Goodbye weasel, a.k.a., Coach Kiffin!

Have you heard? Coach Lane Kiffin of the UT Vols is leaving to lead the USC Trojans, after only one year as head coach in Tennessee. Well darn, I hate that. NOT! The man was about the worst thing that could’ve happened to this wonderful SEC football program, when he took on the job after Phillip Fulmer’s exit last season, and no, I did not just now start saying that. I first figured it out when he made some snide comment early in the season about Coach Urban Myer of the Florida Gators. I don’t remember what he said exactly, just that it was a nasty jab. If you follow college football you’re bound to know a Vols fan can’t stand the Gators, but that doesn’t mean we don’t respect each other as a team. And Coach Myer is a good man who deserves nothing less than that respect.

But before I get into all the reasons I’m glad to see Lane Kiffin flying off to California, let me tell you the story of how my youngest son, Noah, became a Gator’s fan, at 5-years-old, (and please excuse me if I’ve told this story before – I think I may have). It was all thanks to the antics of my loving husband, Jim. Living just two hours from Knoxville, TN, we’re in Vol country up here, so everywhere you go you’re bound to see orange something, whether that be one of those flag thingies on someone’s car, or people wearing a Vols jacket, whatever, we bleed orange, and anyone who isn’t a Vols fan is already in for a scorn, so imagine what it’s like to live around here and be a fan of one of the Vols’ biggest rivals, the Florida Gators.

For some reason unknown to all of mankind, our children’s school had their fall festival every year on the day of the Vols vs. Gators game – ridiculous! But I was a good mom and sacrificed my game day to ensure my sons had their fair share of fun on the blown-up-kid-traps, a.k.a. inflatables, for the first two years of my oldest son, Jimmy’s school career. Finally, when Noah entered Kindergarten, I’d decided I’d given up my game day long enough, and so I played sick in order to stay home and watch the game while the hubby took the boys to the fall festival. As they walked out the door I moaned from the couch, “I’m so sorry I can’t make it boys, but I hope you have fun. Oh, I think I’m gonna throw up.”

Once they were out the door I jumped up, grabbed my chips and dip and turned on the TV. For two hours I cheered on the Vols from my couch, all by myself. It was about the middle of the fourth quarter when I heard the car pull in the driveway. I shoved the chips behind the couch and rushed to lie down and cover up with a blanket. Jim and Jimmy came in the door laughing, but there was no sign of Noah.

“What’s so funny?” I asked, “and where’s Noah?”

Jim continued to laugh, “Are you ready for this?”

“Ready for what?”

“Come on in Noah!” he yelled out the door.

In walked my skinny little boy, also laughing his head off, but still I didn’t see what was so funny. “What is it?” by now I was getting aggravated. Here they all were having a big ole’ time while I lay there dying, (I was sick remember), and I wasn’t even in on the joke.

“Show her Noah” Jim told him while turning his body so I could see the left side of his face. There on his scrawny cheek, big as life, sat the best face-painted alligator I’d ever seen. “Go Gators!” he yelled directly in my ear. And so it began, the rivalry between my little man and me. We’ve both collected our respective team’s gear over the years, and we never miss a chance to rub it in when the other team plays like crap, (and yes, I’ve heard it quite a bit these past few years). Fortunately the school finally had enough sense to schedule the fall festival the week after the Vols vs. Gators game from the next year on, so I didn’t have to play sick any longer, and even more fun, I have someone to goad the whole time.

So, why am I so tickled to see Lane Kiffin leaving Tennessee? That underhanded jab he made at Coach Myer was just the beginning. Throughout the season he continued to bad-mouth other teams, and coaches, and then he started in on the refs, which resulted in him being fined, (much deserved). So my precious Vols started to get a pretty bad reputation. It didn’t help that several, not just one or two, but several, players were arrested throughout the season for one reason or another, mostly armed robbery. Pitiful. That in itself shows that those poor kids obviously didn’t have a good leader to look to.

To give credit where credit is due though, and because I try very hard not to bash anyone, Coach Kiffin did bring a good program to the University of Tennessee. Although the team didn’t start the season so well, it was obvious that they improved with each game, and even won a few that most people wouldn’t have thought they could. So, thanks for that Lane. But thank you more for leaving it at that. I hope you have much success at USC, I really do, except of course any time the Vols play the Trojans. I can’t wait.

Story of Kiffin’s resignation on Fox Sports.

01/14/10 – UPDATE: Y’all have got to hear this interview with Lane Kiffin. He mumbles so much you can hardly understand what he says, but it’s worth a listen to understand what I mean about not being disappointed in him leaving TN. He actually says, in this interview, that he felt like the negative things he said throughout this past season were necessary to draw attention to a team that was getting none. I’m just flabbergasted at that.

I promise my next post will be more positive.

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