In Defense of Lane Kiffin and Tennessee Football

I’m struggling to understand the immense backlash against Lane Kiffin.

Don’t we want coaches to be infused with a little emotion? It seems a little hypocritical to burn the new guy at the stake when we complain about the non-controversial and mundane answers regurgitated repeatedly by coaches.

In the current state of sports media, even the most slight and subtle jabs are hyper-analyzed. The media and the public have become a giant raging fire that craves controversy and will spark on the smallest of issues if it will provide content.

So why, when Lane Kiffin gives us exactly what we want, do we become so outraged? Sure, his comments and conduct seem laced with bravado, but isn’t that more interesting than politically correct jargon? Throughout the week, I’ve seen more outrage written from sports writers throughout the south than I have in recent memory.

All because Kiffin called out Florida and misunderstood a rule?

I think the media monster has a lot to do with the streamlined rhetoric that most coaches access throughout the season. Why publicly speak with any passion? Doing so only serves to place the comments in the news cycle while leaving the coach bound and gagged for endless scrutiny.

I think when we step outside of our respective fanaticisms, we all enjoy a mouthy coach. Who among us didn’t enjoy Spurrier’s swipes and jabs at FSU and UT? What about Urban Meyer’s silent fury during this year’s UF vs. UGA matchup when he called not one, but two timeouts in the game’s final minute?

Lest we not forget Kiffin’s predecessor and his Eeyore-like responses in press conferences: “I’m going to have to look at the tape.”

Can anyone remember the last time Fulmer spoke with any kind of decisive expectations for the Tennessee program? Me neither.

In the Robber Baron era of SEC football budgets, mediocrity is a death knell for any program, which is why Fulmer had to fall on his sword. Spending bundles of money to end up at home during bowl season simply cannot happen.  His approach with the players had become stale, the fans had long lost confidence in him, and his recruiting suffered tremendously.

And please stop with the validation of Al Davis and his overhead projector of criticisms, Paul Finebaum.

You think Kiffin calling out Urban Meyer means that Davis was right? Really? So the vampirical owner now has credibility because Kiffin didn’t cower in the shadow of Meyer?

I have never read anything more brazenly idiotic than Paul Finebaum’s whiny diatribe against Kiffin last week. Beyond giving Davis credibility, he also asserts that Kiffin’s staff is incestuous due to the inclusion of his brother-in-law and father. Of course.

I hate it when coaches hire people they know and trust. Oakland is football's version of indentured servitude and anyone with a clue knew that Kiffin took the job to improve his profile. If you think otherwise, then I bet you believe the stimulus is going to work too.

An approach of self-preservation for Kiffin would have involved keeping his head down and mouth shut until he had the benefit of a couple of recruiting classes, but when you have to kick-start a program, you can’t sit by and hope things bounce right.

Don’t forget, after a steady trend of sinking to the middle of the pack, Signing Day and beyond was largely about Tennessee and Kiffin. Yes, he was uninformed about a rule and wrongly criticized Meyer, but on a day when high school players across the country were paying close attention, Tennessee and Kiffin thrusted themselves front and center.

My father has always said, “I’d rather pull the reins on a racehorse than kick a mule in the butt.” Tennessee fans may find this saying particularly compelling given the end of Fulmer’s tenure and the beginning of Kiffin’s. Regardless of how you feel about the Vols, it has to be somewhat refreshing to see a coach step in and place the burden of expectations squarely on his back. 

Maybe he crashes and burns, but may be the cavalier attitude is just what is needed to create a groundswell of momentum for the program. Kiffin’s first SEC game will be a good indication either way.