Other views on Lane Kiffin
A roundup of comments from media and colleagues on the hiring of USC coach.
"If there were a stock car race between all the frauds, egomaniacs and two-faced weasels I've ever covered, Lane Kiffin would have the pole position all to himself. . . .
"Kiffin is a used car salesman with a whistle. Wait, that's not fair to used car salesmen."
-- Gene Wojciechowski, ESPN.com ::
"Every year Tennessee lawmakers pass a resolution honoring the University of Tennessee's football coach. Not this year. . . .
"Republican House Speaker Kent Williams asked members of the chamber Wednesday to hold a voice vote on whether to congratulate Kiffin for his single 7-6 season.
"The response was unanimous: 'No!' "
-- Associated Press ::
"It's good that USC acted quickly to get a coach connecting with our history. The players will feel comfortable and be able to follow some of the same kinds of lines of what they're accustomed to.
"They're going to be good -- they have the best defensive coach in the history of the world. And Lane will hit it running and take pride in recruiting and the whole deal. Lane's going to do great."
-- Pete Carroll, former USC coach ::
"Tennessee fans shouldn't kick themselves too much about being duped by Kiffin. In the end, his departure will be the best thing that ever happened to the school.
"As for Southern Cal, the NCAA might as well just set up a branch office in downtown L.A."
-- Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel ::
"After he fired Kiffin in '07, [Oakland Raiders owner Al] Davis famously noted, 'It hurts because I picked the guy. I picked the wrong guy.' The University of Tennessee now knows just how Davis felt. And if history tells us anything, so -- eventually -- will USC."
-- Peter Schrager, FoxSports.com ::
"I asked [Kiffin] straight out what was happening [at USC] and should that job become available, would he have any interest. He was very honest and forthright. He said while he was not looking to go anywhere, that this was an odd situation and if the job at Southern Cal became available he would have an interest in that -- and I appreciate him saying that."
-- Mike Hamilton, Tennessee athletic director ::
"Kiffin talks a far bigger game than he's delivered and the complete lack of regard (or understanding) of the rule book would be troubling to most schools (not Mike Garrett's USC, of course, but most schools). Still, there's at least a chance this will work out in the win column. Does anyone in L.A. care about anything else?"
-- Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! Sports ::
"Most schools [under NCAA scrutiny] do what they can to convince the NCAA they are sorry. They scrounge up evidence that they have changed their ways. Sorry, but you can't trot Lane Kiffin in front of the NCAA and say things have changed. USC must know that. USC just doesn't care."
-- Michael Rosenberg, SI.com ::
"A Knoxville retailer will donate fans' Lane Kiffin T-shirts to earthquake recovery efforts in Haiti. HoundDogs, which sells Tennessee apparel, advertised a 20% discount for fans who brought shirts to the store for donation.
"The owners . . . were hoping to turn a 'negative into a positive' when they heard fans talk of burning and ripping up shirts with the former Volunteers coach's name or face on them."
-- Associated Press ::
"A program in need of a watchdog will be led by an enabler."
-- Paul Doyle, Hartford Courant
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