Month: September 2025

Over the years, ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum has become well-known for his patented SEC homerism. This weekend, he took it to a new level with some bold words about Arch Manning before he began his first season as a starter – and he immediately regretted it.

Manning entered Saturday’s showdown with the Ohio State Buckeyes as one of the most hyped players in recent memory. Before even playing his first game as a full-time starting quarterback, Manning was already the Heisman Trophy favorite and projected to be the top pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.

After a lackluster performance to open the season, many analysts and pundits were forced to address their rosy predictions about the young quarterback, Finebaum included.

Arch Manning Hype

Heading into Saturday’s game, the Manning hype was nearly out of control as the college football world eagerly awaited what they thought would be his coming-out party.

• Nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning
• Top-rated recruit in the 2023 high school recruiting class
• Preseason Heisman Trophy favorite
• Projected as No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft

Finebaum was certainly among those buying into the hype.

Paul Finebaum Offers Wild Prediction

During Saturday’s edition of SEC Nation on SEC Network, Finebaum had a pretty wild prediction for what he expected to see from Manning.

“It is the biggest opening game I think we have ever had, and there are a lot of reasons for it,” Finebaum said on the show. “But the biggest reason is Arch Manning. I’ve said it; I’ll say it again. He is the best player we have seen from every aspect since Tim Tebow.”

It was quite a bold prediction, and it did not take long for it to look laughable.

Arch Manning Falls Flat Against Ohio State

To put it bluntly, Manning did not live up to the hype during Saturday’s game against the Buckeyes. The young quarterback missed badly on simple throws, threw a costly interception, and looked confused for most of the game.

Manning completed just 17 of 30 passes, and the vast majority of those completions came behind or within just two yards of the line of scrimmage as his Longhorns struggled to move the ball and didn’t score a single point until late in the fourth quarter.

Needless to say, it was not the coming out party that everyone expected. Manning did not look like a Heisman Trophy contender or the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft; he looked like a young quarterback making his real start on the road against a great defense.

‘I Don’t Mind Being Wrong’

A day after boldly proclaiming Manning as “the best player we have seen from every aspect since Tim Tebow,” Finebaum had to eat his words a bit after a lackluster showing from Manning on Saturday.

During an appearance on The Matt Barrie Show on Sunday morning, Finebaum addressed all the hype surrounding Manning heading into Saturday’s game.

“We’ve only been hearing about Arch Manning since about the seventh grade. It was one of the biggest commitments of all time. It was the biggest debut of all time, and it did transcend sports. That’s what I jumped on with some of my now ridiculous takes. But that’s fine,” Finebaum said, via On3.

Finebaum admits that his prediction did not age well, but he was not bothered, though he does admit to seeing some of the postgame reactions to his comments.

“We’re in the business to express our opinions and what I don’t like, not to be on a soapbox, are those who never give an opinion. I don’t mind being wrong. I think it’s pretty funny — I mean, I get a kick,” Finebaum said. “It got so bad yesterday, I was flying back, and you try to keep up. Nobody in our business admits it, but you try to keep up with what people are saying about you. I couldn’t keep up with it. I finally said, ‘I’ve had enough.’”

Manning will have a whole season to grow and bounce back from the disappointing showing. Perhaps, in time, he’ll ultimately be able to prove Finebaum right, after all.

Legendary actor Bruce Willis has been battling frontotemporal dementia (FTD) since his diagnosis back in February of 2023. As his condition worsens, his wife made a difficult decision that she is now defending.

Willis’ wife, Emma Heming Willis, has been caring for her husband since his diagnosis. She recently spoke to Diane Sawyer of ABC News, where she opened up a bit about his condition and gave an update on his health and well-being.

During the emotional interview, Heming Willis shared what she called the “hardest decision” she has had to make. Now, several days later, she is defending the move on social media.

What is Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD)?

Shortly after Willis shared his diagnosis, Susan Dickson, CEO of the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, conducted a joint interview along with Heming Willis where she gave some insight into the disease.

Dickson explained that the disease is often misdiagnosed, with the symptoms mirroring depression, bipolar disorder, or even Parkinson’s and ALS. Those impacted by the disease can lose language and executive functions, and have trouble moving and speaking.

A Difficult Decision

During the recent interview with Sawyer, the actor’s wife said that while he is in “great health” physically, his condition has worsened as his brain is “failing him.”

“Bruce is still very mobile,” she said. “Bruce is in really great health overall, you know. It’s just his brain that is failing him.”

As a result, she made the difficult decision to move him away from the family home and into another home with a full-time care team.

“Everyone will have an opinion, but you have to remember that most don’t have the experience to back it up.”

Bruce Willis’ wife, Emma Heming Willis

Heming Willis called it the “hardest decision” she’s made, but said it’s what her husband would want for their daughters, 13-year-old Mabel and 11-year-old Evelyn.

“Bruce would want that for our daughters,” she told Sawyer. “He would want them to be in a home that was more tailored to their needs, not his needs.”

Willis’ Wife Defends the Move

The decision to move her husband out of the family house was a significant update and led to a lot of conversation and criticism on social media, but Heming Willis defended the move.

In a post on social media this week, Heming Willis read an excerpt from her upcoming book, Emma & Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey, where she defended herself from any criticism or opinions from others.

“Everyone will have an opinion, but you have to remember that most don’t have the experience to back it up,” she read from her book, responding to criticism about her decision. “If that’s the case, they shouldn’t offer their two cents about it, and you shouldn’t pay them any mind.”

“Nothing changes an opinion quite as powerfully as when you have an experience,” she said, recounting advice from her therapist. “Even if someone is familiar with dementia … they aren’t in your home. They don’t know how your person is behaving or your family dynamics.

“The truth is … the opinions are so loud, and they’re so noisy. But if they don’t have the experience of this, they don’t get a say, and they definitely don’t get a vote,” she concluded.

Clearly, Heming Willis thinks that the move was best for everyone involved and isn’t willing to listen to any criticism about it.