What would happen if Lane Kiffin flops? Jon Gruden is waiting in the wings, and hasn’t ruled out coaching in college football. According to College Football Talk, in an interview “Gruden mentioned that his father coached at Notre Dame but then said he didn’t want to speculate about that specific position. Another possibility, in our view, is Tennessee. If Lane Kiffin flames out in his first year, the powers-that-be could make a hard run at Gruden.”

Kiffin doing something right
Dr. Saturday is of the opinion that irritating people correlates to doing something right. According to a post from Monday, “anyone able to arouse so many passions around an unfamiliar conference without having actually coached a single game there must be doing something right.”

Get ready for the media to adopt this tack. Everyone beat up on Nick Saban, then football season rolled around and relations began to thaw. If you watch the press, it will attack you and then people start feeling bad about it and try to make amends—unless Kiffin keeps sticking his foot in his mouth, then he’ll continue to get roasted.

As for irritation correlating to doing something right, I’m doubtful that is the reason. For the most part SEC football fans are educated and knew Kiffin before he was named coach of the Tennessee Volunteers. Also, rival fans were going to dislike him some amount anyway. I can say that will happen because some people hate Georgia’s Mark Richt, and he is one of the classiest men in football. But, the Kiffin situation goes deeper. Fans around the SEC aren’t upset by him—fans around the SEC are chuckling at him. There is a big difference.

Q&A with Lance Thompson
Anyone interested in Lance Thompson, check out this Q&A with the UT assistant coach.
“Q: As a coach, explain to me the significance of what it means to be working with Monte Kiffin.

THOMPSON: Anytime you work with somebody that’s recognized as the best in their field, that’s great. It’d be like, if you’re a musician, learning from Mozart. If you’re a philosopher, learning from Aristotle. You get a chance to sit there and pick the brain of one of the greatest minds in football. Not just college football, in all football. Plus the fact that he’s such a good guy and so upbeat and positive all the time, that makes it that much more enjoyable.”

Mozart and Aristotle? You can insert Monte is old jokes here.

24 thoughts on “Kiffin Watch: What happens if he flames out?”

  1. Another Kiffin story? Man, get a life!!!! I think Capstone report does more stories on Kiffin than Saban.

    This man has got you Bammers so distracted you can’t even focus on your own program.

  2. PS: I don’t associate Mozart with “old.” He died very young, in his thirties. Many music fans view him sort of like James Dean, cut down far too young and wonder what incredible works he would have written had he lived just a little bit longer.

  3. Everyone said I was obsessed with Tuberville too. I turned out right about him. 🙂

    And it isn’t obsession. Kiffin is good copy. We don’t have any other idiot in the conference right now since Chizik is smart enough to keep his big mouth shut.

    I thank God every morning for giving the SEC Lane Kiffin.

  4. I’ve known people with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). Capstone may may to go in and get some tests ran. How many times a day do you wash your hands capstone? Do you count things all the time?

    >> Everyone said I was obsessed with Tuberville too. I turned out right about him. 🙂
    <<

    Right about what? Him beating you six straight years? Maybe Kiffin will do the same or better.

  5. One other point on Kiffin and getting Tennessee press.

    I find that disgusting. The University of Tennessee is a major college job. I’ve never found it lacking in national attention—the good kind. Phil Fulmer had the team on television all the time, and in the conversation as a regular competitor for the SEC title.

    The press Kiffin has received isn’t flattering for UT or the coach. I guess it shows how far the Volunteers have fallen when they embrace bad behavior in the name of attention.

  6. I was right that Tuberville overreacted to the Saban hiring by changing his offense. And I was right that Tuberville was lazy, or at least complacent. During last off season, I wrote about those problems at Auburn, and all the AU people said I was obsessed.

    As for OCD, I can’t say. I can say it is a blessing…and a curse!

  7. Carlos, why are you obsessed with what a Bama site says about your coach? Why do you feel the need to defend his child-like ways? Kiffin has not proved anything at all yet. By him getting a highly ranked player with questionable behavior makes him a great coach already? I am confused by your reasoning. But you are a Tennessee fan, so that does help explain some of it.

    But you are wrong if you think any other SEC school is being distracted or worried about Kiffin. It is the off-season and Kiffin has provided something to talk (and laugh) about for the rest of the SEC. You should be so proud of what he has to do to get a little attention. Especially since none of it has a thing to do with actually playing a game against the SEC competition.

    You’ve seen where Tennessee was last year. Ya’ll are expecting this guy to be a miracle worker if you think a guy like this is the answer. Who knows? He may actually be a good coach, but you sure wouldn’t think so at looking at his actions thus far. And don’t try to sell anyone that he is intentionally trying to look stupid so people will overlook him or something. The only people in the country that is buying that is all you Tennessee punks. Oh, I mean Wild Bunch or whatever. He is THE joke of the SEC now, just like the TN football program will be when the season starts. I mean, you guys are already doing damage control and that is before he has even blew a whistle at one practice. We can’t wait to hear about the next stupid thing he does. And how you are going to defend it.

  8. This is a hypothetical question only. What happens if Lane Kiffen goes ,,Saaaay, 9-3 regular season ? 10-2 ? 4-8 ? Give hime about 8 or 9 games, then fire away, or eat crow respectivley.

  9. Where’s the fun in that Ballplay?

    Seriously, I thought Kiffin would be a good change for UT; he would be the needed new blood to restore UT.

    However, when the guy says such stupid things, it is hard not to write about it. It is also hard not to reevaluate my opinion of him based on all the stupidity coming out of his mouth.

  10. BamaBrando >> “Kiffin has not proved anything at all yet.” <<

    “Has not proved?” Is that the kind of grammar they teach at UA these days?

    And yes, Alabama (the fan base at least) are clearly distracted by Kiffin. Just look at your own blogs.

    WE DRINK YOUR MILKSHAKE!!!!!

  11. Carlos…………I sympathize with your situation. But, please dont go the “grammer cop” rout. It only bites you in the butt when you have a typo error.

    What does “we drink your milkshake” mean ?

  12. And cap. I get it. Its no fun at all.

  13. I often reflexively go “grammar cop” probably due to a deep seated resentment at the way Southerners (especially Tennesseans) are stereotyped as a bunch of ignorant hillbillies who only recently discovered shoes. I received quite a good education from the Tennessee public school system and then the UT system in college. I was blessed with a series of excellent and dedicated teachers who stressed the value of well crafted rhetoric and solid grammar. I feel like it is an important area in which to strive for perfection (which I fail to meet quite often). Even though I poke fun at Alabama fans, I know many who share my love of good prose. I have lived in Alabama for almost a decade now. My time in Huntsville was especially wonderful as that area had perhaps the most educated populace of any town I have ever lived in.

    So I apologize for being a grammar cop. It was uncalled for. I just like to see Southerners, especially football fans, blow away the myths that other regions of the country spin about us.

    And in the end, football (even SEC football) is just a game and the banter between fans of opposing schools is just part of the fun. Of the 113 or so Division I teams, 112 of us end the season in the same dilemma while the other gets a tacky crystal football from Sears.

    I love sportsmanship and cringed at Kiffin’s more outlandish quotes. I think he is young and I sincerely hope he grows into a fine gentlemanly coach with increasing maturity. But I do love seeing some passion again though up in Knoxville. The past decade has been a slow death of staff and fan apathy. It was excruciating in a way that I think Alabama fans can relate to from recent history.

    “I drink your milkshake” is the final line from the movie “There Will Be Blood.” It means pretty much “I own you.” Like everything else, it is meant in jest 🙂

  14. God I hate Tennessee with unbridled passion. Auburn too – but that’s a story for another day! However, hate em or not you have to admit that Kitten has stockpiled some fine athletes since he arrived. Last year those in the know scratched their heads at UT’s woes because it was speculated that they were the only team that could rival USC for talent. Anyway, Lame Kitten being a dumb duck or not, certainly his staff is not ( Well, maybe Orgeron too). Whether he can coach or not, his staff certainly can. In all seriousness, I think the Viles are gonna surprise some people this year. I think 8-5 including a Humanitarian type bowl victory. Other than beatdowns by Bama and Florida, They’ll lose to UGA, S. Carolina in the insult bowl, and if they play them, either LSU or another West Coast team. Certainly all these negative blogers can’t really be thinking Ucheat T. has become a lower tier team for the have nots to beat up on and the haves to ignore. Com’on people lets don’t be foolish! RTR!

  15. I just want the season to get here so we can back up the chit chat with some actual scoreboard results. I dread the long boring sports drought that is current major league baseball :<

  16. And I am all about SEC solidarity. I always pull for the SEC in the bowl season. I was even pulling for Bama to beat Utah. I loved watching Florida totally dismantle the vaunted Oklahoma offense. I love the South, its manners, values and traditions. Few things bring me as much joy as watching SEC teams beat up on the Notre Dames, Michigans, and USCs of the world. But if any SEC team wins the tacky crystal football, I would prefer it to be the Vols!

  17. Carlos, you’re absolutly right! I do business all over the country and the truth is – the toothless, shoeless, uneducated hillbillies from New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Michigan, California, Washington etc. are Just as illiterate and stupid as the ones from Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida and East Alabama. LOL! RTR!

  18. Lane kiffin has indeed proven something he has signed the number one recuit in the country and took a football team that did not go to a bowl at all last year and sign a top ten recruiting class. Now im not going to say that Tennessee id going to be national champions next year. But look at your alls situation you go undefeated all year to end up demorialized in a bowl game by a non BCS team. The only thing Im saying is anything can happen and I think Tennessee is on an up swing.

  19. Carlos, no such thing as ‘SEC solidarity’. Your ex-coach proved that a long time ago. You want to complain about grammar? Is that all you have? Man, I am glad you set me straight. Now I am really worried about Tennessee. I am glad you are here to tell all of us Bama fans what we fear and which team we are so scared of. Without you, we may not even see it coming. Thanks a lot man. What was I thinking? I should not think Kiffin is an idiot at all. Why would I even think something like that? Thanks again for setting me straight.

    All you Bama fans, get ready. Kiffin is the equivalent of a football ninja master, and he is going to punish all of the SEC this year for laughing at him. He has his daddy, and Bamas best coach.( Thompson was going to replace Saban eventually.) He has the number one running back in the whole country. Man I am getting really nervous. I wonder if Bama can drop Tennessee off the schedule. I sure do dread having to play them now. Saban has no chance at all.

  20. BamaBrando: You do not do sarcasm well at all. The first rule of sarcasm is that you can’t tell for sure that it is sarcasm until you are almost halfway through the article. With you, it reeks starting in the first sentence. Subtly man, subtly, then slowly ratchet it up.

    Keep working at it and you might just be a decent writer some day. Go to a school in Tennessee if you need some help 🙂

  21. Carlos: It wasn’t sarcasm. You really set me straight. Tennessee football is relevant again. By the time fall gets here, Kiffin may have assembled the greatest players and coaches in the whole country. They should be a shoe-in for the NC game. I really don’t see anyone stopping him. After he beats Bama and Florida this year, causing both to be fired, Kiffin will own the SEC for years to come.

    Seriously, Carlos, you and your fellow TN fans are not handling being emasculated very well. But, we do like to point and laugh at you guys because you all have sold out on this Kiffin guy. I would hate to know that the future of Bama was going to be placed in the hands of a guy like that. I would be worried. I sure wouldn’t go running my mouth heaping all these expectations on an undermanned team. Even if Kiffin is a good coach, it will take him 2-3 years of outstanding recruiting and coaching to catch up with Florida and Bama. And if Meyer and Saban stay a long time, it could take even longer. But I am sure you will find an excuse (Bammer and the Gaytors cheated!) or something like that.

  22. I drink your milkshake !!!!!!!! I remember now. that movie was killer. The oil tycoon dude (Daniel Day Louise) had some issues , didnt he.

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