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
W A Q
January 14th, 2010
1:33 pm
Well the first thing you know ole Lane a millionaire,
Kin folks said Lane move away from there, California is the place you should to be, so they loaded up truck and moved to Beverly, Hollywood that is,, USC,, movie stars…. The Lane Hillbillies….. LOL
Criff
January 14th, 2010
1:33 pm
Trying to decide who’s the bigger Rat is like asking who’s the ugliest–Rosie O’Donnell or Joan Rivers? Sort of gives a new meaning to “Go Dawgs!”
Big Dawg 97
January 14th, 2010
1:33 pm
1. Bobby Petrino
2. Kirby Smart
3. Lame Kitten
who cares
January 14th, 2010
1:33 pm
QUESTION:
If a kid is NOT offered a scholarship or an offer to visit a school, how does a kid SWITCH? First and foremost, the kid has to APPLY to tthat school’s admissions board and be accepted. So if USC did not offer a visit to the kid that is selecting UT, how can that recruit GO to USC? Does USC have a list stating these UT recruits must be admitted? Orgeron stunk at Ole Miss. Had the USC job opened earlier, UT might be talking to TUBERVILLE, who, I think HAS BEATEN alabama and florida, more times than he’s lost to them. Eat the Humble Pie Hamilton and re hire Fulmer if you cannot get Muschamp to sign. Houston Nutt? Maybe-then neyland Stadium would be The NUTT HOUSE. Skip Holtz? Have not followed ECU’s conference. Cutcliffe-OC and QB Coach are his best qualities. Some OC’s are best at being OC rather than HC’s. Would love to see Tee Martin as the QB coach. Fulmer and Martin?-why not? Make the Call HAMILTON! oh-Petrino is the bigger Rat. No notice, no player address and moved out of town like the Baltimore Colts.
Razorback that Azz Up
January 14th, 2010
1:37 pm
DirtyDawg
How original, a bulldog for a mascot. There’s something to hang your hat on.
Martin
January 14th, 2010
1:37 pm
Can Kiffin coach or does his daddy do the coaching?
dawg gone it
January 14th, 2010
1:38 pm
We should count our blessings that we have a class act like Richt at UGA.
I’d take that loss to UT any time over having a coach like Kiffin.
Atlanta Sports
January 14th, 2010
1:40 pm
I know you write this drivel to stir things up but the subject of Petrino is tiresome and boring. You and all the Petrino haters need to get a life and move-on. The Falcons are better off with Smitty.
Just observing
January 14th, 2010
1:40 pm
UT fans and alums are all up in the air over this “betrayal” by Lane Kiffin but how about Phil Fulmer and Johnny Majors? Think those 2 guys are loyal UT people? They were both thrown out like garbage by the very bunch who now cries “betrayal!” Then to replace Tennessee native son and life-long Volunteer Fulmer they go out an hire a
Southern California dude if there ever was one and then get all in a tiff because he wanted to take his “dream job.” Hey folks, the man talked about USC the whole time he was in Knoxville: duh!! What goes around comes around.
Bad karma sucks don’t it?
W A Q
January 14th, 2010
1:41 pm
Well the first thing you know old Lane a millionaire,
Kin folks said Lane move away from there, California is the place you should to be, so they loaded up truck and moved to Beverly, Hollywood that is,, USC,, movie stars…. The Lane Hillbillies….. LOL
David
January 14th, 2010
1:41 pm
Petrino left a “dead from the head down” Falcons team to go back to college (where he wanted to be since Blank lied to him about Vick’s status, to be fair to Blank, Vick lied to Blank too). Petrino had to leave then because of the recruiting time frame involved so it was either leave then and have a chance to get some recruits or finish the season and play your first season at Arkansas with scrubs. Kiffin left TN in the heat of the recruiting season AND after repeated NCAA violations. Kiffin wins this one hands down…
And for my fellow Falcons fans who can’t seem to get over the whole Petrino thing (you too Mark Bradley) GET OVER IT!!! Petrino leaving was good for all the parties involved, you should be happy and stop feigning vitriol toward him. The players didn’t like him when he was here and he didn’t like coaching them either. I think it’s telling that even with Petrino gone, guys like D. Hall and A. Crumpler were demanding trades out of Atlanta. Something was bad wrong with the organization and Petrino was only a small part of it.
Butch Carter
January 14th, 2010
1:42 pm
Dude. Petrino left you guys like 2 years ago. Quit bitching about it because it worked out for you anyway. Must be a slow day in sports when you have to dust off the Petrino file.
UglyOldDog
January 14th, 2010
1:42 pm
Razorback that Azz Up…. I here LSU wants your mascot for dinner
WonderDawg
January 14th, 2010
1:45 pm
Russ, the Temp, why don’t you go play on I-75?
Yo Razorback!
January 14th, 2010
1:45 pm
Your mascot is FOOD!
Mr. Riley
January 14th, 2010
1:46 pm
both are neither stand up guys…to me they both are spinless and weak…the only difference between the two is that one (petrino) actually had a couple of winning seasons at a program (louisville) while the other has yet to do anything..
RoswellHOG
January 14th, 2010
1:47 pm
Ugly-
Are you aware that our beloved mascot, Tusk II died recently? It’s too soon……too soon to make light.
Now, where’d I put that bottle of shine?
John Paul
January 14th, 2010
1:47 pm
I say John Calipari is the ALL TIME KING OF THE WORLD SCUMBAG RAT. At least Petrino didnt steal his former teams recruits and leave the program he bolted in shambles. TWICE!!! Although it does appear Kif AND Petey Boy are of the same mold, it hasnt been proven yet. ALL HAIL KING VACATE RAT, SLIMEBALL LOVE ‘EM AND LEAVE ‘EM JOHN CALAPARI!!!!
Sarah H
January 14th, 2010
1:48 pm
Roswell Hog – I am a former teacher. I had to control about 100 6th graders during the day. I did the best I could but I could not control everthing they did. I think that is the same with a lot of leaders. We do our best but don’t always get it right. I know that Nutt should have had better control over his staff, but my bet is that he didn’t go home with them at night.
UglyOldDog
January 14th, 2010
1:48 pm
Yo Razorback!
Excuse me, but MVick has left the cafe…but I love eating PIG, SOOO PIG
Razorback that Azz Up
January 14th, 2010
1:50 pm
Ugly
Asthmatic bulldog. Hear that – it’s the sound of fear – no, just your “dawg” weazing.
Yahooty
January 14th, 2010
1:50 pm
How’s that playoff thing working for the Falcons this year? Hope you get to watch the Cowboy’s as the beat up Minnesota this wkend.
Tewks
January 14th, 2010
1:51 pm
I don’t like either one but with Kiffin, I can’t blame him for wanting that USC job. It might have been his once-in-a-lifetime chance. Now I’m shifting my attention back to Haiti. I hope everyone here connects with what’s going on there.
at RoswellHog
January 14th, 2010
1:51 pm
You have our sympathy. Now at UGA, we bury our fallen mascots inside Sanford Stadium. Do ya’ll serve your’s up on a checkered tablecloth? If not, that sounds like an idea!
Pete
January 14th, 2010
1:52 pm
It’s humanly IMPOSSIBLE to be a lower reptile than Quitrino who bailed in the MIDDLE of a season.
Kiffin did what any other NCAA coach would do when offered a Top 3 job in college sports.
Tenn. would react EXACTLY the same as Arkansas if they landed a coach who bailed on his current school. They’d offer him the key to Rocky Top.
FAT CAT
January 14th, 2010
1:53 pm
I squash RATS like these guys all the time after I makem “SQUEAL LIKE A PIG”….anybody want to go for a canoe ride down the Chatooga???????
SEC FAN
January 14th, 2010
1:53 pm
Look, Tennessee’s AD hired Kiffin because he listened to the crazy Tenn. fans. This blogging is going to bring down others. Most times the blogger is really from another school pretending to be an ardent fan of which ever school they are trying to bring down. We need to learn to read between the lines. Usually really solid fans are working and busy with making a living and don’t have time for all this crazy ranting and raving. Mark Bradley has really taken aim at certain schools. I wonder if he is trying to influence recruiting and is he taking under the table money???????.
I seem to remember that Them Po Ole Dawgs
January 14th, 2010
1:54 pm
were underdogs at Arky this past season but for our not-too-memorable year, them Dawgs still whipped the ‘Hogs into hash. Mmmmm-MM!
UglyOldDog
January 14th, 2010
1:54 pm
RoswellHOG my condolences, our beloved mascot died recently too…he saw what Tennesse did to us and with Florida looming it was too much for him
UglyOldDog
January 14th, 2010
1:56 pm
Razorback that Azz Up …don’t you know that we Bulldogs are full of GAS brrrrrrp sorry
RP
January 14th, 2010
1:57 pm
Can’t help but notice that UT is in an uproar over losing their coach so close to signing day. Think they’ll give a whit about taking some other school’s coach even CLOSER to national signing day? Right.
Coop
January 14th, 2010
1:57 pm
Georgia = A top second-tier program
RoswellHOG
January 14th, 2010
1:58 pm
How many dogs are buried in Sanford stadium? Our Hogs are just too big for that. But I guess it’s great tradition for you guys. Congrats.
UA Alum92
January 14th, 2010
1:59 pm
Kiffin described the USC job as being the “number one job” in college football. Anyone believe this? If not (loyalties aside) what are the top jobs in college football?
UglyOldDog
January 14th, 2010
1:59 pm
6 dogs and 92000 people after what Tech did to us last year
Otto
January 14th, 2010
1:59 pm
Can I vote for none of the above?
Mark, you kinda liked Petrino because L’ville ties but I thought you have UK ties. Sounds like you kinda speak out of both sides of your mouth.
OSCAR
January 14th, 2010
2:00 pm
Now help me remember, wht was Willie fired?
Razorback that Azz Up
January 14th, 2010
2:00 pm
Our mascot didn’t “die” per se, as it had more to do with needing a Christmas ham. You have to admit that our mascot could hurt you in the woods and be savory in your belly, all on the same day.
David Granger
January 14th, 2010
2:00 pm
That’s like asking who sexier, Rosie O’Donnell, or Roseanne Barr?
Skeptic
January 14th, 2010
2:02 pm
Has anybody ever considered that maybe Southern Cal wanted Monte Kiffin and Ed Orgeron, with maybe Norm Chow thrown in to boot, and was willing to take Lame Kitten in the deal?
old news
January 14th, 2010
2:04 pm
Slow news day, eh Bradley? Surely you’ve got something better that this topic (again)?
UglyOldDog
January 14th, 2010
2:04 pm
Razorback that Azz Up …see that just goes to show ya….Petrino is so low he made Christmas hams out of ole Tusker….The Man Has No Shame
Bill
January 14th, 2010
2:05 pm
Good, relevant article: “The Disloyalty Club”
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=neumann/100114&sportCat=ncf
cls
January 14th, 2010
2:05 pm
Geez Louise!!! You all really need to get over this Petrino thing! He’s gone, you’re happy he’s gone, Get over it!!! I bet if Blank had fired him after 13 games you would have thought it was ok. Tell me what the difference is there??? There is none. Get over it.
David
January 14th, 2010
2:05 pm
Hey Pete – FYI before you use ALL CAPS…Petrino left the Falcons with 3 games left in the season, not in the MIDDLE of the season. They weren’t making the playoffs, they had nothing to play for (not even pride, since Vick took that away before training camp) and Petrino knew he didn’t want to coach in the NFL anymore at that point. I’ll recognize the elephant in the room here since nobody else wants to admit it…Petrino hurt the feelings of some Falcons fans. We all know the team was crap. Most of us realized something else was wrong when guys didn’t want to play for the Falcons anymore even AFTER Petrino was gone. Mike Smith is a better NFL coach than Petrino. Petrino is happier at Arkansas than he was with the Falcons. Petrino has Arkansas on the way up and the Falcon’s are in much better shape under Smith. Why can’t you people just admit Petrino made the right move when he left? To me, what Brian Kelly did to Cincy this season or what Butch Davis did at Miami a few years ago was MUCH worse than what Petrino did. Get over it already
RoswellHOG
January 14th, 2010
2:06 pm
Wow,
ESPN reporting Derek Dooley on UT’s list. Is he that good?
Code Red
January 14th, 2010
2:07 pm
Really???? I mean really, really??? Is it still that big a deal in ATL that Patrino is gone. It makes me no never mind that the folks in GA have to continually bash the guy, because he is doing something he loves…coaching college football. I am a hog and will always be a hog and I am quite positive that Coach BP will not be our coach for an extended amount of time…..folks that is the buisness we are in.
Ginger
January 14th, 2010
2:09 pm
I like that piece of writing…funny !!….Both are big time rats….Peddlers, Fast talkers…No core values….Neither has won NC as head coach…..Falcons and Vols are so much better off without them
lou holtz
January 14th, 2010
2:10 pm
Let’s see what’s worse, a piece of crap or a turd?
Ms. K.P
January 14th, 2010
2:11 pm
I think it is a photo finish, but if I had to decide it would be Kiffin. How do you look at your own kids knowing you let down other kids. Rats is an understatement. A-hole is more befitting.