Absurd sports story of the day: USC hires Kiffin after one season in Knoxville
Nice summary by SI's Michael Rosenburg on the hiring of a new head football coach by the nation's leading "win at all costs" institution, the University of Southern California.
As a sports fan, I guess this kind of story comes with the territory. People who do great things and lead large numbers of men need outsized egos. You see it in any walk of life, from the military to W. to James Cameron to coaches the world over. But still, the fact that Lane Kiffin had spent only one season at Tennessee before bolting took me aback. What does he tell his players? Sorry, but the other school has more money? That would be honest, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for a mea culpa from the man. Of course, the athletes at UT are no saints either; witness the recent arrest on gun charges of a third of the men's basketball team. But they are kids, and young men can and will make mistakes. The coaches that lead them are supposed to be adults and role models. Kiffin is just another example of the mindset that bigger is always better, and if he wins enough games he will head back to the glories of the NFL. I guess that's the bargain the USC administration is willing to make in their hunt for national championships and television dollars.
I'm tempted to say that I'm sickened by Kiffin's move, but I think it's more of a reminder that in life you really can't count on too many things other than people acting in their own self interest most of the time.
More of a reality check in my mind than a disappointment. Thanks, Coach!
As a sports fan, I guess this kind of story comes with the territory. People who do great things and lead large numbers of men need outsized egos. You see it in any walk of life, from the military to W. to James Cameron to coaches the world over. But still, the fact that Lane Kiffin had spent only one season at Tennessee before bolting took me aback. What does he tell his players? Sorry, but the other school has more money? That would be honest, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for a mea culpa from the man. Of course, the athletes at UT are no saints either; witness the recent arrest on gun charges of a third of the men's basketball team. But they are kids, and young men can and will make mistakes. The coaches that lead them are supposed to be adults and role models. Kiffin is just another example of the mindset that bigger is always better, and if he wins enough games he will head back to the glories of the NFL. I guess that's the bargain the USC administration is willing to make in their hunt for national championships and television dollars.
I'm tempted to say that I'm sickened by Kiffin's move, but I think it's more of a reminder that in life you really can't count on too many things other than people acting in their own self interest most of the time.
More of a reality check in my mind than a disappointment. Thanks, Coach!
posted by joe sweeney at 2:22 PM
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