Kiffin The Jerk, Part Deux

[O-town Gator]

After Kiffykins bailed on UcheaT to head back to USC, I wrote a blog article about his sudden decision to take the job that was opened after Pete Carroll left to head back to the NFL. Anyway, I came across this little tidbit that I decided to dissect instead of blogging it (the link FWIW: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/05/11/which-lane-kiffin-is-coaching-at-usc/2#comments) -

"The way that I view it is that there's a specific plan for each individual job," Kiffin told FanHouse in an exclusive interview last week.

Your biggest problem is that you don't plan your course of attack and wind up eating your words - apparently you never read Sun-Tsu's "The Art of War".

"This has been a place that prior to last season had played in seven straight BCS games. So for most of these kids -- since they've been in fourth grade -- they've watched SC play in some big-time games and they understand why the program is known all across the country. I just did not feel that we needed to go out and grab attention like we did at Tennessee."

What an idiot. Apparently you were off in another world when Phil Fulmer was actually winning games and had Peyton Manning as his QB - not to mention they beat Bobby Bowden's Boyaz for the MNC in 1999.

"One thing about Lane is that he's really matured," said USC defensive coordinator Ed Orgeron, who worked with Kiffin as an assistant under Carroll for four seasons and again at Tennessee last year. "He's really confident being the head coach at USC. I think that he's made all of the right moves since he's been here. He's done a great job."

That waits to be seen. How come all of a sudden you've become a Lane Kiffin sycophant, Coach O? Let's see how long he goes before he spits out another one of his gaffes.

"Lane brings a lot to the table," USC athletic director Mike Garrett said when he hired Kiffin four months ago. "He has a coaching background both in the pros and in the best collegiate conferences. He has a great command of the X's and O's."

Yeah, but what did he accomplish personally? He was pretty much run out of Oakland, and he did nothing special on Rocky Top except piss a lot of people off. He couldn't beat Urban Meyer or Nick Saban, and he couldn't win a bowl game post-season. Yeah, that and all his side-show antics combined is really bringing a lot to the table.

Kiffin's time in Oakland did not last long nor did it end on good terms. After putting together a 5-15 record, Kiffin was fired four games into his second season and Oakland owner Al Davis did not make things better when he called Kiffin "a flat-out liar" and that he was guilty of "bringing disgrace to the organization."

And not too long after he started rocking the creamsicle-orange, there were letters floating around cyberspace that revealed some facts about what went on during that time.

At first, the relationship seemed like a perfect fit. By not being afraid to speak his mind, Kiffin fired up everyone in the SEC, even Volunteer fans. He promised a win over Florida and accused Gators coach Urban Meyer of NCAA recruiting violations. Then Kiffin was reprimanded for breaking a few minor rules.

And Florida won that day in The Swamp which kept him from singing Rocky Top all night long - not to mention that Urban did nothing wrong. To quote a line from the movie "Glengarry Glen Ross": "You NEVER open your mouth, 'til you KNOW what the shot is." He only made himself look ridiculous.

"At Tennessee, he had to go out on the limb a little bit and challenge other the coaches and all that," said Orgeron, who spent three seasons as head coach at Mississippi from 2005-2007. "All he was doing was getting our name around. That's all that was.

"But damn right. I did the same thing [at Mississippi]. In the SEC, when you're the new guy, they want you to come in and just be timid. But you can't do that. You have go in there and bring it."

What a load of crap. Funny thing, Derek Dooley mentioned bringing a bit of CLASS back after the Lane Kiffin Revue held its last performance in Knoxville. And where did "bringing it" and ripping off your shirt get YOU when you were at Ole Miss, O? Out of a freaking job, that's what. Not to mention a losing record, and YOU didn't beat Urban Meyer either.

On the field, Kiffin had mixed success. Although four of Tennessee's six defeats were by 10 or fewer points, including a two-point road loss at eventual-national champion Alabama, the Volunteers failed to play up to Kiffin's hype and even suffered a home loss to USC's rival, UCLA.

So much for all that "necessary" pre-season showing off.

But when Kiffin announced that he was leaving Tennessee to return to USC, supporters of the Volunteers were not pleased. Even some of his Tennessee players yelled nasty things at him when he held a team meeting to tell them that he was leaving.

Students burned mattresses along with other items and nearly turned the Tennessee campus into a riot zone. Angry fans painted vulgar comments about Kiffin on rocks around the school and someone even printed the cell number of his wife on a wall.

He couldn't stand the heat - seems he could talk the talk but couldn't walk the walk, so he bailed out of the kitchen.

"With Tennessee, that's a very special place down there with very, very passionate people," Kiffin said. "It's not a place that's used to people leaving for other jobs. The reaction down there, I just think reflects how much they care about football and their school and how passionate they are for their football program. It's a different part of the country than out here, so the reactions are different when people leave."

Did the powerful response surprise Kiffin?

"Yes it did," he said. "I didn't know that it would be as strong as it was. But once again, that just speaks to how big Tennessee football is compared to anything else in the state."

Apparently you didn't do your homework before you came to the SEC. Football is such a way of life here in the Southern states that many folks plan their social calendars around Saturdays in the fall. It should have come as no surprise to you that players and fans reacted to your sudden decision to bolt in the way that they did, but I'm sure you didn't really give a rat's ass.

For example, Gene Wojciechowski of ESPN.com wrote: "If there were a stock car race between all the frauds, egomaniacs and two-faced weasels I've ever covered, Lane Kiffin would have the pole position all to himself. Kiffin is a spin doctor without a medical degree. He thinks truth comes in different shades of gray. He demands loyalty, but gives none himself."

I couldn't have said that better myself. If it wasn't for the fact that Monte Kiffin's his father, he wouldn't be where he is right now. He's nothing more than an overgrown brat.

Even former Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker, whose only connection to Kiffin is that the son of his former college coach Vince Dooley (Derek) replaced Kiffin at Tennessee, has taken aim.

"[Kiffin] is a guy you don't want to trust at all," Walker told USA Today earlier this month. "I think it's sad when you trust your kids with someone like that and they leave."

Given the fact that some recruits de-committed and some players left the program after Kiffin bolted, Herschel Walker made a valid point.

In February, Kiffin raised more than a few eyebrows when he offered a scholarship to a 13-year-old quarterback and that came after he made a hot-print statement about UCLA that upset more than a few supporters of the Bruins.

"We know within the first 10 minutes, whether they're the type of guys that want to play here or there," Kiffin told the Orange County Register when asked about the difference between USC's 2010 recruits and those who signed with the Bruins.

How do you know that kid won't change his mind from now until he's a high-school senior? Funny thing, it didn't take you very long to get under the skin of a rival - so much for toning things down......

So what is it? Which Kiffin should USC fans expect from their new coach? Abrasive Lane or the toned-down version?

"I am much more comfortable being like this," Kiffin said about the business-first approach he has adopted since he took over the Trojans' program. "I even said that when I was at Tennessee that there were things that I did but I didn't like doing. But it was all just part of the plan and it needed to be done."

Tell me you didn't "like" doing what you did at UcheaT and you might as well try and convince me that pigs can fly.

And what is Kiffin's plan for the Trojans?

"Win" he said with a laugh. Starting on Sept. 4 when USC opens the 2010 season at Hawaii, the real Lane Kiffin will get a chance to get that done.

And if you don't win, you'll be in the same position that Ron Zook's in right now - on the hot seat.

 

[Escambia94]

The funny thing is all this makes sense to people outside of California. In Cali, you take common sense and reverse it, and you have California Common Sense. Pretty soon we are going to have an entire state worshipping Kiffykins for mediocre successes and having more Californians hating on the Gators and the SEC.

On a side note, there is a pretty decent Gator contingent in Los Angeles. I might be wrong if those Gator allies rise up against the Kiffin Kamp.

 

[CaliZona_Gator]

The funny thing is all this makes sense to people outside of California. In Cali, you take common sense and reverse it, and you have California Common Sense. Pretty soon we are going to have an entire state worshipping Kiffykins for mediocre successes and having more Californians hating on the Gators and the SEC.

On a side note, there is a pretty decent Gator contingent in Los Angeles. I might be wrong if those Gator allies rise up against the Kiffin Kamp.

I'll pretend I didn't read that. lol.

 

[O-town Gator]

The funny thing is all this makes sense to people outside of California. In Cali, you take common sense and reverse it, and you have California Common Sense. Pretty soon we are going to have an entire state worshipping Kiffykins for mediocre successes and having more Californians hating on the Gators and the SEC.

On a side note, there is a pretty decent Gator contingent in Los Angeles. I might be wrong if those Gator allies rise up against the Kiffin Kamp.

I'd be very surprised to see any Gator-haters among the UCLA faithful - that is, except for the basketball die-hards.