I know this is old news. Lane Kiffin made several outlandish comments and a false accusation which angered several SEC coaches: Nick Saban, Steve Spurrier, and Urban Meyer. This all took place back in February, but the story won't end until the end of the 2009 season, when the vols will probably finish something like 3-9.
This young, misguided and arrogant man, who happens to be Tennesse's Head Football Coach, had the audacity to tell a recruit in South Carolina that if He went to play for the Gamecocks, he would probably be pumping gas for the rest of his life. That comment alone, in my opinion, is grounds for his dismissal from UT.
The 33 year-old Kiffin is new to the SEC, and he could not have started off worse than he has. Surely University Presidents and Athletics Directors would expect their coaches to conduct themselves with class and dignity. Kiffin has shown neither with his behavior. He not only slammed South Carolina's football program, but also the university itself and its academic programs.
If I'm the AD at Tennessee, I'm embarrassed. My athletic program and my university are made to be a laughing stock. For this one incident, I would give him the most severe reprimand possible if not out rightly firing him. Of course, however, this is not the only incident.
Speaking at a morning gathering of 1,000 Tennessee fans in Knoxville, Kiffin publicly accused Florida Head Coach Urban Meyer of breaking NCAA rules by making a phone call to UT recruit Nu'Keese Richardson while Richardson was on the UT campus making an official visit. “I’m going to turn Florida in right now in front of you,” Kiffin said to the crowd. “Nu’Keese was here on campus (on his recruiting visit) and his phone kept ringing. “One of our coaches said, ‘Nu’Keese, who’s that?’ He said, ‘Urban Meyer.' Kiffin went on to explain what the so-called violation was: “Just so you know, when a recruit is on another campus, you can’t call him. I love the fact that Urban had to cheat and still didn't get him.” Coach Kiffin said. Kiffin even went so far as to attack Richardson's high school in Pahokee, FL, saying that they couldn't be trusted to fax Richardson's Letter of Intent to UT.
There's only one problem, Mr. Kiffin. that "rule" you are referring to DOESN'T EXIST! SEC Commissioner Mike Slive: “The phone call to which Coach Kiffin referred to in his public comments is not a violation of SEC or NCAA rules. We expect our coaches to have an understanding and knowledge of conference and NCAA rules.” Slive said. His comments not only slandered our coach, but he violated SEC rules by publicly criticizing another coach and institution.” Slive continued.
University of Florida Athletic Director Jeremy Foley didn't take Kiffin's comments lightly either. "There was no rule violation and we have confirmed this with the Southeastern Conference,” Foley wrote in his statement. “It is obvious that Coach Kiffin doesn’t know that there is not a rule precluding phone contact with a prospect during an official visit on another campus during a contact period. His allegations are inappropriate, out of line and, most importantly, totally false. It is completely unfair to Urban Meyer, our coaching staff, our football program and our institution. The appropriate action at this time in my opinion is for Coach Kiffin to make a public apology." Foley continued.
When you become a coach at a university which belongs to the best and most prestigious conference between sea to shining sea, don't you check your ego at the door? How foolish! This man is not up for the job. Other bloggers who have commented on this subject have suggested that Raiders owner Al Davis knew something no one else did. I agree with them. Kiffin doesn't have the maturity and the common sense necessary to conduct himself as he ought as a coach in the SEC. Don't you also try to find out what the rules are and become knowledgeable about recruiting rules in college football? But wait, there's more.
Kiffin also made a personal attack against recruit Marlon Brown, who signed with Georgia. He called Brown a "Grandmama's Boy." Why would you hurl personal insults at an 18 year old kid just because he didn't sign with your school. Brown is gonna play for a man who is the total opposite of Kiffin. Mark Richt is a man of class and dignity. Yes, he made a mistake when he had the entire team run on tot he field to celebrate Georgia's first touchdown in the game against Florida 2 years ago. He regretted that move and apologized for it. Other than that, Richt has been exemplary and represented UGA well. Kiffin is the antithesis of Richt. Kiffin should take decorum lessons from Richt. Coach Richt doesn't need to comment on the matter. Richt, Brown and company will make orange blood spill at Neyeland come 10 October.
But for Kiffin, it wasn't enough to falsely accuse Urban Meyer. He had to go after Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban. According to ESPN.Com's Chris Low, Kiffin said that Saban should "thank" Tennessee Assitant Coach Lance Thompson for the Tide's No. 2 nationally ranked recruiting class. Thompson even told a crowd of Tennessee fans gathered in Knoxville that Saban would never be able to get one of his players.
Ironically, while Kiffin accuses Urban Meyer of breaking a recruiting rule, a rule which doesn't exist, Kiffin himself, along with Ass. Coach Ed Orgeron, violate a recruiting rule which DOES! Kiffin and Orgeron used a fog machine to stage an entrance into Neyeland Stadium of a recruit during an official visit Jan. 9, and held a mock press conference with 16 recruits in the stadium's media center. It is a recruiting violation to simulate a game experience for a recruit during an official visit. UT became aware of the violations when a member of the school's compliance staff read a prospect's account of the occurrence in an article. Tennessee sent a letter to the SEC and the NCAA notifying them of the violations. In the letter, the University stated that “The violations occurred due to an incorrect assumption by the football coaching staff regarding official visit activities.”
After all of this, I'm surprised Kiffin is still the Head Coach at UT. He's a profound embarrassment to that university. Philip Fulmer, for all his faults, never behaved like an out of control child like Kiffin is. Kiffin's Father, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers Ass. Coach Monte Kiffin, who now serves in a role in Football Operations, must be thinking. "I thought I raised my Son better than this."
Fulmer was run out of town, yet as far as I know, he never broke any NCAA rules because he knew what the rules were and were not. I liken the false accusations Kiffin hurled at Urban Meyer like current L.A. Galaxy Soccer Coach Bruce Arena taking a Head Coaching job with an English Premiership team, accusing Manchester United Head Coach Sir Alex Ferguson of breaking an FA (England's governing body for Soccer)
rule which he thinks exists but really doesn't, talking trash to other coaches in the league, and calling a player who decided not to sign with his team a coward.
Both the English Premiere League and SEC Football do have something in common though they are different sports and one is armature and the other professional. They are both steeped in a tradition of excellence, have a past and present history of great players and coaches, and have fans whose passion is probably second to none. Newcomers to leagues such as these need to check their egos at the door, show respect for the game they play or coach, and familiarize themselves with the rules and regulations of said league. Lane Kiffin has done none of these things. I may be wrong, but I predict that he will not last the 2009 season. Information in this blog was gathered from sources such as Chris Low at ESPN. Drew Edwards and John Adams both at Govolsxtra.com, and Gene Wojciehowski at ESPN.
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