Long suffering Volunteer fans have long known the drill. For the last few off-seasons we have gone to message boards to talk up our recruiting class, discuss the heat of an afternoon September kickoff, and wonder if the first play from scrimmage would be off tackle right or off tackle left. It is no wonder that Lane Kiffin’s off season tactics/antics have been a welcome reprieve from some of our usual habits.
From the moment he called Urban Meyer out at his hiring Kiffin has been a one man show. He has managed to raise the ire of: Urban Meyer, Jeremy Foley, the entire city of Pahokee Florida, Steve Spurrier, nearly every SEC fan base, and even some Volunteer fans. It is a wonder that we haven’t heard from PETA, Greenpeace, or the Pope, but I say give it time.
What is driving all the hatred? Is it the secondary violations? Is it the fact that he has called Urban Meyer or Steve Spurrier out? Is it because he brought his Daddy with him?
The real answer to all of these questions is no, no, and no.
It isn’t the secondary violations that have everybody riled. The real reason that Kiffin is now a lightening rod is because he is tugging on Superman’s cape and all of those other things that Jim Croce warned against. Fans of rival SEC schools are furious because Lane Kiffin refuses to accept a subordinate position before he coaches his first snap.
The big dogs of the SEC expect to be treated as royalty, and they want Kiffin to know his place. They want him come to the microphone, stand there in front of the once proud Orange Power T and tell them what an honor it is to compete against the finest programs in the country. They want to hear how difficult it will be to battle against their teams on the field and for recruits. They want him to acknowledge their prowess, their national championships, and their accomplishments.
Kudos to Kiffin for not giving the top dogs what they want.
Let this serve as a wake up call for all the fans on the message boards that have talked this football program down for the last few years just to make up for its shortcomings on the football field.
“It is so hard to recruit nationally”.
“Scholarships reductions have really hurt our program.”
“Tennessee is just at a natural recruiting disadvantage.”
Consider this your preseason puff piece and a homer pep talk. It is time we start talking about what this program has to offer, and stop talking like we are a second rate team in a conference of superpowers. Tennessee’s tradition and history says that we belong. Lane Kiffin gets it.
Kick off is around the corner. Kiffin and staff will soon have a more appropriate proving ground for their skills. Until then we should all simply thank him for reminding UT fans and opponents alike that we aren’t going to roll over and play dead for their amusement.
Go Vols!
5 responses to “Guitar Shots to the Head: Kiffin Haters Club”
great article……Well written….
Hi ya’ll,
From what I’ve heard, things are a bit different around Knoxville these past months for our beloved Volunteers. A greater sense of discipline, go-get-’em recruiting and assistant acquisitions, and perhaps a bit of swagger on our young new coach’s part lend to the idea that perhaps we will see something better this fall.
In addition to what the original poster stated about whether we’d see HB Iso Right or Left every first down, I’d make the comment that the lack of discipline hurt us even more than the play calling. Florida and other lesser teams (yeah, I actually mean that) didn’t beat us most of the time because they were more talented (just look at the number of top-notch players Tennessee has fielded to the NFL versus any other SEC school in the past 20 years), had better facilities, or had a more dynamic playbook. In general, they beat us because their kids executed plays. They didn’t fumble the ball or drop the easy passes. They didn’t beat themselves. We did. Over and over. How many times have we walked down the ramps at Neyland wondering how we can push a team all over the gridiron for 60 minutes only to lose by a field goal? Conversely, how many times have we sat in the stands watching the Vols struggle to put a significantly inferior team away- winning only by a few points when we should have shut them out and won by 3 touchdowns?
That is why what I hear about greater focus on discipline excites me more than anything else, even the excellent player acquisitions Mr. Kiffen and staff have made. I cannot think of all the times when we had immense talent just wasted because of a distinct lack of discipline.
I am hoping that this year the Vols will be all they can be, that they’ll make use of their facilities, talent, coaching staff, and wonderful fan base.
Lex, well said,, its time to puff out the chest and crow again.
“What is driving all the hatred? Is it the secondary violations? Is it the fact that he has called Urban Meyer or Steve Spurrier out? Is it because he brought his Daddy with him?”
Yes, yes, and yes… and then some.
I feel for you because I realize you guys have to try to put lipstick on this pig. You’re stuck with this guy for awhile and you have to put the best spin you can on it. But the fact of the matter is that you’ve hired a guy who got where he is in life by riding his daddy’s coattails. There were probably 30 guys that were more qualified and better for the job at Tennessee. He’s accomplished nothing of consequence so far other than to make your once proud university look like an idiot farm. While you guys keep hanging your hat on his “great coaching staff” (eyes rolling) and “stoke the home fires” attitude, we folks down in Gainesville will just keep on celebrating championships. I’m curious to hear how “All Hat, No Cattle” Kiffin is going to spin the monumental bitch slapping he’s going to take come September in Gainesville.
Well put. Sick of our pessimistic fans.