Paul Finebaum has never been shy about jumping into a college football firestorm, and this one gave him plenty to work with.
Kentucky coach Will Stein set off a frenzy earlier this week when he urged Big Blue Nation to “scream obscenities at the opponent” and “sneak a flask in” for Saturday’s showdown with No. 12 Alabama at Kroger Field. The comments spread fast, and Stein later appeared to soften the message Thursday night.
“We need our fans to bring the energy and make a difference for our team,” Stein tweeted. “Come ready to have a great time, be loud and enjoy the day.
Be respectful of everyone in the stadium. There are plenty of options to enjoy responsibly inside Kroger Field.
Bring the noise. Let’s have some fun.
See you Saturday. Go Cats!”
By then, though, the clip had already taken on a life of its own. On Friday’s edition of “The Paul Finebaum Show,” Finebaum leaned all the way into the joke and offered to defend any Kentucky student who gets caught trying to bring in a flask.
“Maybe this is a better question for the AD or the President… if students sneak a flask in and get in trouble, I will personally represent any of you and get you out of trouble,” Finebaum said. “I know some judges in Louisiana that we can take this case to.”
The backdrop to all of this is a Kentucky team that has already given Stein a reason to smile. In his first game as head coach, the Wildcats rolled past Youngstown State, 45-13, and that win helped fuel his over-the-top call for the home crowd to turn Kroger Field into a problem for Alabama.
Earlier in the week, Stein spelled out exactly what he wanted from the fans.
“I want them in there 45 to 30 minutes before, in their seat, standing up, screaming obscenities at our opponent, making them feel very unwanted in Kroger Field and creating an environment of excellence for Kentucky football,” Stein said during a call-in to Kentucky Sports Radio earlier this week.
He doubled down on the flask line, too.
“I mean, that’s what it’s about. You want to see a great product on the field.
I want to see insane fans in the stands as well. “Sneak a flask in!
Sneak a flask in. Again, do whatever you got to do, right?
Get your drinks ready. Sit in your chair, all right, and start cheering.
And then once you’re done with the drink, go back in as fast as you can, and come right back out.”
Kentucky is trying to open SEC play with a win for the first time since 2023, and a victory over Alabama at home would immediately shake up the league early in the season.
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