The lessons to be learned from Pahokee-Gate
Apparently things have finally been patched up between the Tennessee football program and Pahokee High School in South Florida. Due to a series of circumstances that can only be described as juvenile, for a while Tennessee assistant coach Eddie Gran was banned from coming back onto the campus to recruit in May.
The issue was Tennessee’s signing of Pahokee wide receiver Nu’Keese Richardson, who had previously given a verbal commitment to Florida. In a fan function on Feb. 4, Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin first got in a dig at Florida coach Urban Meyer, suggesting that Meyer violated NCAA rules in the recruiting of Richardson. That turned out not to be the case and Kiffin had to apologize. He was reprimanded by the SEC.
Later Kiffin was quoted in media reports as saying this to that same group of fans: “For those who haven’t been to Pahokee, there ain’t much going on. You take that hour drive up from South Florida, there ain’t a gas station that works. Nobody’s got enough money to even have shoes or a shirt on.”
Kiffin obviously didn’t know there was a reporter in the room. That was the first mistake. But then the principal of Pahokee High School, Ariel Alejo, compounded the problem when he got mad and banned Tennessee coaches from his campus until he got a public apology. That apology was delivered by phone on Tuesday.
Here’s how to solve this problem and to keep it from happening again: Everybody involved has to act like adults.
Yes, Kiffin made the first mistake. He has to know that in an age where cell phones are also recording devices, everything ends up on the internet sooner or later. Now yesterday I said that what is said by coaches in booster gatherings should be taken with a grain of salt. But I think we’ll agree—and I think Kiffin would agree—that a line was crossed with these comments.
If you are the head coach at an SEC institution as a rule you should not make disparaging remarks about any school or community. Just don’t do it. Not even in a booster gathering. You’ll have to make fewer apologies that way.
But to me, not enough is being made about Mr. Alejo’s response to all this. Mr. Alejo, you are a school administrator in charge of a diverse student body. Act like it. You don’t have a Florida Gator logo (or any logo that is not your high school) underneath your bio on the school’s Web page (which has since been removed). You are not a fan. And if you have a problem with a college and its recruiters coming to your campus, you don’t turn it into a public snit. If you can’t handle it, call your superintendent. There are ways that professionals handle problems and this was not handled professionally until others–including the mayor and vice-mayor–stepped in.
I love college football as much as anybody. I’ve devoted my professional life to it. But it drives me crazy when the game makes normally sane people lose their minds. The kids are watching the adults and looking for guidance and leadership. Too many times we let them down.
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97 comments Add your comment
mightyKC
May 21st, 2009
8:31 am
Tony
I hear so many Vol fans say that secondary violations are common place, EVERYONE does them, and if you ain’t cheatin you ain’t tryin.
So can schools just rack up hundreds of secondary violations w/ no repercussions?
Also, I do realize that mistakes are made, and I do agree that all schools get them here and there, but can you or any other folks that devote your life/job to following college football dig up any statistics over the last 10 yrs or so on how many each school have gotten?
Or specifically confirm/deny that no coach/school has ever had so many before he’s even coached a game?
It’s one thing for a school to have a mistake, another for a school to knowingly walk on the fine line because they can, and because there are apparently no repercussions. It’s just a matter of time before the Vols and Wonder Boy screw up big.
Roy Kramer
May 21st, 2009
8:33 am
Vols sign Michael Vick! Hamilton replaces Smokey with Ma & Pa Kettle.
Max Sizemore
May 21st, 2009
8:36 am
Tony, I support the principal and I would have done the same thing. Kiffin disparaged the community, and no recruiter has the “right” to go anywhere he pleases. Actions have consequences.
Saint Nick
May 21st, 2009
8:38 am
LANE KIFFIN IS AN IDIOT!!!!!! You cannot just keep p*ssing people off then apologizing. Sooner or later people get tired of hearing I’m sorry!!!! To tell you the truth, I’m tired of hearing that this MORON has screwed up, which has become a daily occurance. I GUARANTEE THAT THE UT BOOSTERS AND ADMINISTRATION ARE SORRY THEY EVER HIRED THIS MORON!!!! And they will feel worse after about 4+ 40 point beatdowns that UT will receive come this fall!!!! ROLLS TIDES!!!
Tennessee Coaches Kicked out of Pahokee High.. - Page 23 - VolNation
May 21st, 2009
8:42 am
[...] “But to me, not enough is being made about Mr. Alejo’s response to all this. Mr. Alejo, you are a school administrator in charge of a diverse student body. Act like it. You don’t have a Florida Gator logo (or any logo that is not your high school) underneath your bio on the school’s Web page (which has since been removed). You are not a fan. And if you have a problem with a college and its recruiters coming to your campus, you don’t turn it into a public snit. If you can’t handle it, call your superintendent. There are ways that professionals handle problems and this was not handled professionally until others–including the mayor and vice-mayor–stepped in. I love college football as much as anybody. I’ve devoted my professional life to it. But it drives me crazy when the game makes normally sane people lose their minds. The kids are watching the adults and looking for guidance and leadership. Too many times we let them down.” The lessons to be learned from Pahokee-Gate | Mr. College Football [...]
Gatorz5
May 21st, 2009
8:52 am
The principal was simply doing the right thing for his student athletes. Why would he want his students to go to the 108th ranked university, when there are 107 that are better?
Ryno
May 21st, 2009
8:54 am
St. Nick, the reason you hear about this “daily” is that media outlets keep rehashing stuff that was over and done with months ago. Kiffin apologized the first time to Pahokee folks in Feb., but the principal there wanted to get his juice back with his god, Urbie, so he brought it all up again.
The only UT people who don’t like Kiffin are the Fulmersexuals that didn’t want the old coach replaced…which also includes all the schools who moved ahead of us while he drove the program into the ditch.
Four 40+ beatdowns this year? Never happen.
GeoffDawg
May 21st, 2009
8:56 am
I find it extremely hard to believe at this point that Kiffin is somehow unaware of the prevalence of recording equipment practically everywhere he goes. Unless he’s a complete idiot, he has to know that these soundbites are going to get out. This is probably just part of his master plan attract attention (good or bad) to the UT program and you know what – it’s working! We’re talking about it again. Now, if that translates to better recruits and wins, we’ll just have to wait and see.
Robert
May 21st, 2009
8:57 am
Great column, Tony. It is really sad to see the environment of college football today. With the X-gen and Next-gen and Twitter and Facebook, it is a brave new world football coaches have to deal with. It is not the genteel days of the past when coaches like Paul Bryant, Shug Jordan and others would never make a disparaging comment about another coach or another team. Those coaches dealt with far bigger changes in the world of college football than the over paid coaches of today were able to negotiate the changes in a much better and more gentlemanly way.
But to quote Ms. Scarlett…those days are go with the wind.
Gator92
May 21st, 2009
9:04 am
I agree that kiffen is not the sharpest tool in the shed, but he is a tool. All of these mistakes and missteps are not a coincidence. There is an obvious pattern of ignorance, arrogance and lack of attention to detail. This will not only show up in EVERY event kiffen is associated with, but will also show up on saturdays come football season. I for one can not wait to see kiffen get his come-uppance. The only thing that may save him from what other wise will be a brutal season is his father’s talent. Nice hire UT. Pretty soon old Phil is going to look pretty good…..
Roswell Ed
May 21st, 2009
9:06 am
You do the Hokey Pahokee and you turn yourself around? Kiffin is a tire fire. Completely out of control. Visit other Roswell Ed musings at libertarianhumor.com. I think y’all will like it.
jackson
May 21st, 2009
9:20 am
Kiffin needs to tone it down. With the national media reporting every time he burps he is becoming an embarassment to the Vols and the SEC.
Ryno, I’m not a Vol fan but I know Fulmer won 100 more games than he lost and he coached in the SEC. How many others can say that? Oh yeah, he won a NC as well. I hope you and all the other what have you done for me lately crowd will look back in 5 years and say what were we thinking?
Gen Neyland
May 21st, 2009
9:25 am
If Kiffin’s erratic verbal behavior isn’t affecting any one individual’s right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, then why do the sanctimonious among us continue to tar and feather him..? Salem witch hunts and midnight snipe shoots come to mind. Fear the Reaper, et al, for we reap what we sow. BTW, this goes for CLK too. As far as I’m concerned, as long as he doesn’t lie, steal or cheat…well, let me think that one over. GO VOLS
Barnhart Gives His Perspective On Pahokee Flap | MrSEC.com
May 21st, 2009
9:32 am
[...] latest blog post.In his view, the best way to keep things like this from happening in the future is “everybody involved has to act like adults.”Well where’s the fun in that?“If you are the head coach at an SEC institution as a rule [...]
Cuz
May 21st, 2009
9:35 am
General you must agree, life would not be worth living without the daily Kiffin report.
To paraphrase Mark Twain. There is alot to say in his favor, but the other is more interesting.
Spike
May 21st, 2009
9:36 am
What Kiffin said was really low rent and uncalled for . I have been to Pahokee many times. It is a very poor area, very poor. But they are rightfully proud of their football program and their sports in paricular. Kiffen saying what he said would give them or anyone else reason to be offended and mad. I don’t blame the principal for wanting an apology, he deserved one.
reservoirDAWG
May 21st, 2009
9:36 am
Gen, are you happy with your coach?
CharlotteGator
May 21st, 2009
9:38 am
It’s funny to me that the HC at Tennessee is gonna disparage communities that don’t have shirts and shoes….
In all seriousness, I’m a recent Gator grad but still think the principal handled it the wrong way. At the end of the day, his job and responsibility is to the students at that school. If going to TN is how they get their education and opportunity in life, who is he to deny them that opportunity. If the TN coaches are cheating or doing something sinister when they’re down there, that’s one thing, but banning them simply because you don’t like them or what they said is not the right response.
I get that Kiffin took a shot at the dude’s community, but c’mon, let’s act like big boys and handle it. You can’t call Kiffin inappropriate, juvenile, and an idiot, but then turn around and respond like Alejo did.
All that said though, there’s nothing like the SEC. Can’t wait for college football season to get here. Really looking forward to the TN, UGA, and LSU games. Only the Sept. 19th seems like a sure win, and the other two will be a lot of fun to watch.
Humor
May 21st, 2009
9:40 am
I’m just glad Kiffin is still coach. He is sure to provide lots of humor for at least this year and probably next year.
RAMBLE ON!!!
May 21st, 2009
9:41 am
This only happens in the SEC, “adults acting like kids”.
Coach "O"
May 21st, 2009
9:41 am
HEY BABY KITTEN… GET ME ANOTHER PBR GALLL DAWWWGIT! AND WHERE THE HECK IS YOUR WIFE? SEND HER OVER U LITTLE SQUIRT! AAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH
Jim Rome
May 21st, 2009
9:47 am
Tire fire…LOL.
Thanks and welcome back Roswell Ed !
Kiffin is energizing the fan base that went to sleep under the Fulmer regime. He isn’t stupid- he knows exactly what he is doing.
Of course, the backlash will be hard, but if he can dish it out I for one think he will be man enough to take what comes his way.
First example will be September 19.
Cuz
May 21st, 2009
9:48 am
RambleOn, have you auditioned for the Blue Collar comedy tour yet? Dude, too funny.
GeoffDawg
May 21st, 2009
9:53 am
Did rambleon just comment on someone else acting immaturely? I think the Cubs just won the World Series.
Kid Ray
May 21st, 2009
9:54 am
The Pahokee Principal had Kiffin publicly apologize because he could. Kiffins needs Pahokee more than Pahokee needs UT. Note to Kiffin..when you have no leverage…don’t overplay your hand. Pahokee Principal has the leverage and used it. Good for him. Otherwise people in Pahokee call for his head “why didnt you stick up for us?” etc.
He has got to play to his constituents. right?
gatorman770
May 21st, 2009
10:04 am
Personally I’d like to see and hear more of Ms. Kiffin and less of Goatch Kiffin till the season starts!
Gen Neyland
May 21st, 2009
10:05 am
reserviorDAWG : If that question were asked of me by a prosecuting attorney and the answer he/she demanded be a yes or no, I’d say yes…If I had an opportunity to explain, I’d say this, “Firstly, I’m for Team. The leader of my Team says and does some things I wish he wouldn’t. Be that as it may, he is leading the Tennessee Volunteers. He is their HC and if the Team is willing to buy into his ways and means, then maybe, just maybe, good things football will come Atop Rocky.”…now pose your same question about our president.
Cuz : You know any Kiffin topic results in a frenzy of burn UT at the stake from all my SEC friends and foes. CLK is the fuel that lights the fire. I won’t fan the flames but I won’t wee-wee on it either. To quote Gen George Patton, Jr., ” If everyone is thinking alike, someone isn’t thinking.”
G8R GRAD
May 21st, 2009
10:23 am
“The man who says everything he thinks, has no friends.”
Apparently, he must make a few apologies along the way as well!
DawginLex
May 21st, 2009
10:26 am
You can act the way Kiffin does and the way spurrier used to and still does when you win. Spurrier doesn’t win enough anymore and is about to be shown the door in the chicken coop.
Kiffin better win sooner rather than later or his act will get him tossed sooner rather than later.
buckblue
May 21st, 2009
10:26 am
That is what you get when you send a boy….lame kiffen….to do a mans job….coach in the sec….i feel sorry for ut….urban is going to drop 75 on the vols….not to mention what nick will and can do….ouch
like they say nothing sux likd a big orange
deacondog
May 21st, 2009
10:36 am
First of all gatorman770, Mrs. Kiffin has to be nuts to marry that loony toon, but the money is probably worth it.
I agree with Mr. Barnhart. The principles reaction to this was way over the top. It is a battle for the mayors and the superintendents to handle. Somebody has hit on this already in the blog, but how many secondary violations can an institution pile up before it becomes a major problem?
m
May 21st, 2009
10:38 am
Lil Kiffy has definitely given tennerrseee the publicity, even if he does look like a fool doing it.
However, the harsh reality is going to set in this fall that tennerrseee does not have a QB. If Lil Kiffy doesn’t realize what happens when you get caught without a QB, he should look at what happened to Michigan and Rich Rodriguez last year….3-9 for the first time in school history.
If tennerrseee fall flat on their faces this fall, which is very possible without a decent QB, then Lil Kiffy’s honeymoon will be short lived indeed.
Of course, like last year, the sec is so weak overall that it may not matter.
Miles
May 21st, 2009
10:43 am
Why are these people such morons? Why don’t they learn to shut their mouths? Where’s the maturity? The professionalism? Mike Hamilton’s hire of Kiffin is absolutely outrageous!
G8R GRAD
May 21st, 2009
10:45 am
In case anyone’s interested:
It was upset city at yesterday’s SEC Tournament in Birmingham.
Arkansas upset UF;
UGA upset Ole Miss;
Vandy upset LSU; and
USC upset UA.
Arky to play UGA;
Ole Miss to play UF;
Vandy to play USC; and
UA to play LSU today.
G8R GRAD
May 21st, 2009
10:55 am
gatorman770:
Why? Is she a looker?
VolPowers
May 21st, 2009
10:55 am
All you rival fans who come on here just so you can get your (no doubt) countless shots in at Lane crack me up. You guys sound like a bunch of little girls….”he said I cheated, he called me a name, waaaaaaa”. It’s called sarcasm. Adults use it….quite often. We didn’t whine and cry when Spurrier made all his cracks about UT, the FSU crowd didn’t cry either. The fact that you fall for the media’s load of crap when they pile on Kiffin (hook, line, and sinker) or you take potshots at solid writers like Barhart when he actually tries to teach you little princesses something is HILARIOUS. Grow up! If you think he’s a moron, don’t listen to him! Good lord!?!?
Look, if the guy can’t win, he’ll be gone. But if you haven’t noticed, and judging by your childish comments you haven’t, recruiting is upticking quite a bit. It’s going to take some time to turn around the crap recruiting that Fulmer degraded to the last few years, and we’re well aware of it. That’s why folks sound like utter fools when you play the wait til what happens on September 19th card!?! We don’t have the players to beat the Gayturds yet, it’s going to take some time-it doesn’t take an idiot to realize that (or does it?). If they blow us out this fall, who cares, they did so each of the last two years as well! We need offensive linemen, not moral victories. They’ve won 2 NC’s out of the last 3. They’re level of success is what we all want to get to, so if our boy is gigging them a little, having some fun, what the hell should they care?!?!?!? Seriously.
Anonymous
May 21st, 2009
10:59 am
VolPowers:
Enough caffiene, my friend.
Time to switch to decaf.
Buz
May 21st, 2009
11:00 am
The students were the real losers in this fiasco. They watched as a principal and a college football coach acted like three-year-olds. What do those students think?
Mort Merkel
May 21st, 2009
11:01 am
I have no problem with what the principal did. But that’s probably colored by the fact I think Kiffin is a dolt, who should receive scorn 24/7/365.
AlwaysAVol
May 21st, 2009
11:11 am
G8R GRAD, not only is she a looker, she is a former gator. LMAO I don’t know why no one pays attention to what Coach Kiffin is saying. This time last year, he was a job applicant. He came into the game very late, has an excellent recruiting year (all things considered), has assembled a top notch coaching staff, and is constantly in the news. Who was the last coach you remember getting this much publicity, loved or hated? Does Spurrier come to mind? It’s all just a curcus, a lot of it smoke and mirrors to get the kid’s attention. Kiffin has done more with his antics than Auburn could with a hundred limos. Will Kiffin be successful? Show me in September. Is he memorable? You tell me..
Anonymous
May 21st, 2009
11:11 am
What about “Twitter-Gate?”
“Tennessee football has run into more trouble with the NCAA rulebook.
On coach Lane Kiffin’s Twitter and Facebook pages Tuesday, a newly hired personal assistant posted: “It’s a beautiful day in Knoxville, Tennessee today. I was so exited [sic] to hear that J.C. Copeland committed to play for the Vols today!”
University employees are barred from mentioning prospects by name until they have signed letters of intent.”
(snorkle)
G8R GRAD
May 21st, 2009
11:17 am
Just Googled Layla Kiffen.
MOMMA!
Gatorzone
May 21st, 2009
11:27 am
G8R GRAD, welcome to the party! Everyone has been talking of her since Lame’s press conference at his hiring.
AltamahaDawg
May 21st, 2009
11:28 am
Please Tony, do not tell us of any juvenile behavior. We will have none of that in here.
G8R GRAD
May 21st, 2009
11:30 am
Sorry, Gatorzone.
When you’re up to your a$$ in alligators, it’s hard to remember that your initial directive was to drain the swamp!
Anonymous
May 21st, 2009
11:32 am
Please AltamahaDawg, do not tell us of any sarcasm. We will have none of that in here.
mightyKC
May 21st, 2009
11:47 am
the principal stood up for his community…this was not a lifetime ban, it was a ban for a few months…nobody missed any opportunities, settle down folks.
UGADawg83
May 21st, 2009
12:02 pm
I still can’t move past a UT coach saying “For those who haven’t been to Pahokee, there ain’t much going on. You take that hour drive up from South Florida, there ain’t a gas station that works. Nobody’s got enough money to even have shoes or a shirt on.” Sounds to me like that is a pretty good description of the metropolitan Knoxville area.
G8R GRAD
May 21st, 2009
12:03 pm
Nice to see Uf’s still turning out blonde bombshells!
TommyP
May 21st, 2009
12:11 pm
Here’s what I don’t get. Tony is saying that the coverage of this story has been blown way out of proportion yet he posts his 2nd article (in back to back days????) on the topic?
The principal handled it well. If you blame anyone, blame the MEDIA for going on and on about it.
C’mon…”Nobody’s got enough money to even have shoes or a shirt on.” The Principal needs to stand up for these people and support them. He’s not costing his students any chances in life. If a player is good enough to be recruited by Tennessee, he’s good enough to be recruited by 30 other Div.I schools.
Chris
May 21st, 2009
12:41 pm
I don’t care if Kiffen won 11 games a year,I would’nt want him to represent my university. He’s a flake. Georgia Tech and Georgia should both be grateful they have not only two great coaches, but two classy individuals.
Cuz
May 21st, 2009
12:43 pm
A former Mayor of Augusta was once asked what he thought of Nitty Gritty Dirt Bands song American Dream. In the first part of the song they use the phrase, Augusta Georgia is just no place to be. His honour replied, “I guess bad publicity is better than no publicity”. I would imagine Volfans feel like our former mayor. Personally, I think the guy is a riot. I can’t wait to see what he will say or do next.
Layla, you got me on my knees.
Layla, I’m begging darling please.
Sorry, I could not help myself. Can she be the water girl like CMR’s wife? It would be even more incentive to watch the Vols play this year.
TUpac Urnhart Junior
May 21st, 2009
12:50 pm
Hey Tooney, you are off base here, I think the principal did the right thing, I mean, shoot, ole silver spooner, born on 3rd base needs to take a hike….those remarks are awful. SO, Tooney, get back to reality.
Ted Striker
May 21st, 2009
12:55 pm
Saying Lane Kiffin is juvenile gives him too much credit. Juveniles make poor decisions because they’re immature, because they’re not yet adults. Coach Kiffin has been a head coach in the NFL, has a family, has recruited, has met lots of people, has had plenty of time to work on decision making and social skills.
He’s not juvenile, he’s a (frequent) bad decision maker.
Atlanta Gator
May 21st, 2009
1:01 pm
Okey doke. Let’s summarize the lesson to be learned from all of this in two short sentences:
Do NOT gratuitously make insulting comments about the population of an entire town, county or state. Those insults might have adverse consequences for the person making them.
BamaGator!
May 21st, 2009
1:08 pm
Wahhhhhhhh. All you dumb A**es seem to be more concerned about what the Vols and CLK are doing. Was you even thinking about UT football this time last year? Get over it and worry about your own team. Florida had 9 secondary violations last year so to all you Gaytors, Lose the innocent little virgin routine cuz Urban Meyer is 1 of the the sneakiest,2 faced pukes in college football.,.And so is “I will not leave Miami” Saban.
Nachos
May 21st, 2009
1:26 pm
Does ole Monte Kiffin wear a rug?
KR
May 21st, 2009
1:30 pm
I had never heard of Pahokee until all of this blew up. I still don’t know where it is because I really don’t care.
Kiffin’s comments are pretty similar to comments I’ve heard years back from some of the legendary SEC coaches of the ’70s and ’80s. They were good for a laugh at the time and no one took them too seriously. Blame the need to fill 24 hours of air time on ESPN, Fox Sports and others as the reason it has become such a big story.
I’m in agreement with Tony on the principal. In fact, if I were a parent at Pahokee High, I would be in the Superintendent’s office demanding sanctions against the principal for overstepping his authority. The principal’s job is to ensure the students get a quality education in a safe environment. His “ban” didn’t pertain to either one of those.
DC Braves Fan
May 21st, 2009
1:33 pm
Yes, it’s really awful that someone in that area would defend the local community when someone says degrading things about them. Perhaps by making this more public, the school and principal did everyone a favor by pointing out how some of these hypocrites in the coaching business talk a good game about rural America while then disparaging it when they go home.
As someone who lives in an urban area, that type of thing is quite common. And the more it gets smoked out, the better.
Big Fan
May 21st, 2009
1:33 pm
Isn’t Urbie still pissed at Shane Matthews for questioning him? Urbs is a whiney asz control freak so you Gators really shouldn’t be throwing stones.
And geez, the pervs clamoring over Layla is getting real old. Go find some internet porn and circle jerk yourselves in private.
Oh yeah, and to the Gators who can’t spell….it’s Kiffin.
Urban Warfare
May 21st, 2009
1:35 pm
Tony, You left out a very important part of the story…when Kiffin basically called out the school as being dishonest and underhanded, that the fax machine wouldn’t have worked, signitures would have been changed “you know, all the things that go on down there in Pahokee”. Now Tony, if someone had said or suggested the same things about you and questioned your very integrity, how would you have reacted????????????
Gen Neyland
May 21st, 2009
1:41 pm
Allow me to stir the pot : Rumor has it there are no places to eat out in or around Pahokee HS. You know, shirts and shoes required…So, do they waive this health issue at the high school..? As has been pointed out on numerous occasions within these hallowed sandboxes of diatribes, we Tennessee hillbilly’s have no teeth, marry our sister’s sister, cook our possum’s outside on a open fire and never, never, get off the front porch to attempt a honest day’s work…Well, you may be right on 3 out of 4 (we might marry our sister’s sister, only because we’re not really genetically linked) but CLK is standing up for Us’uns. So there. Have a great day..!
Gator Growl
May 21st, 2009
1:48 pm
How bright can you be when you just pulled a recruit out a town that you are planning on recruiting more players from, and then you go and say those kind of things??? Guess we’ll all find out in the fall. Anyway, just proves my point that Kiffen, or Kiffin or however you spell it (or smell it) is a just PUNK who was bragging about how he took a recruit from Florida and let his mouth get away from him. Just like how he bragged about taking assistant coaches or other recruits or how he’s gonna seal off the state of Tenn from other schools. Classic PUNK…all talk.
Sterotypers
May 21st, 2009
1:58 pm
General Neyland,
Yes. We’ve all seen the better than you pontificators on here usually spouting their stereotypes about other people. Usually its the dawg fans making fun of Florida fans and their jorts and mullets, Bama fans and their lack of teeth, Tennessee fans marrying their sisters, Auburn fans with their trailers, and all that. I have noticed on frequent occasions that 20 miles outside of Atlanta I see people in jorts, trailers, people with poor dental hygiene, etc. You would think listening to some of the dawg fans that the same social ills of the deep south as a whole do not apply to Georgia and that everyone in Georgia is cosmopolitan, educated, and suave and debonair as Jethro liked to day. Methinks not.
Mr 5-15
May 21st, 2009
2:10 pm
FEAR THE KIFF!!!
Layla Is A Gator!
May 21st, 2009
2:12 pm
Anybody seen my new Teebows. Bruce was just over here, maybe I should call him.
Layla Is A Gator!
May 21st, 2009
2:15 pm
Oh, you saw Bruce wearin’ them? On his head?!
stinger
May 21st, 2009
2:19 pm
Anyone want a rusty trombone?
bull-gator
May 21st, 2009
2:20 pm
Seems to me, having been born, raised, and educated in the South and lived and worked in North Carolina, Florida and Georgia, traveled extensively througout the USA, that there are: pseudo sophisticated, chardonnay sipping, limousine liberals and redneck, tobacco chewing, hardscrabble folks in every place I’ve been. That’s what makes America great and makes SEC football even greater. Such a wide range of football lovin’ nuts driven by the same passion of 365 day a year love of the same great game. The Kiffins and the Alejos of the world need to chill. Oh, by the way, I’ve been to Pahokee and it is very, very poor, but with a lot of good folks that live there. And some great football players…
reservoirDAWG
May 21st, 2009
2:23 pm
Gen, good answer. That’s the way a true fan should respond, but please don’t get me started on Barry.
Last Word
May 21st, 2009
2:50 pm
Big Fan,
Methinks thou dost protest too much!
Anonymous
May 21st, 2009
2:55 pm
Tony,
WHO CARES?
Two days ago the topic, “Why the Georgia-Florida game will stay in JAX”
garnered 276 comments.
Today’s topic, 71, so far.
But it’s early.
Anonymous
May 21st, 2009
2:58 pm
BTW:
Will tomorrow be a true Wild, Wild West – anything goes – Friday?
Last Word
May 21st, 2009
3:07 pm
Yeah!
Maybe we could talk about something different, like, I dunno, baseball?
G8R GRAD
May 21st, 2009
3:12 pm
Jeez, I know I’ve been gone for a few hours, but . . . . . . . . . . HOW did we get HERE?
Vols_1
May 21st, 2009
3:34 pm
What’s really cool is that every media in the Southeast is discussing UT. Georgia can’t buy ink right now. By the way… Good blog by Tony. The principal should be more concerned about getting students from a disadvantaged area into school than promoting his Gators. And Alejo so loves Pahokee that he doesn’t live there himself.
Adam
May 21st, 2009
3:45 pm
‘Last Word’…no, we cannot talk about baseball…this is the ‘Mr. College Football’ Blog. What part of that don’t you understand???
Cuz
May 21st, 2009
4:19 pm
Coach Kiffin is getting the results he wanted. Everyone is talking about Vol football. Now he just needs to put together a good product for the Rocky Top faithful. On Saturdays in the fall, I watch the Dawgs of course. But I also watch every SEC game I can find. Two reasons. One, we may play them later. Two, I am an SEC fan. I even pull for, I can’t believe I am going to say this, Florida when they are playing for the MNC. It was easier the second time against Oklahoma. Kinda like bank robbery.
I don’t care what Big Fan says, Layla Kiffin is easy on the eyes. Now that would be a great Friday topic. Which SEC coach has the hottest wife. I’m voting Kiffin right now.
General, I like my possum in a stew. I dice up the tail for extra flavor. A couple of sips of your bore solvent and you would swear you are in a four star restaurant.
Gen Neyland
May 21st, 2009
4:42 pm
Anonymous : Of those 276 comments ON the UGA-UF game, 204 dealt with CLK and UT. To close to call yet…
Reggie
May 21st, 2009
4:48 pm
Tony You Are Dead Wrong! This principal should not allow anyone in his school that does not have best interest of the kids and community in mind. Why would he want to allow this child “the coach” who has dogged his community while he thought no one was listening said how he really feels about them and the kids from there the area . No Class!! It has nothing to do with of U of F and this is bigger than football!!
Gen Neyland
May 21st, 2009
4:51 pm
Cuz : With all this rain, I’m afraid I cannot raft your order downstream. EPA standards and regs on shipping DG’s. Be on the lookout for a 1973 tanish brownish Chevy Cheyenne with Banks headers wrapped around a 454ci loaded to the gills around midnight…
shane#1
May 21st, 2009
5:12 pm
Had Kiffin insulted Atlanta it would be different, dumb maybe, but different. We have our share of depressed areas here in South Ga and this economy ain’t helpin’ at all. Poverty is not funny, especially if you’re poor. Coach Richt spoke in Albany last night and I don’t recall him making any jokes about stupid hicks. Who knows, another Thomas Davis or Bill Stanfill could have been listening.
Don
May 21st, 2009
5:13 pm
The biggest problem is that Kiffin was at USC for 5 years and USC does what it whats. Football is a religion in the south. In L.A. it isn’t newsworthy. Kiffin put together a fantastic coaching staff. They are great recruiters but they are better teachers. Monte Kiffin is the best
DC in football. Orgeron is the best defensive line coach. Coach Thompson took some frosh and did a great job as lb coach. Coach Chaney was Drew Brees and Purdues OC and they have last years syracuse OC being paid by syracuse while coaching OL. Kiffin is a fast learner and these embarrishing situations will disappear soon. He was not ready for the media microscope SEC schools are under.
shane#1
May 21st, 2009
5:16 pm
General, no emergency measures? What about FEMA? HeJJ man, I’m thirsty and all this rain is rusting the old “ought six”!
ReptilesRule
May 21st, 2009
6:19 pm
Don, you are living in La La land if you really believe what you just said.
Maybe Next Year
May 21st, 2009
6:20 pm
Lane Kiffen did not hire a top notch coaching staff, he hired a top notch recruiting staff. There’s a big difference. He’s set the table for the next coach. Who’s Kiffen going to look to for coaching advice…Orgeron? Please.
Layla Is A Gator!
May 21st, 2009
6:22 pm
THIS orange is UGLY!
Loser Lane
May 21st, 2009
6:24 pm
I wish I had an Oscar Meyer weiner!
Layla Is A Gator!
May 21st, 2009
6:25 pm
I wish you did too!
warhorse
May 21st, 2009
9:19 pm
Substitute Vine City for Pahokee and the AJC would be screaming foul play AND racist pejorative. Kiffin knew that he was talking about a poor, black town. He did not know there was a reporter present. The same comment by a judicial nominee would cause his nomination to be pulled. Kiffen is a buffoon with a record of 4-15 on the field and 0 and forever in the rest of life.
Gen Neyland
May 21st, 2009
10:31 pm
As the day draws to an end on yet another fun filled exposition into the world of Tennessee’s Coach, Lane Kiffin, I’d like to thank the panel of blogging experts that participated in this ongoing forum which seems to have no end. Give yourselves a pat on the back for being so in tune with one another. We’ll see you next time…Have a great tomorrow and GO VOLS.
Layla Is A Gator!
May 21st, 2009
10:54 pm
Goodnight Gen…Goodnight Bruce…
Cuz
May 22nd, 2009
12:10 am
Goodnight General, the Cheyene just got her. I gotta go help with the unloading. The check is in the mail.
SugarHillDawg
May 22nd, 2009
7:38 am
Yeah, don’t hire a brain donor like Lame Kitten as a football coach!
Darryle Clark
May 22nd, 2009
8:13 am
I disagree Mr. College Football. At least on your assessment of the actions of the Pahokee Principle. I think he handled the situation exactly as anyone else would have whose whole community had been verbally ATTACKED. He simply said the UT staff was unwelcome on his campus unless there was an apology issued. He didn’t rant and rave, he didn’t fly into hysterics, he just demanded an apology. CLK has finally gave in and now the coaches are back welcome.
Remember he didn’t ban the UT staff because he was a Gator fan, he banned them because of the tasteless comments of the UT head coach. Principles are human, and he has the right to be a Gator fan. If he had banned their presence because of his affiliation to the Florida football program then you would be right, but to say that is pure speculation; Especially since the UT staff was welcome before the comments and after the apology. I just wish Kiffin had not made the apology, then only 11 of our SEC schools could come calling.
Whyso
May 22nd, 2009
8:37 am
Hearing there will be news coming out of Alabama today regarding NCAA violations. Any truth to this Tony?
Big Fan
July 17th, 2009
11:09 am
Maybe Next Year gets dumbest post award with his “did not hire good coaches” comment. Really? 5 on staff at UT are former NFL coaches. Do you not think you have to be a good coach to work in the NFL or is it more important to be a good recruiter? Like I said, dumbest post on the board. Two more dumb points for misspelling Kiffin’s name….again.