Mr2Bits
Gator Fan
Gang, it's been an interesting turn of events in the last 12-plus hours to say the least.
I was surprised, as I'm sure many of you were, to hear about Lane Kiffin being hired to replace Pete Carroll at USC as Carroll has decided to return to the NFL ranks. Unlike others who will miss Kiffin's brashness, buffoonery and as of recent his boorish gesture over the Vols having lost the Chick-Fil-A Bowl to Virginia Tech, I'm actually glad he's leaving the SEC.
From the moment Kiffin was introduced in Knoxville as the replacement to Phil Fulmer up until yesterday's announcement, there would no longer be any semblance of peace in the SEC. From the beginning, Kiffin made it clear that he had an agenda and wasted no time in making his motive apparent by announcing that he was looking forward to "singing Rocky Top all night long after we beat Florida." Shortly afterward, Kiffin had the temerity to accuse Urban Meyer of cheating with regards to the recruitment of Pahokee's Nu'Keese Richardson, only to learn much to his chagrin that Coach Meyer wasn't breaking any of the rules. Kiffin, as we well know, was publicly reprimanded by SEC commissioner Mike Slive for this gaffe and as fate would have it, (1) Pahokee High School revealed their disgust at Kiffin's recruiting tactics involving Richardson and (2) Nu'Keese would later be arrested for attempted robbery - charges of which he has pled guilty and was sentenced to three years' probation. Yes, what goes around comes around.
To paraphrase a quote from Sun-Tzu's "The Art of War": Know your adversary, and know yourself. It was very apparent that this meant nothing to Kiffin as he would later attempt to get under the skin of Steve Spurrier and Mark Richt. He still made subtle jabs at Urban Meyer during the season, especially over many of the Gators having come down with the flu during the week of the Kentucky game and making snide remarks about the quality of Alabama's coaching staff during the week of the SEC Championship game. But he who laughs last laughs best, and the best laugh was Florida's win over the Vols in the Swamp, forcing Kiffin to eat his words - hardly a "moral victory" for the Vols as some were describing it.
One would have thought the brashness and boorishness would have ceased after Kiffin received his second verbal reprimand from commissioner Slive as a result of his openly criticising the officiating during the Tennessee - Alabama game, but he was unfazed and did nothing to alter his behavior.
The ultimate show of poor sportsmanship came after the Vols lost the Chick-Fil-A Bowl; post-game he refused to meet Hokies' head coach Frank Beamer and gave him the cold shoulder without even bothering to shake his hand (if anybody wants documentation of this, there is a post on the Gator Envy forums with a link to video evidence showing his snub of Beamer.)
Further evidence of Kiffin's brashness and disregard for the rulebook lies with the Vols having been hit for six minor recruiting violations throughout 2009 and recently the accusation that they were using "hostesses" as part of the recruiting process which is forbidden under NCAA rules. Given the fact that USC is also under investigation for allegations involving Reggie Bush, in essence he's running away from one situation which isn't kosher to another. You know, I won't be surprised if Kiffin does something questionable not too long after he begins the USC gig - apparently the word "decorum" has no meaning to him.
Copies of correspondence from Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis concerning Lane Kiffin made they way into cyberspace last year, and it was evident that Kiffin's behavior was also a factor in his dismissal from that job in addition to the poor on-field performance of that team. Based on what I heard from a well-known ESPN correspondent last night, Lane Kiffin was not well-liked around the SEC and pretty much burned his bridges; I wonder if that, in part, accounted for his rapid decision to bail on the Vols and head back to the Pac-10.
As I see it, the SEC is much better off without the likes of Lane Kiffin. Perhaps our conference and football coaches can now get back to some semblance of civility.
And as for you, Lane Kiffin - GOOD RIDDANCE.
I was surprised, as I'm sure many of you were, to hear about Lane Kiffin being hired to replace Pete Carroll at USC as Carroll has decided to return to the NFL ranks. Unlike others who will miss Kiffin's brashness, buffoonery and as of recent his boorish gesture over the Vols having lost the Chick-Fil-A Bowl to Virginia Tech, I'm actually glad he's leaving the SEC.
From the moment Kiffin was introduced in Knoxville as the replacement to Phil Fulmer up until yesterday's announcement, there would no longer be any semblance of peace in the SEC. From the beginning, Kiffin made it clear that he had an agenda and wasted no time in making his motive apparent by announcing that he was looking forward to "singing Rocky Top all night long after we beat Florida." Shortly afterward, Kiffin had the temerity to accuse Urban Meyer of cheating with regards to the recruitment of Pahokee's Nu'Keese Richardson, only to learn much to his chagrin that Coach Meyer wasn't breaking any of the rules. Kiffin, as we well know, was publicly reprimanded by SEC commissioner Mike Slive for this gaffe and as fate would have it, (1) Pahokee High School revealed their disgust at Kiffin's recruiting tactics involving Richardson and (2) Nu'Keese would later be arrested for attempted robbery - charges of which he has pled guilty and was sentenced to three years' probation. Yes, what goes around comes around.
To paraphrase a quote from Sun-Tzu's "The Art of War": Know your adversary, and know yourself. It was very apparent that this meant nothing to Kiffin as he would later attempt to get under the skin of Steve Spurrier and Mark Richt. He still made subtle jabs at Urban Meyer during the season, especially over many of the Gators having come down with the flu during the week of the Kentucky game and making snide remarks about the quality of Alabama's coaching staff during the week of the SEC Championship game. But he who laughs last laughs best, and the best laugh was Florida's win over the Vols in the Swamp, forcing Kiffin to eat his words - hardly a "moral victory" for the Vols as some were describing it.
One would have thought the brashness and boorishness would have ceased after Kiffin received his second verbal reprimand from commissioner Slive as a result of his openly criticising the officiating during the Tennessee - Alabama game, but he was unfazed and did nothing to alter his behavior.
The ultimate show of poor sportsmanship came after the Vols lost the Chick-Fil-A Bowl; post-game he refused to meet Hokies' head coach Frank Beamer and gave him the cold shoulder without even bothering to shake his hand (if anybody wants documentation of this, there is a post on the Gator Envy forums with a link to video evidence showing his snub of Beamer.)
Further evidence of Kiffin's brashness and disregard for the rulebook lies with the Vols having been hit for six minor recruiting violations throughout 2009 and recently the accusation that they were using "hostesses" as part of the recruiting process which is forbidden under NCAA rules. Given the fact that USC is also under investigation for allegations involving Reggie Bush, in essence he's running away from one situation which isn't kosher to another. You know, I won't be surprised if Kiffin does something questionable not too long after he begins the USC gig - apparently the word "decorum" has no meaning to him.
Copies of correspondence from Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis concerning Lane Kiffin made they way into cyberspace last year, and it was evident that Kiffin's behavior was also a factor in his dismissal from that job in addition to the poor on-field performance of that team. Based on what I heard from a well-known ESPN correspondent last night, Lane Kiffin was not well-liked around the SEC and pretty much burned his bridges; I wonder if that, in part, accounted for his rapid decision to bail on the Vols and head back to the Pac-10.
As I see it, the SEC is much better off without the likes of Lane Kiffin. Perhaps our conference and football coaches can now get back to some semblance of civility.
And as for you, Lane Kiffin - GOOD RIDDANCE.
