Top NFL Draft Prospect, Kayvon Thibodeaux, had some harsh comments for the Crimson Tide in his interview with FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt on Monday.  The Oregon defensive end claimed the difference in the quality of education between Oregon and Alabama was the reason he ultimately chose to head to Eugene out of high school.

“I already hate the stigmatism of football players being dumb jocks,” Thibodeaux said in an interview with FOX’s Joel Klatt. “So now, do you know the stigmatism of Alabama education? It ain’t the West Coast. It ain’t Harvard.” 

Thibodeaux continued to bash the Southern institution’s quality and reputation. 

“If I would have went to Alabama … I don’t know if my degree would mean anything,” Thibodeaux said.

National championship quarterback, media personality, and Alabama alum Greg McElroy took issue with the statements.

“I just take real personal offense, man,” McElroy said Thursday on JOX 94.5’s McElroy & Cubelic. “I genuinely do. I don’t care. Don’t come. If you think so little of us, don’t come. Fine by me, because I know the people that live in this state. I chose Alabama, because I love Alabama. If you don’t want to see Alabama for the greatness it can potentially provide you, it’s on you. You’re missing out.”

Cole Cubelic and McElroy also brought up the fact that Thibodeaux said “stigmatism” when he meant “stigma.” 

“He says he doesn’t like the stigma that athletes are dumb jocks, and yet, he sounds like a dumb jock,” McElroy said. 

McElroy, while offended, decided to offer some friendly competition to Thibodeaux.

“What I don’t understand is why he felt the need to cut down Alabama,” McElroy said. “And as someone who has always taken his academic situation very seriously, I’ll just come at him with this — if he’d like to take an IQ test, I’m available. If he’d like to take the Wonderlic test, I’m available. As a proud graduate with multiple degrees from Alabama, I will put my degree up against his any day of the week.”

McElroy was a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship in 2010. The Rhodes Scholarship is a postgraduate award for 102 students to attend the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. 

“I’d like to show him the offers, because I would be willing to bet that Harvard didn’t offer him,” McElroy said. “I think they probably would have taken him, but Harvard did offer me — as did Yale, as did Princeton, as did almost every Ivy League school along with Duke, Stanford, Northwestern and Vanderbilt. And I chose Alabama, so put ‘er there Kayvon Thibodeaux.”

Howard Eskin joined Joe DeCamara and Jon Ritchie on 94 WIP to preview the upcoming Bucs vs Eagles game.  Eskin gave his thoughts on why the Eagles had a realistic shot to win. For Philadelphia sports talk legend, a lot of it came down to Tom Brady.

“Brady is leaking oil,” Eskin said. “The fact that he’s leaking oil and he’s not the same and his age shows a little bit, other than his hair, which he colors, he’s really good but anybody can be beaten.”

That statement caught DeCamara and Ritchie a little off guard.  They weren’t convinced that Brady is using any artificial enhancement to keep his locks chestnut brown.  Howard Eskin would not back down and told the hosts to check the archives.

“Look at the pictures over the years, there’s no question,” Eskin said. “He’s so vain so that just kind of falls into place.  He’s a terrific quarterback but he doesn’t want people to realize he’s 44 or 45.”

Maybe Eskin is right, and the fountain of youth is starting to dry up for Brady.  Or maybe, as he has done before, he’ll prove everyone wrong and win another Super Bowl.  Only time will tell.

Jim Costa and Jeff Riger aren’t just hosts at 97.1 The Ticket in Detroit. They are also Detroit sports fans. That means they have strong feelings about Matthew Stafford.

The former Lions quarterback remains a polarizing figure in the city, so Costa and Riger are giving fans the chance to get whatever sort of closure they need with a playoff watch party. The pair will host the virtual event, which will stream on The Ticket’s website and Facebook page.

“It’s the rare chance to settle a sports debate,” Jim Costa, who still supports Stafford, told BSM. “It gives fans of Detroit closure on Matthew Stafford. People are still so emotionally invested in him even though he doesn’t play here anymore with both sides still believing they’re right about why he didn’t win a playoff game with the Lions.”

Other hosts from 97.1 The Ticket will pop in to watch along with Costa and Riger. They will play drinking games and place prop bets throughout the game.

With Jim Costa and Jeff Riger having strong, opposing feelings on Stafford, the final result will yield a punishment for the loser. Someone will have to take a “shot of reality,” which Costa promises will be “really gross”.

Matthew Stafford and the LA Rams will host the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL’s first-ever Monday night playoff game this week. It will be the conclusion to the league’s Super Wild Card Weekend.