Did That Just Happen? Part 2: Hello Kiffin!

As the National Championship came to a close, it seemed the world of college football would go back into peaceful slumber and all of the insanity that occurred during the bowl season appeared to be behind us all.  However, just as I was ready to turn my full focus to the NFL, contemplating the start of the Brian Kelly era, and beginning to wish baseball season was about to start, everyone associated with Southern Cal Athletics apparently decided it was their turn to take hold of the  “Lose Your Damn Mind” wheel.

With the NCAA looming large over the Trojans thanks to several different violations, most notably the scandals of Reggie Bush and O.J. Mayo, USC figured they would sacrifice their basketball program in hopes to please the NCAA from taking further action.  Then, seemingly out of nowhere, rumors started popping up that Pete Carroll was the top target for the Seattle Seahawks, and some sources even went as far as saying it was basically a done deal.  Just a couple of days later, the deal was done, and Carroll swiped a life boat of the Titanic before the NCAA delivered their final blow to USC.

Of course, though, looming sanctions had no effect on Carroll’s decision:

Talking with the Los Angeles Times, Carroll said his pending move wasn’t in reaction to possible sanctions the Trojans’ program faces as a result of an ongoing investigation over whether players may have received improper benefits.

“Not in any way,” Carroll told the newspaper. “Because I know where we stand. It’s just a process we have to go through. We know we’ve fought hard to do right.”

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight…

However, the fun (and laughter as USC’s expense) was only beginning.  Those Trojan fans that had previously laughed at Notre Dame’s coaching searches, seeing coach after coach deny rumors and interest of a home under the Dome, were severed one of the largest slices of humble pie in recent memory.  No one wanted to touch the USC job with a 10-foot pole with the NCAA ready to cripple their coaching era immediately.  Top candidate Jack Del Rio quickly became USC’s version of a Bob Stoops rumor as he denied any job offer was made.  Washington coach, Steve Sarkisian, had to deny similar rumors as well.  With seemingly no clear cut candidate on the market, and with recruits wavering after Carroll’s departure, the Fall of Troy was looking all but certain.  In fact, many a Notre Dame fan began to hope for what could have been the most humorous hire of all time:

Don't lie, this would've been amazing.

However, it seemed we were all not thinking outside of the box.  The evil geniuses at Southern Cal had something else up their sleeve.  They knew exactly the kind of person that would be more than happy to take on a program riddled with NCAA violations, has no shame, and has absolutely zero issues leaving a job after just 14 months:

KIFFYKINS!!!

I thought this was all just another awful (yet humorous) internet rumor, but no, Lane Kiffin actually did prove he is one of the worst human beings on the planet and left Tennessee for Southern Cal.  I’m pretty sure this reaction says it all:

This must've done wonders for Meyer's health.

The hits just kept on coming that night, as Kiffin had a press conference to bid farewell to Tennessee in what might just be one of the worst pressers ever:

Yes, you heard right, he definitely said he gave his all for 14 months and also called USC by the name they detest, Southern Cal.  Simply amazing.

How you can even remotely justify hiring a coach that in just a single season, committed multiple secondary NCAA violations, and also had some of his players arrested for armed robbery?  Then of course you have some other humorous incidents that have come to light, mainly that Kiffin neglected to obtain a Tennessee driver’s license and also wrecked a Lexus that was loaned to him.  This is the guy you want while the NCAA already has the magnifying glass on you?  Really?!

It isn’t even as if a change in location would change anything; in fact, one of Kiffin’s assistants, Ed Orgeron, attempted to poach Tennessee recruits and get them to flip to USC during Kiffin’s “farewell” presser.  While Orgeron’s actions weren’t technically against any NCAA rules, it certainly is beyond an unethical move of the highest level.  Just think about it: he was recruiting for USC, while still in Tennessee facilities.

Have no fear though, it took Kiffikins just 10 days to obtain his first secondary violation as head coach of USC by picking up a recruit in a limo.  So much for keeping his nose clean (also that might be a record for violation speed, I’m impressed).  At it seems that Lane’s crazy ways has rubbed off on dear old dad, as a high school athletic director had this to say about the Trojans new recruiting habits:

[Nickell Robey is] planning to visit Southern Cal next week. Monte Kiffin has been very persistent. He’s probably been in here more than is legal. Of course they don’t pay attention to the rules.

It is almost as if Kiffin and company are trying to create their own version of “The U”.  Simply replace over the top attitude and celebration dances with secondary recruiting violations and that’s pretty much what you have.  Kiffin is either overconfident in believing the NCAA won’t do anything to him or he is just that stupid.  Personally, I’m thinking it is the former as the NCAA hasn’t really done anything more to Kiffin than a couple slaps on the wrist; however, with USC already in hot water all of this could come back to bite him squarely in the ass.

Either way, Southern Cal has given me just yet another reason to hate them.  Kiffin makes an even better villain than Carroll did.  Kiffykins has the same arrogance and douchebaggery that made me loathe Carroll, but then you get to add his love of committing constant violations and screwing over Tennessee on top of it all.

I would like to personally thank Southern Cal for this hire because you have now given me a constant stream of ammo to fire at your instituation.

Bravo!

Published by NDtex

Texan by birth, Irish by choice.

Join the Conversation

2 Comments

  1. Wow, while I get your intended effect, everything you just said made me like USC even more.

    Sorry about the lame rogue USC fan though; in my general experience we’re not like that. You have a few of those people in any fan-base . Your experience was unlike the one where we were walking to the Coliseum for the ND-USC game, and some douche ND fan blocked us off and proceeded to repeatedly scream at us how you were going to beat us “cocksuckers.” This was a middle aged man. We were a group of 4 girls in our early twenties. I would say that wasn’t very classy either. But I chose to give your fans the benefit of the doubt and assume this was just one drunken a-hole, and not a representation of how you all treat the fans of opposing teams.

Leave a comment

Leave a Reply to NDEddieMac Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *