Lane Kiffin is a unique individual. Despite a thin resume, he has climbed rapidly up the coaching ladder – from an assistant job at USC to head coach of the Oakland Raiders, the University of Tennessee and USC.
Along the way, he managed to aggravate a LOT of people in the profession. Add Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher to that list; the Titans franchise has sued Fisher and USC for stealing assistant running backs coach Kennedy Pola on the eve of training camp.
Such litigation is highly unusual in the business. But then again, Kiffin is not your normal coach.
“I am very disappointed in Lane Kiffin’s approach to this,’’ Fisher told the Tennessean Saturday. “Typically speaking when coaches are interested in hiring or discussing potential employment from coaches on respective staffs there is a courtesy call made from the head coach or athletic director indicating there is an interest in talking to the assistant.
“So I am very disappointed in the lack of professionalism on behalf of Lane, to call me and leave me a voice mail after Kennedy had informed me he had taken the job. It is just a lack of professionalism.’’
It’ll be interesting to see how Kiffin fares at Southern Cal now that the NCAA has punished the program for the Reggie Bush Adventure. Pat Haden replaced the oblivious Mike Garrett as athletic director and the clean-up is underway.
FanHouse columnist Jay Mariotti offered this rebuke:
“As the most loathed person in football, Lane Kiffin is the sort of problem child whom we'd love to grab by the earlobes and shake for an hour, disgusted that he keeps ignoring common rules and protocol as if he's floating above all his peers. I used to think he was a goofy nitwit who didn't get it. But with every new entry to his ever-expanding trail of trouble, it's clear Kiffin has a superiority complex that enables an arrogant and reckless thought process. If he wants a recruit, he sends a hot coed. If he thinks another coach is cheating, he says so, even if he's dead wrong. If he has a bright idea, he doesn't consult the NCAA rule book to see if he's committing a violation. And if he chooses to raid an NFL team for an assistant coach, he won't bother to at least call for permission.”
MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE
Questions to ponder while wondering if this whole Terrell Owens flirtation was just an elaborate practical joke out at Rams Park:
Is it way too soon to get excited about the Kyle Lohse comeback bid?
Is Rick Pitino enjoying the ongoing extortion trial centered on an ill-fated tryst?
Is it ever too early for a hockey player to add some grit to his game?
Say, was that really slow-pitch softball on ESPN?
Can Hulk Hogan's personnel life get any weirder?
COMEBACK OF THE YEAR
Former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett is working hard to get his life back in order. While spending 3 ½ years in a Toledo prison on an aggravated robbery conviction, he took college credit courses.
Now he is enrolled at The Ohio State University in the College of Education and Human Ecology.
Clarett said in a statement that it is a "surreal feeling to be back at Ohio State" and that he doesn't want to be a "distraction or nuisance" to the football team or other students.
Well, then not robbing them would be an excellent start.
QUIPS ‘R US
Here is what some of America’s leading sports pundits have been writing:
Ray Ratto, CBSSports.com, on the Cubs managerial dilemma: “(Lou) Piniella was supposed to be big enough to tackle the problem. So was Dusty Baker. In fact, going back to Leo Durocher, the Cubs have flirted often with the bigger-than-life type as their manager, only to see them all dragged toward the event horizon and then straight into the wormhole of expectations, romantic hopes and various other forms of jinxery. Piniella's stay began well, as did Baker's, but by the end they both looked like they'd been President for two terms. Abraham Lincoln aged better, and that was before the play at the theatre. But (Bobby) Valentine may be more willing to stick his chin out and say, ‘Go ahead, take your best shot’ than any manager since Durocher. Comfortable with the notion that he is always the smartest guy in the room, he seeks power and attention commensurate with that level of scholarship, in exchange for his considerable managing skill. And Chicago would make that deal in a heartbeat, as it did with Piniella and Durocher. Chicago would hire Rod Blagojevich if it thought he could beat the Cardinals.”
Norman Chad, syndicated columnist, on Cy Young’s 511 victories: “This is one of sport's most unbreakable records, if it did happen. A pitcher could average 20 wins a season for 25 years — and still be short of Cy Young's mark! Young made his big league debut at age 23, pitching a three-hit shutout; he was Stephen Strasburg before Strasburg, though, in all likelihood, less hyped. In his second full season in 1892, Young threw 453 innings — I guess he wasn't on a pitch count — and allegedly was 36-12. During a career that spanned from 1890 to 1911, Young pitched for the Cleveland Spiders, St. Louis Perfectos, Boston Americans, Cleveland Naps and Boston Rustlers. This is the only set of facts that seems plausible: Not once, but twice, Cleveland gave up on Cy Young himself. Anyway, my research shows that Young often was credited with two victories on the same day — and they weren't even playing doubleheaders. Uh, 511? Balderdash.”
Jeff MacGregor, ESPN.com: “Here is the NFL Owners' Argument In Favor Of A Lockout: ‘My magical NFL franchise money-printing machine may or may not be printing fractionally less money than it was last year. I'm not really sure. I have people who keep track of that. What I really want is a bigger boat. And a sandwich. Edward? Where is he? EDWARD! Where do you slip off to when my back's turned? Have cook make me one of those lobster rolls I like so much. But easy on the rémoulade, for God's sake, I have hot yoga tomorrow. What was I saying?’ Which leads to the NFL Players Association Counterargument: ‘In a time of terrible economic struggle, with unemployment and discontent rising all around us, with ordinary families fighting to stay together and make ends meet, we take great pride in being able to keep a straight face when we say that a fourth-string receiver on a last place team is worth a million dollars a year.’”
MEGAPHONE
“It just happens. It’s like driving a car. You go five years without getting a ticket, then you get two in two weeks. It’s something you can’t explain. It just happens.”
Former big league pitcher Clyde Wright, to Yahoo! Sports, on the spate of no-hitters in baseball this year.
ELSEWHERE ON STLTODAY.COM
With the trade deadline looming, this is a good time to take stock of the Cardinals personnel.
During Monday’s live chat, Rams fans weren't much interested in Terrell Owens.
