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
gatorman
January 14th, 2010
3:38 pm
Doug UGA 1983, The only thing that would cause you to include Urban in this group would be jealousy.
cheetah1976
January 14th, 2010
3:38 pm
Rdhdkid, Lou Saban?
GT
January 14th, 2010
3:39 pm
There ain’t no crying in pro football.
The 678
January 14th, 2010
3:41 pm
Petrino is the bigger rat!! Nick Saban is a close second!! (ask Michigan State, LSU and Miami Dolphin fans) Alabama fans need to keep a close eye on his door!! What Kiffin did was sneaky but he did not lie to the administrator at UT. He admitted that USC was his dream job. Also unless you are a back woods homer, who would rather live in East Tennessee in lieu of passing up leading one of the top programs in the country?
Peachtree Pete
January 14th, 2010
3:41 pm
Kinda’ like asking who was the bigger murderer: Hitler or Stalin. Take your pick; they both stink!
Dawgie Bowser
January 14th, 2010
3:41 pm
Ray Goff is the worst rat!
Lee
January 14th, 2010
3:42 pm
It would have to be Kiffin for one reason and one reason only, The Falcons are a professional football team whos players are grown professionals who are paid to do a job regardless of what happens with the head coach. But all the 18 and 19 year old kids who Kiffin recruited and bought into his B.S. are stuck at Tennessee or lose a year of college eligibilty and they don’t get a dime.
gatorman
January 14th, 2010
3:44 pm
What needs to change in all college sports is a rule that would allow a kid to transfer with no penalty when a HC who recruits him leaves to another university.
Fat Mammy Cheese
January 14th, 2010
3:45 pm
Doug
The reason Richt doesn’t act like that is because he is under the illusion that you can win a national championship at Georgia. 1980 is long gone my friend and Vince Dooley ain’t coming back.
Ted M
January 14th, 2010
3:45 pm
Wow 5 pages of rat debate…anyway Mark,
Can you find some info on this guy Greg Nagy that Herschel is fighting. I know he’s 1-1 but how big is he? Is in in shape? Is he a patsy?
Thanks
Radioactive is UT??? NOW
January 14th, 2010
3:46 pm
Yesterday, M Bradley suggested that UGA and CMR were “radioactive” given the BIG misses for the HDC. Right? Is that what you wrote?
How about UT for the Head Coaching position? Hmmmmmm? Muschamp, Gruden, FULMER, Calhoun and Smart and Peterson ALL HAVE SAID ” I PASS” now that IS a radioactive program, giventhat we are probably talking about a $2.000,000.00 salary ++.
To turn UGA down because you already have a $750,000 salary is not surprsing at all. To turn down a $2 mill salary is very suggestive of radioactivity, Bradley. I know that you would agree.
Fulmer will see Hamilton FIRED and Cutcliff will be HC and they will end up ok. I am a UGA man not one from UT. I just like accuracy is all. Derek Dooley is also in the HC mix at UT. Amazing, what has he ever done in Big Boy football?
how2fish
January 14th, 2010
3:48 pm
Mike your a moron…Pettrio could have waited 3 games and walked away no blood no foul…he didn’t even NEED to slink away..I’m glad he’s gone but I feel sorry for the Hawg fans..
how2fish
January 14th, 2010
3:50 pm
gatorman I agree we need that rule change..if you can’t restrict the coach why the player?
GT
January 14th, 2010
3:50 pm
Did not Blank tell Petrino how to lead the team prayer, which words to say. I found that very bazaar, Petrino is in no way in the same bush stoke as young Lane Kiffin.
John Paul
January 14th, 2010
3:51 pm
Hey Bradley, if you are a Louisville guy why dont you do a little investigative reporting into that bum Calapari and his “friend of a friend” gifting program conducted by World Wide Wes to lure players to him. Or are you one of those guys that thinks its just everyone around him that stinks, and John Wall and Demarcus Cousins were headed to UK BEFORE Cal got there? Do your friends up in the Commonwealth a favor and NAIL THIS SCUMBAG before the precious Wildcats are taking their next banner down too!!!
Walt Disney
January 14th, 2010
3:53 pm
I think Mickey is the biggest Rat…oh yeah, maybe Kiffin is Mickey Mouse ….his actions are certainly Mickey Mouse. At least he has moved closer to his “rat hole” in Disneyland, along with his other cast of “goofy” characters.
ARK
January 14th, 2010
3:58 pm
Don’t feel sorry for us – we understand the business and aren’t dillusional like the Atlanta Falcons’ fans. Arkansas wanted a coach that could come in immediately to finish up the recruiting vacancy that was left when we fired Houston Nutt. If Petrino would have waited 3 weeks he wouldn’t have got the job. Unless your ignornant to the ways of college football, recruiting is everything. He wanted out of the Atlanta “job” and made the right decision. It’s all business. And if someday he sees a more lucrative job out there, than more power to him. You won’t see us shedding a tear. Why, because it’s business. I hope he stays for a long time.
Why not many colored coaches ?
January 14th, 2010
3:58 pm
Enter your comments here
Jordan
January 14th, 2010
3:59 pm
Brian Van Gorder. I know that he isn’t on your list, but that’s who I would pick!!!
Jon
January 14th, 2010
3:59 pm
Petrino was the dumber one. He went from one hick town to a worse one. At least Lane gets to escape his hick town to go to LA and a top 5 CFB program
David
January 14th, 2010
4:00 pm
Mars – I have it on very good authority that statement you call “misinformation” is true. If Mark Bradley wants to chime in and if he has the sources, he knows I’m right too. Petrino has not said much at all about the situation in Atlanta and he says it’s because it wouldn’t do anybody any good. I only wish Blank held those same feelings.
You people who keep saying Petrino could have left the Falcons “no harm no foul” if he had just stayed till the end of the season know NOTHING about college football. He would have missed the recruiting period had he done that and severely hurt his chances of being successful at Arkansas. He wasn’t going to be a success in Atlanta so why would it matter if he left at the end of the season or with 3 games remaining? It wouldn’t…and don’t give me the “class” argument either. Very few college football coaches show class by that definition. They all jump ship for bigger and better jobs. And how many of you would do it too? I would venture a guess to say better than 75% of us would and how many of you are willing to step up and say you have no class? I’ll venture another guess and say less than 75%…so now you understand why some people think you’re full of crap for still harboring ill feelings toward Bobby Petrino.
Mike
January 14th, 2010
4:01 pm
how2fish, it’s also a matter of timing. The coaching job wouldn’t have been available in 3 months. The dirty bird ship was sinking, Nutt bolted from Arkansas, the Arkansas job then was available.
A great example of timing would be Tommy Tuberville. If Tommy didn’t take the Texas Tech job he’d be in Knoxville right now. FACT.
Dang!
January 14th, 2010
4:01 pm
NOT CLOSE……………….PETRINO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kiffin is rat also! He looks like a spoiled little kid who’s never going to be successful. Riding the shirt tails of his fathers legacy. Thats all. He has zero talent. At least Kiffin finished the season.
gatorman
January 14th, 2010
4:01 pm
Why not many colored coaches ? Because most of the top athletes are black and leave early for the NFL and these days most college coaches get their start as graduate assistants. That’s why there are more black coaches in the NFL. Another reason is because of the perception that black coaches cant rub elbows with the good ol boy fun raisers.
Alphare
January 14th, 2010
4:02 pm
Kiffin, Shula, and W Bush, what do they have in common?
All hired by people in the south!
Dang!
January 14th, 2010
4:03 pm
Also….It was a blessing that Petrino left the Falcons. Im sure it will be for the Vols too!
Mike
January 14th, 2010
4:03 pm
I can understand why Petrino left, and I can understand why Falcon fans are upset. BUT, Kiffin brought all of these kids onto his boat then he jumped ship. Petrino just got out of a hell hole.
Dawghater
January 14th, 2010
4:04 pm
Kiffen by far! Petrio at least left an NFL job to a college job. Kiffen let a bunch of kids head spinning!
David
January 14th, 2010
4:05 pm
Alphare – if that was a joke, it wasn’t funny so don’t quit your day job…if you have one. We’re talking about college football here, something people in the north don’t know a lot about it seems…so go back to the soccer field and let the big boys work this one out, ok?
David
January 14th, 2010
4:07 pm
Since I see you’re monitoring these comments Mark…I would have had A LOT more respect for you if you had just written an article about how pretty much everybody in the SEC will miss Kiffin…LAYLA KIFFIN that is! It’s obvious we can’t agree on who the bigger rat is, but I think we all agree she’s insanely hot
Alphare
January 14th, 2010
4:07 pm
David,
The problem is, you big boys cannot figure it out, not to mention work it out. If you have stupid people making important hires based on a potential employee’s dad’s name, what do you think the outcome will be?
BAMA and TN’s heartaches in large part are self inflicted. Don’t you think?
Bob
January 14th, 2010
4:08 pm
Petrino is the bigger rat. At least Kiffin didn’t leave UT in the middle of their miracle 7 and 6 season.
Mid Town Joe
January 14th, 2010
4:09 pm
All this talk of rats, I think I’ll go out for Chinese tonight.
How2fish
January 14th, 2010
4:09 pm
ARK..I hope you can remember your own words in the future..and many of the experts will tell you and former coaches and AD’s you don’t rush a coaching search for a recruiting class. Are you nuts if the recruits are more important than the coach WTF are all these programs paying millions for? But my dog is not in this fight you like ol’Bobby fine…I think he’s a mouse to the Lammer’s RAT.Oh and congrats on keeping Mallet (sp) for another year..that young man can flat out toss a football.
How2fish
January 14th, 2010
4:13 pm
Mike as a UGA fan I’m glad Tommy didn’t wait..he could have been a great fit for UT.Still not sold that Bobby couldn’t of waited to take the UA job if he was really in their minds the 2nd coming they would have waited.
Max
January 14th, 2010
4:13 pm
get a life ppl
Mark Bradley
January 14th, 2010
4:13 pm
I have to admit: I’m surprised to see so many Petrino defenders on here.
Foothills football fan
January 14th, 2010
4:14 pm
Dawgs97-Liberal GT fan base? LOL. Back on topic, Petrino probably edges Kitten on the slime-o-meter- however, Falcon season aside( insert Mike Vick)-He can coach and gameplan.
Gen Neyland
January 14th, 2010
4:15 pm
MB : There are plenty of loyal Volunteer’s. CPF is one, no doubt. One could say Johnny Majors was too until he went through a self-imposed exile after CPF took over as HC…Be that as it may, we’ll be fine Atop Rocky, better when Hamilton is shown the door. BTW, I’ve been calling for Hammy’s head on a platter for 6 months at least. Hope I don’t have to do it for another 6 months…
gatorman
January 14th, 2010
4:16 pm
I think everyone forgets that Petrino tried to stiff Louisville to go to Auburn but the AD got caught trying to pull it off; so I am sure that Tubberville would’nt agree, but then he did it to Ol Miss. It is a cut throat world we live in.
How2fish
January 14th, 2010
4:16 pm
Mark me too didn’t think that many Hawg fans read the AJC blogs….
ARK
January 14th, 2010
4:17 pm
How2fish
1. You think that because Bobby Petrino left your beloved Falcons that he is a bad Coach? One of the first names mentioned when Urban Myer had “retired” was Bobby Petrino. I can’t believe we RUSHED that all important coaching search to settle for a Bobby Petrino.
2. Recruiting is EVERYTHING in college football. You can have a Mack Brown or a Nick Saban all day and without players they don’t win.
3. Like I said, college and pro sports is all about business. We’re not married to these guys, nor them to us.
UglyOldDog
January 14th, 2010
4:19 pm
MB…you think Petrino was thinking about his personal safety when ran and left note behind instead of being a man about it
Dover
January 14th, 2010
4:23 pm
Petrino did it twice. Leaving Louisville in the middle of the night after secrectly meeting with two other jobs before that occured. The guy’s a real scumbag. Kiffin is too. Hope they get what they deserve.
Bama Falcon
January 14th, 2010
4:25 pm
I care less what happens to the Tennessee Vol football program, and as for Petrino he’s an A$$ hole.
mars
January 14th, 2010
4:25 pm
David, I must propose the irrefutible fact that actually it is you, sir, who is full of crap. I have that on good authority. Notwithstanding the fact that some of the crap oozing from your various orifices is printed on ths page at 4:00pm.
David
January 14th, 2010
4:26 pm
Alphare – You can’t bait me into defending Arthur Blank for the Petrino hire. It’s clear that Petrino is a college coach and he’s better off at Arkansas and the Falcons are better with Mike Smith. I get angry at the hate spewed toward Petrino by so-called Falcons fans, I really don’t understand it. Why can’t you people just realize everybody is better off this way and let it go?
As for the other hires, how many coaches actually “work out” and by what criteria do you judge that? The nature of college football today (and that’s not just in the south mind you, I believe Boston College had a little drama last year too) is coaches will bail on their schools and players in a heartbeat for more money and a more prestigious job. Until the NCAA steps in and forces people to live up to contracts, this won’t change. The very least they can do is decide on a window for coaches to change jobs and/or adjust the recruiting windows to allow for the impact of coaches changing jobs.
General Sherman
January 14th, 2010
4:29 pm
Rat vs Rat is not the issue or the question. The problem is people sign contracts that they do not have to fill.Coaches are like politicians,always looking for a higher office.They rape,pillage and move on like the Somolian pirates.They have no honor and will do any thing to drive the ego that they have!
David
January 14th, 2010
4:29 pm
Snappy comeback Mars…very well thought out and I just can’t refute anything you say. As the old saying goes, it’s better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you’re an idiot than to open it and remove all doubt…Thank you for opening your mouth and clearing up a few things for all of us.
Mike
January 14th, 2010
4:30 pm
David, it won’t happen. You can’t have schools being able to dump a coach whenever they want, and not give the same to the coaches.