Who’s the bigger rat – Bobby Petrino or Lane Kiffin?
Watching Lane Kiffin’s wretched introduction at Southern Cal last night — delayed 45 minutes by traffic, it should have been canceled to spare everyone involved– the thought occurred: “This guy is the biggest rat I’ve ever seen.”
Then, a bit later, another thought: “Wait a minute, son. Didn’t we in Atlanta happen across a rodent of our own not long ago?”
Well, yeah. His name: Bobby Petrino. He fled the Falcons in same harum-scarum manner that Kiffin left K-Town. And that terrible memory got me to thinking: “Kiffin or Petrino — who’s the bigger rat?” Here’s where I attempt to answer myself.
Category: Truthfulness. Petrino reaffirmed to Arthur Blank the day before he headed over the Ozarks, “You’ve got yourself a coach.” According to Tennessee AD Mike Hamilton, Kiffin at least informed him last weekend that he’d be interested in the USC job. Bigger lying rat: Petrino.
Category: Manliness. Petrino left without facing his players. He had a type-written note left in their lockers instead. Kiffin at least addressed his players. Mayhem nearly ensued, but at least he showed his creepy face. Bigger cowardly rat: Petrino.
Category: Timeliness. Petrino was gone by sundown the day after his team lost to New Orleans on Monday night. Kiffin didn’t flee the Smokies until the next day. Bigger lamming rat: Petrino.
Loading ...Category: Shamelessness. Not 24 hours after leaving the Georgia Dome as coach of the Falcons, Petrino was captured on live TV calling the Hogs alongside Razorback cheerleaders. Kiffin somehow resisted the urge to ride into his Southern Cal press briefing atop Traveler, the equine mascot of Troy. Bigger shameless rat: Petrino.
Category: Spousal involvement. Becky Petrino joined her husband to lead cheers. Layla Kiffin did not lead any cheers, at least not on-camera. Bigger familial rat: Petrino.
Category: Obliviousness. According to those Falcons folks who knew Petrino well (and there weren’t many), he was stunned his abrupt departure elicited such venom. Kiffin maintained Tennessee fans were upset he was leaving because he’d done such a great job. Bigger tin-eared rat: Kiffin.
Category: Staying power. Petrino coached the Falcons for 11 months. Kiffin coached the Volunteers for 14 months. Bigger fickle rat: Petrino.
Overall: You’ll note that Petrino is the winner, if that’s the proper word, in six of the seven categories. Which would seem to make him the landslide choice as the rat of all rats, would it not? Uh, no. Forget categories, I say. Look instead at the big picture. (At least Petrino can coach.) Alongside Kiffy, all other rodents must bow. King Rat: Kiffin.
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540 comments Add your comment
That Guy
January 14th, 2010
11:24 am
I’ve got one thing to say about this whole pointless thread:
Pants on the ground, Pants on the ground, Looking like a fool with your Pants on the ground!
Jackets2010
January 14th, 2010
11:24 am
I agree with u Ross.
I think Mark and Jeff are limited about how much they can knock the billionaire.
I hate all the billionaires running pro teams and taking a successful college coach and tempting them with money to take a job they probably know they will fail at.
The skills at the different levels are not the same.
Only an idiot billionaire with flunkies like McKay around would think otherwise
Jackets2010
January 14th, 2010
11:26 am
Mid town Joe gets my vote for best one-liner today. Good one dude.
RoswellHOG
January 14th, 2010
11:28 am
Johnny Reb,
You’re welcome. Enjoy the QB killer and the Cotton Bowl!
Poser
January 14th, 2010
11:29 am
The atmosphere and rabid fan base of football, especially college ball has created this type mood. Most coaches nowdays have that “don’t give a damn attitude”. We all know as long as our team is winning the coach is the big hero. And could most likely stay where he’s at as long as he desires. However if he has a so-so season its time for a change, regardless of how many winning seasons he has had the past 10 or more years. There isn’t much loyalty to the coach so I’m sure theres not alot of loyalty from the coach to the school. Surely these coaches know how fast the average fan will turn on them in a bad season. So they may as well go when a better opportunity pops up. Thats the nature of college ball my fellow fans,
Dorsey Hill
January 14th, 2010
11:29 am
Recruitment Ron,
Here are a few of the 5 star players UF has had since 2004:
Dee Webb
Jarvis Moss
Chad Jackson
Andre Caldwell
Joe Cohen
Carl Johnson
James Wilson
Torrey Davis
Cameron Newton
Who are these people???? Recruiting rankings are meaningless and you posting them on a UGA blog just shows that you are a sad, pathetic and stupid person. Congratulations though as these qualities are considered an asset by your fellow Gators.
Double A
January 14th, 2010
11:29 am
Who’s more pathetic…Atlanta journalists or Knoxville beat writers?
Answer: Atlanta hacks by a mile.
Will Knoxville harp on Kiffin years later? Doubtful, they’ll get a good coach and move on. While pathetic no talent, uncreative, Atlanta “journalists” will continue forever about Petrino.
What a pathetic excuse for a professional sports town Atlanta is. Go celebrate the Falcons first back to back winning season…with Petrino’s replacement.
Habersham Dawg
January 14th, 2010
11:32 am
It’s Petrino. Kiffen finished the season.
WR
January 14th, 2010
11:34 am
Every one is jumping down Kiffins back, and in the defending him, especially versus Petrino, I want to make it known, I’m not a fan of Kiffin but a fan of real life circumstance. If Kiffin goes to Tenn, and does a horrible job, he, fired, no questions asked the second thoughts given. If Kiffin didn’t stir the media as he did, probably more to invigorate life into the program, then because he believed half of what he said, his coaching ability wouldn’t come into question. Throw out the Oakland drama, no one has preformed well in that position in quite some time, see Al Davis. Now to reality, a reality not focused on stirring up fans that feel betrayed:
Kiffin to a good position at Tennessee, he helped to breath new life into a program that was seemingly on the decline. Taking the position, he couldn’t have imagined his dream job would come open within a year of his hiring, so how do you fault a person for going after there dream, be it the current one as it maybe. Petrino on the other hand didn’t leave the Falcons for a dream job, there’s not many coaches dreaming much about coaching at Arkansas as the pennacle of their career. In college football outside of Notre Dame, USC is right up there with the best positions to hold as a head coach. If a coach was hired to coach a program like Georgia State, did a decent job, and UGA came calling next year, not much would be made of his departure, outside of the students or fans of Georgia State, is it different because GSU is an upstart, is it different for taking a job for any major college program versus a lesser program. If you think it is somethings wrong with you not Kiffin, you wouldn’t tell James Doe, he is a rat for taking a job as a operations manager at UPS and leaving the blah blah corporation, so why is it different for a coach.
I’ll ask you this Mr. Bradley, your a writer for the Marietta Daily Journal for a year, now the AJC comes calling, now tell me you would stay at the AJC, tell me that lie.
Johnny Reb
January 14th, 2010
11:35 am
I’m just saying that we have the classiest coach in the SEC. He’s 100% happy here. Kansas came after him big time and he turned them down. Go Rebs!!
Bill
January 14th, 2010
11:39 am
USC = Probation
Grass isn’t always greener on the other side, but to each their own.
WR
January 14th, 2010
11:39 am
Should read on earlier post, tell me you would stay at the Marietta Daily, tell me that lie
RoswellHOG
January 14th, 2010
11:39 am
Kiffin did a lot of damage to UT with his departure.
Petrino, did Falcon’s fans a favor with his departure and the ensuing house cleaning that took place. It never would have happened if he had stayed. Would just have been more of the same.
Much better organization now.
Starring Kam Fong as Chin Ho
January 14th, 2010
11:42 am
Petrino is the bigger rat. He crapped on a football team. Kiffin only crapped on UT
mgdawg
January 14th, 2010
11:43 am
Petrino is worse, he quit during the season. While I disagree with what kiffin did, I can understand it, what is worse is the actions afterward. I believe that is his dream job, if he would’ve turned it down who knows who the next coach would’ve been and if kiffin would’ve had another chance. However, getting recruits on campus to not sign up for classes is inexcusable. Wasn’t kiffin the one that got mad because meyer supposeably called a recruit during a visit at tennessee? Kiffin just did basically the same thing.
I think Kiffin is a “rat” but I can understand why he did what he did. Petrino is worse, you don’t leave a team during the regular season.
Big Ted
January 14th, 2010
11:46 am
mgdawg -
You don’t leave a team during the regular season unless Arthur Blank fires you with 3 games left Dan Reeves.
meh
January 14th, 2010
11:52 am
I think Pretrino leaving was beneficial for the Falcons. He did more damage while there than he did by leaving. Kiffin leaving the Vols, on the other hand, hurts them more than if he’d stayed. That being said, Bobby Petrino is the biggest POS I have ever seen.
meh
January 14th, 2010
11:53 am
I bet Petrino throws his name the hat for the Tennessee job.
Old Dawg New Trick
January 14th, 2010
11:54 am
to every one defending Kiffen : Not everyone would jump ship because of more money and that is the point INTEGRITY! some people have it some don’t Petrino and Kiffen DO NOT!!
dougdawg
January 14th, 2010
11:56 am
well, just think about that little song we used to sing in elementary school — ‘three blind mice.’ they, read kiffin, kiffin, and orgeron, went after the farmer’s wife, read usc. what happened will probably happen to them. lot’s of wisdom in kid’s songs!!!!
MiamiDawg
January 14th, 2010
11:56 am
Dont forget to include the programs. They enable this sort of behavior.
Should add the names of the ADs, the boosters… without them, all this would not be possible.
Dennis the Menace
January 14th, 2010
11:58 am
I’ll cast my vote for write in candidate John Calipari. Stay long enough at Memphis to get them in trouble they haven’t seen since Dana Kirk and then bolt for the bluegrass. On the other hand, UK is worse than he is for hiring a walking NCAA investigation.
dougdawg
January 14th, 2010
11:58 am
hope they don’t go after the coach’s wife, too. we’re talking hollywood here. if i were layla, i’d put a plastic surgeon on retainer; if she ever slips (drops?) to 7-6, lane baby is outta there. sorry, couldn’t resist it.
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
January 14th, 2010
11:59 am
And they call me a dog!
Da Big Rat
January 14th, 2010
11:59 am
BOTH !
These two parasites are just below alligator urine on the scale of honor, loyalty and credibility.
Lose boys Lose!!!!
Coach Saban
January 14th, 2010
11:59 am
Mark, Are you using Coach Kiffins highly thought out calculated move to advance his career and obtain a position that is definitely not a lateral move as a way to deflect attention to your articles on the DC search at the University of GA?
Dorsey Hill AKA "Winston Churchill"
January 14th, 2010
11:59 am
Those of you who are wondering why Bammer fans will not admit that Saban is a lying, scumbag, POS and will defend him no matter what all you have to do is study about the Weimar Republic and the subsequent rise of Hitler. A once proud nation is disgraced and impoverished. Germany is a fourth place team in the West Division, I mean Western Europe. What do they do? They turn to a guy who wins. They turn to a guy who makes the trains run on time, and by any means necessary. Look Bama has just gone through the SEC like Hitler through Europe and you want them to take notice of the smell coming from the “work camps.” All I can say is good luck with that. It ain’t happening. At least not until he either leaves or loses 3 games in a season then the Bammers will turn on him and quick.
All I can say for us is that:
We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in Athens,
we shall fight in Knoxville and Jacksonville and Atlanta,
we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength through the air, and we shall defend our end zone, whatever the cost may be,
we shall fight them on the ground,
we shall fight them in the trenches,
we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, our University were subjugated and starving, then our supporters would carry on the struggle, until, in God’s good time, good once again triumphs over evil.
Go Dawgs!!!!!!
Black Lab
January 14th, 2010
12:00 pm
good article…winner is Petrino….not facing his team during the exit….but I also like the articles in the LA Times about Kiffin yesterday….it will be interesting to USC record at the end of next November
Coach Saban
January 14th, 2010
12:02 pm
Dorsey, you could fill up several septic tanks and create some green grass for your next DC with that post.
Sarah H
January 14th, 2010
12:02 pm
As a Hog’s fan I am sorry that we lost Houston. He was driven out of Arkansas in part by a mama whose baby boy was suppose to be the next great quarterback. He wasn’t. Hum, a parent who ruins a college coach’s career. ESPN are you listening?
RoswellHOG
January 14th, 2010
12:02 pm
All this talk of integrity and loyalty……
What about the coaches that flirt with other schools only to leverage up their salaries and stay?
What about the next DC at UGA? Will he be a rat to those young men he recruited at his former job?
We’re living in an age of” what have you done for me lately”. Rabid fan bases. Millions of dollars in TV revenue. And million dollar coaching salaries. This ain’t the 60’s.
Today’s motto: “Do unto others before they do unto you”. It goes for coaches, AD’s and team owners.
Big money driving all of this.
Simple Simon
January 14th, 2010
12:03 pm
How horrible it was for Petrino to run out on the Atlanta Inmates. The only thing Kiffin did wrong was open his mouth – seriously, that guy is dumb – and call Vol recruits, trying to convince them to jump on his gravy train.
db
January 14th, 2010
12:04 pm
They’re both Rats, yes with a capital R. Although Petrino has a history of doing this and he even left the Falcons in mid season. So we can call him an A$$ Rat as opposed to Kiffin who is a Rat’s A$$.
Dawg Tired
January 14th, 2010
12:05 pm
Can I write in Nick Saban? Actually I’m voting for Petrino for the reasons you listed. I understand that Petrino can actually coach, but I think that cuts against him in that when he leaves he actually lose something. Obviously UT is better off without the Lame Brat Kitty because he would have ruined the program eventually. Now they can go out and get someone who actually can and wants to coach at UT. UT will be ok in the near future (assuming no probation – who knows just what Orgeron actually did in recruiting these kids?).
Big XII
January 14th, 2010
12:05 pm
Why are people from Georgia obsessed with Lane Kiffin?
RoswellHOG
January 14th, 2010
12:07 pm
Sarah-
Have you forgotten about the hateful emails sent to Mitch by a Nutt friend? Nutt treated Malzahn like dirt. He may seem like a good ol boy, but he’s got a huge ego that got in the way of making good decisions when it came to what was best for the program.
TheManMike
January 14th, 2010
12:08 pm
Petrino. He look like the old man who yells at kids to get off his lawn….
Bobby Petrino
January 14th, 2010
12:08 pm
Me, by a mile!
catlady
January 14th, 2010
12:10 pm
Kiffin’s leaving affects students. Petrino’s was a blip in the road for professional players. Kiffin, hands down.
NA
January 14th, 2010
12:10 pm
Pretty close but Petrino will remain the worst of the two.
Coach Saban
January 14th, 2010
12:10 pm
Big XII, I’m the coach at Alabama and I’m obsessed with Georgia. Just between you and me UT has approached me with big bucks and I can’t wait to tell Kirby I’m leaving .
GAIL
January 14th, 2010
12:10 pm
I think they should coach together…they both blow.
ptc dawg
January 14th, 2010
12:10 pm
Kiffin took advantage of 18 year old kids trying to make the biggest decision of their life. Maybe some of you expert bloggers had all the answers when you were 18, but a lot of these kids were looking for guidance from Kiffin and Ogeron. He left these kids hung out to dry after selling them a bill of goods he couldn’t deliver. To do this to high school kids makes him the biggest RAT by a mile.
Petrino did not have the support of the players and they quit on him(after they argued with him). He didn’t have support of the owner, because he was still having a love affair with a criminal. The millionaire players still got their paychecks and got face time on ESPN. Petrino did the Falcons and their fans a great service by leaving because it forced them to get a GM and a new coach.
Personally, I thought the job at Arkansas was a better one than the Falcons, at that time.
UT will eventually become the winner out this situation, because Kiffin can’t coach and the NCAA is going to be all over him.Somebody get Gen Neyland another Bloody Mary.
fishtales
January 14th, 2010
12:11 pm
For everyone dogging on Saban saying he lied multiple times…please list them. Let’s hear all of your examples please. He lied to the Miami media about leaving because they kept pressing him while the season was still going on. He was always truthful to the Dolphin players and to the Dolphin woner Huizenga…both of whom hold zero ill will toward Saban about the way it was handled. No, the only people angry is Dan LeBatard who felt he deserved to know what Saban was doing and you idiots that keep perpetuating this lying crap just because you don’t like his arrogant style.
Sarah H
January 14th, 2010
12:11 pm
RoswellHOG – Can you control what your friends do? I can’t and neither could Houston. Heck, he couldn’t even control what his wife did.
David Basham
January 14th, 2010
12:12 pm
Mark, You are being soundly whacked on UGA coverage by David Hale. You know that “gunslinger syndrome” that all writers have, knowing that there’s a better person just around the bend and all he/she needs is a chance? That’s how you should feel right now.
jw
January 14th, 2010
12:12 pm
Kiffin wins – stiffing a college team is 1000 times worse than bolting a pro team – the pros on the ATL team didn’t like the guy from the get go – so he fled before getting fired – plus, AB can look swell in those suits and say all he wants, he was part of that plan – he had to know the the big Cowboy was stalking his guy – Kiffin just plain out bolted with little or no warning – tons worse!
1eyedJack
January 14th, 2010
12:13 pm
Come on, vowels, cheer up. You’ve been down before. I’m sure you’ll land on your heads somewhere.
Lane Kippen
January 14th, 2010
12:14 pm
I gave those thugs at Tennessee what they deserved.
Hawg Fan
January 14th, 2010
12:14 pm
give me a break. The FalCONS were a bunch of spoiled brats who would not listen to their coach anyways. The Vick situation certainly was of no help. Thank God he left your trainwreck of a program, which has gone to the tubes anyways. Bigger rat: Falcon fans