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
dannyc
January 14th, 2010
2:16 pm
It’s a deadbeat tie
Hillbilly Deluxe
January 14th, 2010
2:17 pm
Would I rather step in a dog t*rd or a cow t*rd? What’s the difference, either way it stinks and you can’t get it off your shoe.
dannyc
January 14th, 2010
2:17 pm
The best part of both ran down their daddies’ leg
How2fish
January 14th, 2010
2:17 pm
Kiffin is King Rat…why..because of how he treated the kids in his care…how many did he dupe into early enrollment and are now stuck, not that UT is a bad school but they may now not be in situation that fits their talents….the Hawg caller at least left behind very well payed Men in his wake only time will tell the true damage Kiffin did to these kids..UT will be fine its a great school with a rich history..I’m glad he is gone but he treated these kids like dirt by bolting as he did..oh and Code Red be careful what you wish for…him leaving is not an issue if he gives the school a heads up..but history shows he won’t.
True UGA, Temp UT
January 14th, 2010
2:22 pm
Hey, its a business!! Coaches get fired for not going to bowl games back to back seasons! Fulmer couldnt produce even though he a just gone to SEC title game the year before, he was fired! Kiffin was only half-heartedly embraced by UT fans. The old guard, good ole boys, talked badly about him and wanted him gone. Everything new he tried to do, older fans would chastise him and threaten to no donate money. The kids, the players, are the ONLY losers. I believe Kiffin and Dad really did motivate the players and inspire them with fresh coaching techniques! Like the early post said, we all would gladly take OUR DREAM JOB for MORE MONEY!! Rural KNoxville? Sunny Cali? REALLY? Its life, sometimes life sucks. Never can predict what will happen, just be ready for it. Wish Kiffin well, and its on to the next one…
ARK
January 14th, 2010
2:23 pm
Someday Petrino will leave the hogs, but I doubt we will be crying about it years later. It’s called the life of college football. Coaches come and coaches go – you people are acting like a head coach personally lead you down to the altar and exchanged vows. Grow up and see sports for what they are – the bottom line.
bobby petrino
January 14th, 2010
2:24 pm
I don’t blame Kiffin one bit. If I’d been offered the USC job, you think I’d stick around out here in the sticks?
cheetah1976
January 14th, 2010
2:34 pm
Some of you folks have been giving Kiffin “props” for not leaving before Tennessee played their bowl game. Wake up! The USC job wasn’t available when the Vols got their butts kicked by the Hokies on New years Eve!
Although I think he’s a spoiled brat disguised as a football coach, I don’t blame him for taking what can only be described as his dream job. Who knows if the opportunity would have ever presented itself again. Plus, it’s a bonus for me seeing Tennessee get hosed!
Tewks
January 14th, 2010
2:35 pm
David – You make a good point. It seems to have worked out for the Falcons and the Razorbacks. The bottom line to me, though, is how it was handled by Bobby. Gutless.
Brian D. Inman
January 14th, 2010
2:41 pm
At least Petrino didn’t affect Atlanta’s ability to draft players.
wheelz007
January 14th, 2010
2:41 pm
Yes, Derek Dooley is that good.
Jim Murphy
January 14th, 2010
2:42 pm
I think it’s so cool that Bobby Petrino screwed the Atlanta Falcon’s and the much, much beloved Arthur Blanks! The name fit’s, Blank, to think he belived Vick about the dog fight’s. ATL you deserve all you get and by the way how did those Falcon’s work out for you this year? Coach Smith is a great one. Blank and the idiot Ted Turner and this sco called sports writer belong in the ATL. Home of the losers, see Hawks, Braves, Falcon’s G-Tech…..
ATL4life
January 14th, 2010
2:42 pm
The Atlanta Falcons, at that time, didn’t deserve the courtesy, nor did Arthur Blank.
Mike
January 14th, 2010
2:44 pm
The true rats are DeAngelo Hall and Arthur Blanc. Great move by Petrino to leave. Hall is uncoachable and Blanc wouldn’t let Petrino coach!
Mikey
January 14th, 2010
2:45 pm
45-19 45-19 45-19 45-19 hahahahahahahaha
David
January 14th, 2010
2:47 pm
Tewks – Thanks and I’m not trying to debate you on this, but do you know how it was handled by Petrino or do you just know what ESPN and the Falcon’s have said? I know one of the agents involved in all of this and I can tell you without a doubt, we don’t know how Petrino WANTED to handle this situation. Someone earlier wrote that Petrino wasn’t allowed to speak with the players, that is true…but even if he was allowed, I doubt he would have done it as that team had turned against him because he demanded discipline from them and they wouldn’t respond so he had really “lost” the team. He wanted out of the NFL in a bad way because of that and I have a hard time blaming him. As for that midnight press conference where he called the Hogs…not his idea and I bet if he had to do it over again he would refuse to do it, but you also have to remember just a few months earlier, Arkansas hired Dana Altman to coach the basketball team only to have him bolt a week later to go back to Creighton and had also entered negotiations with 3 other coaches only to have them use it as leverage at their current schools for more money, so the Arkansas folks wanted to get him into Fayetteville and get him on TV as their new coach as soon as possible.
G-Money
January 14th, 2010
2:47 pm
Neither is the bigger rat. The true big fat rat in all of this is the NCAA. They have kids working and generating massive amounts of income, yet they are not adequately compensated. These same kids who attract these tremendous fan bases at sold out stadiums, excessive merchandise sales, and phenomenal television revenues are continued to be exploited by helping these coaches to outrageous salaries, that are in no way indicative of their true value to their respective schools.
Jesup
January 14th, 2010
2:50 pm
Remember……alot of Falcons fans thought Petrino was in over his head and needed to go. but all the vols were on the……LANE TRAIN……..WHOOT WOOT
Hillbilly Deluxe
January 14th, 2010
2:51 pm
G-Money
Well said.
mars
January 14th, 2010
2:51 pm
Biggest rat? Petrino!
Biggest loser in this scenario? USC!
Just because Kiffin is an oblivious idiot does not make him a bigger rat. Sneakiness, lies, backstabbing, slinking away, kicking when someone is down…these are the traits of rathood. And what the hell is Tennessee Nation upset about? They should be uncorking the champagne! Good riddance!
UglyOldDog
January 14th, 2010
2:52 pm
Mikey…still burning a mattress I see
Mike
January 14th, 2010
2:53 pm
Petrino is the best thing to happen to the dirty bird Falcons. Because Petrino was treated like sh_t by players, the players now respect Smith. The players were told that if they treat their new coach like they treated Petrino, they’ll be off the team. Because of Petrino’s ordeal, the players are behaving. Thank you Bobby Petrino.
Skeezix
January 14th, 2010
2:58 pm
Just shows how most universities have sold out and place sports at too high a priority. The coach’s integrity and loyalty should be a major factor in any hire decision. But just look at what a pathetic situation we have when rats like Petrino, Kiffin, Calapari are placed in a leadership position over impressionable young men. What values are these colleges teaching them? The wrong ones!
dan
January 14th, 2010
2:59 pm
Bobby Petrino was such a bad hire on so many levels. I blame Blank for the Petrino debacle almost as much as I blame Petrino. That guy had no business being around an NFL team. The Falcons also had a bunch of idiots like DeAngelo Hall on the team at the time and added to the Mike Vick disaster: it just made the season an absolute train wreck. With that being said, Blank has learned from his mistakes and been more hands off. He hired a quality GM and a solid coaching staff. So in retrospect, it turned out to be a good thing for the Falcons.
BANDITDAWGG
January 14th, 2010
3:00 pm
Its banjos or beaches are you kidding me its a no brainer.
North Ave. Trade School fan
January 14th, 2010
3:02 pm
General Neyland must be turning over in his grave like he’s on a BBQ grill. All things run their course but Majors was a class act.
willie martinez
January 14th, 2010
3:02 pm
“ratlike tendencies” good one Mark.
Gen Neyland
January 14th, 2010
3:03 pm
Young man, i am actually spinning like a top.
GetoveritATL
January 14th, 2010
3:05 pm
Petrino did tell Arthur Blank that he was interested in leaving and Arthur Blank gave him permission to talk to other teams. Then the Vick stuff went down and Arthur Blank changed his mind. I would say the biggest rat is Arthur Blank, but that might be because he actually looks like a rat. I’m just saying… Oh, and Mark Bradley is a Richard Noggin.
Dwight Shrute
January 14th, 2010
3:06 pm
Stand in front of a mirror, do that ridiculous dirty bird dance and tell yourselves that your franchise matters. If you believe it, that’s all that really matters.
Dwight K. Shrute
January 14th, 2010
3:09 pm
Stand in front of a mirror, do that ridiculous dirty bird dance and tell yourselves that your franchise matters. If you believe it, that’s all that really matters.
mars
January 14th, 2010
3:09 pm
GetoveritATL, where oh where do you get your misinformation?
Mike
January 14th, 2010
3:14 pm
Petrino shouldn’t have left a note. The Atlanta dirty birds didn’t even deserve that. In college the coach can kick a dirty bird like D angelo Hall off the team. In the pros Petrino was stuck with D Angelo Hall. Good riddance Arthur Blank and the uncoachable dirty birds. Bravo Bobby Petrino.
Bob Woodward
January 14th, 2010
3:16 pm
rat……
Rdhdkid
January 14th, 2010
3:16 pm
It’s hard to say for sure, but I bet a guy named Lou Saban is REAL HAPPY the heat has been taken off his rear end.
OTOH, with the way the press AND the Falcons fans attacked Petrino, I’m not so sure if I’d been him I’d have stayed more that four days.
Mark Bradley
January 14th, 2010
3:17 pm
Wait a second. DeAngelo Hall drove Petrino to Fayetteville? I thought D-Hall only gave rides in his Maserati to Jim Mora.
John
January 14th, 2010
3:18 pm
Difference is, there is no NSD in pro football. Kiffin not only left, but he tried to take recruits with him.
Thom E. Gemcity
January 14th, 2010
3:18 pm
Was a tear shed when the venerable Atlanta Falcons FIRED Dan Reeves with three days left in the season? No
Was there a meeting between the owner and the players Before Dan Reeves was FIRED with three games left in the season? No
Bobby Petrino left a bunch of overpaid prima donna professional athletes who play for a professional team which is a business Athletes who could give a care less that he did not meet with them ( “Hey I still get paid, right? OK cool”)
Young Mister Kiffen lied to and left high & dry a bunch of young guys just starting or in college, after promising them the world. Not only did he lie to those athletes who were already at Tennessee, he went out and cherry picked the kids he had been recruiting to come to Big Orange to follow him out west to the bright lights and big city of USC.
Who are the bigger rats here? Arthur Blank, Lane Kiffen and the moron who wrote the diatribe above.
The Truth
January 14th, 2010
3:18 pm
What a bunch of whiners. Blank can sh*t all over Reeves, and lie through his teeth to Petrino, and you guys can’t get your lips off of his unit. Petrino sees the writing on the wall and takes a good opportunity, and he’s given every one of you losers a hernia.
You deserve the Falcons.
Mark Bradley
January 14th, 2010
3:20 pm
I went to UK, Otto. I grew up a Louisville fan because my dad was a U of L grad. That’s not speaking out of both sides of mouth. That’s just my own little slice of reality.
B-ROB
January 14th, 2010
3:20 pm
All Petrino did was jump off a sinking ship, a ship that started to sink with the Vick saga! Atlanta, wipe the tears from your eyes, and move on! Kiffin left a lot of young men up in the air about their collegiate future!
John
January 14th, 2010
3:24 pm
Does seem like it should be Petrino, especially since he just left a note. And no doubt I have no love for him and root especially hard against the Razorbacks solely because he is the coach. But I have to give it to Kiffin. He showed up, cause such a stir and acted like he was all that and more. Then he just jumps ship to greener pastures. Petrino left with his tail tucked between his leg because he knew he couldn’t coach NFL players. Kiffin dumped on a bunch of kids (even if they are all felons) for another school.
gatorman
January 14th, 2010
3:25 pm
Fullmer needs to be applauded: Fulmer says he’s ready to help make “one of the most important decisions” in the program’s history. He also says the next coach should embrace Tennessee traditions, be mature and have integrity.
:
Mark Bradley
January 14th, 2010
3:26 pm
I tried to say it the other night, gatorman: Phillip Fulmer is one loyal Volunteer.
Arthur Blank
January 14th, 2010
3:31 pm
I was the problem.
Fire Frank Wren
January 14th, 2010
3:33 pm
Frank Wren’s a bigger rat than either of him. And you can’t get of rats that easily.
bamafan
January 14th, 2010
3:33 pm
The actual one word term for “rat-like” is “rodential.” Coach Fulmer never looked better to Vol fans. Bama fans still are a bit miffed at his “secret witness debacle.” However, with time, we will get over it.
Kiffin is an immature punk who cannot coach. Petrino could and can coach. One can only wonder how Al Davis would have described Bobby Petrino?
gatorman
January 14th, 2010
3:35 pm
That is what usually happens when a University hires someone from the family. I’ll bet Charlie Weiss doesn’t feel that way though.
Doug UGA 1983
January 14th, 2010
3:35 pm
University of Georgia alumni, fans, and supporters should be happy and thankful that we have Mark Richt as our head coach and not guys like Kiffin, Petrino, Leverett, or even Urban Meyer.
Doug UGA 1983
Mike
January 14th, 2010
3:38 pm
Petrino’s choice: get away from dealing with a bunch of dirty bird hoodlums, or coaching a respectable program in the SEC. No brainer. Petrino shouldn’t have left the note. Hoodlums and thungs didn’t deserve that much. Oh, and not having to put up with Arthur Blank was the icing on the cake.