I think my thoughts on this subject may very well surprise a few of you. First of all to recap, Lane Kiffin is leaving Knoxville after one year to jump to Southern Cal. For him, I say bravo. I'm not like most of the UT fans I've seen on various message boards and other places this morning and last night. I'm not outraged or mad or hurt or upset. Southern Cal is a huge step up for Lane Kiffin and I don't blame him one bit for making that leap. Did he run out on Tennessee? Yep, but how many of us would leave a job for a better job and give little to no thought as to what we're leaving behind. I know I would. I'm more mad at him for the silly NCAA violations he caused the UT Program. For those crying about loyalty, there is no loyalty in sports.
College Football has turned from a game into big business. Recruits announce on ESPN, Coaches press conferences are carried live for the world to see, companies like Maaco and Sheraton sponsor bowl games, and huge amounts of tv money are paid to the conferences. Am I a bit disappointed? Yep, but that will pass. You can't blame a man for taking a huge step up to Southern Cal, and a place where he was before. This is the problem with big time programs who hire outside the family because often that coach's loyalty lies elsewhere. As for who the Vols go after next, I'd love to see Gruden in Orange and White and if you remember correctly, he was rumored to be up for the Vols job. Other names coming out now are Muschamp at Texas and some others not worth mentioning at this point at least for me. I want Chucky. Give me Chucky!!!
5 comments:
I completely understand your point, Dave. I just thought it was kinda crappy. The problem, as you kinda pointed out, is for the first time in TN history, they went outside the system to hire the head coach=no loyalty. UT fans demand that. Loyalty, that is. I don't really follow sports in depth, but I love to watch UT games and I care about what happens to them, as I hope to be an alum one day. I was glad to see Brown back as interim... who knows? Maybe he is the man for the job? I would like to see our 3 wide outs back and us a passing team again. I was also daydreaming about Mike Chavis (sp?), the old Fulmer Def. Coordinator. He rocks! Ok, there's my thoughts. It's sad, but true, that college athletics has become so commercial and big business... colleges are supposed to be for education!
I'll completely agree that it's crappy, but his loyalty and heart has always been in Southern Cal and I'm not surprised. Some folks are mentioning Cutcliffe now. I'm definitely not a fan of that.
Cutcliffe? Vomit. Never liked him.
I see where you are coming from Dave. It's a very mature take. But Kiffin has left the Vols in a very bad place, regardless of his personal ambitions.
What would you think about Mike Leach? May not be possible, but he could bring some fun to Knoxville.
Yes he has, but honestly, no worse than where we were at when Fulmer left. Leach was someone who was looked at last time, but after his troubles at Tech, I don't see any major college program touching him with a 10 foot pole.
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