Paul Finebaum Spills Details on Apology to Stephen A. Smith Over Deion Sanders Rift

Two weeks ago, an entertaining bit of ESPN vs. ESPN strife erupted in the wake of veteran reporter/talker Stephen A. Smith offering a firm defense of controversial Colorado coach Deion Sanders.

Days earlier, Sanders had said that college football reporters were too negative about players because they are jealous of the NIL money players are now allowed to make. Finebaum took exception, and called Sanders "spineless." When Smith suggested Finebaum was being "extreme" and defended Sanders, Finebaum said Smith "might want to take your degree back."

Fair to say that Sanders is a divisive figure, eh?

But on Tuesday morning, Finebaum made sure all knew the air was cleared. He pointed out that he had apologized to Smith in front of the cameras, and had bitten the bullet and apologized personally, too.

"Do you know how hard it is to apologize to Stephen A. Smith?," Finebaum said on the "First Take" show, addressing co-hoist Shannon Sharpe. "I not only did it here, on national television, I did it in person. And he did not even make me get down on my knees and beg for forgiveness.

"I mean, he accepted the apology like a man, he just shook me away, 'Get away from me, son.' I don't know what else to do except bow down to the great Stehpen A. Smith."

Sanders, for his part, has Colorado now at 4-1 after drubbing Central Florida on Saturday.

Said Smith: "When you're right, you're right."

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