got more intense from there though:

"I feel like whenever you push me for a job, then we like lose the next week. It's like you're screwing us up. Get all our fans mad that I'm leaving," Kiffin said.

"Your fans don't like me," Finebaum replied.

"What fans do like you?...What fanbase is like, they love Paul Finebaum?" Kiffin asked back.

Fans on X absolutely loved seeing the two act to childish and petty on national television:

"Finebaum has always seemed like an obnoxious (expletive) and he doubled down with it here. Sure Lane is making some jabs too but at least he's funny with it," one user replied.

"One thing about @Lane_Kiffin is people do not give him credit for the fact USC was under devastating sanctions/scholly losses much like Mike Shula was at Bama. He did well considering," another remarked.

"This is pretty funny & truly awful announcing. Don’t know either of these guys. Finebaul is clearly a complete A-Hole. He’s terrible," a third joked.

"Is there anyone who’s brought more awkward moments to sports interviewing than PF? He makes Howard Cosell look like the Dali Lama," wrote a fourth.

Did you like this awkward exchange?

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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