Everyone knows that Urban and Saban are as dirty as they come. They are fantastic coaches and relentless recruiters, to be sure, but they have also earned their reputations as being classless (Urban more so than Saban, imo). If you think every coach who’s worth is salt will not pull out of every stop to motivate the fan base, land a top prospect, fire up his players, win a game, improve in the rankings, etc, etc, etc, you are living in a fairy tale.

Remember what Urban did to Patrick Johnson? You wanna talk about classless, that is classless.

But Mike Hamilton and Coach Kiffin have a plan. They are redefining the Tennessee brand to recruits. College football is no longer a ‘good ol boys club,’ and as sad as that might be, it’s just the way things are. Pete Carrol, Urban Meyer, Nick Saban, Les Miles, et al, have not gotten to where they are by being nice guys.

And just because they have a plan, it doesn’t make it the right plan. I’m not saying that. Only time will tell if it is the right plan. But I am confident that they’ve got a strategy.

If they are “not worried” and are gonna “hang 70 on us,” then why are they here arguing with us?

A Irish brick layer is in a bar and he’s crying, He says see that church there I built her with me own two hands,see that bridge over there I built her with me own two hands,see that bank over there I built her with me own two hands. Do you thank they remember me McCloud the brick layer. But let ya go and sleep with one goat now !!

The comment on Meyer is simply a comment made to a closed group being taken out of context. That is, Kiffin said “cheating” in the sense of “man, that’s some slimy stuff” but is was taken as “violation of codified NCAA and SEC rules and regulations.” In other words, he was speaking like a normal person and not like some degenerate lawyer (I can say that, I are one).

In the big picture, I think that there is a method to Kiff’s madness. I think he realizes that the Tennessee fans need something to help rally them to “the flag,” which a little controversy will accomplish.

Furthermore, I think — rightly or wrongly — he perceives a belief among the fans that Tennessee has been the “nice guy fuddy-duddy” type for a long time and have never really stood its ground the way it could (See Charlie Brown). I think that there is a definite feeling of this sort among many in the Big Orange fanbase.

I also think he believes that the opposite it true — that the other coaches (especially Urban Meyer) got used to walking on Tennessee and now feel an entitlement of sorts. I think this is also true. I think Kiff realizes that he has to stop that, and that the fans will gladly support him in this.

I also think — given who he has attacked and who he hasn’t (See Mark Richt, Houston Nutt, Rich Brooks, Les Miles, etc.) — that it is a calculated move to agitate those who simply cannot stand being agitated and love to agitate constantly. Steve Spurrier was the master of this in the 1990s — and it was very effective. He wants to try and begin to get in the heads of others who believe themselves to be mighty, but has notably spared the friendly sorts. (Oh, and for the record, Spurrier can take being agitated. In fact it often seems to make him respect others more. Plus, he was pretty affable in response to the whole recruiting test discourse.)

I think Kiff probably understands that the team might not fare well at first, but he is showing that he’s not willing to be pushed around now. It’s the proverbial “knock me down, and I’ll get back up and say it again, so you can knock me down, so I can get up and say it again, till I get strong enough that you can no longer knock me down” approach (man what a run-on).

I also think that Kiffin is simply not the kind of guy who shirks from a challenge, and the staff he has assembled bears that out. (Compare Mr. Edward Orgeron and … the World) Call me crazy, but he almost has me believing that he can pull it off as well.

To be able to win, you have to first believe that you can win. To take on the invincible, you have to believe you are invincible. (See This is Sparta)

Of course I also believe that Elvis Presley is living in Vonore, Tennessee under the assumed name “Leyland T. Vegas” and that Plate Tectonics is all part of some nefarious Communist conspiracy…

At its basic level, however, Kiffin is accomplishing something — getting the fans and team ready for a fight and getting the media interested enough to show up and document it all.

Who cares what Lane Kiffin says to make a bunch of boosters laugh? (which it did by the way) If Old Urb is not doing anything wrong, why are they whining about it? Sticks and Stones and Eric Berry. Who cares what other people say? Is he that much of an egomaniac? This is just silly.

On one hand, Kiffin’s boisterousness is good for UT as it gets our name associated with confidence and it gets the program in the news. On the other hand, if Florida can paint Kiffin as subpar, it’ll make their recruiting battles easier. UT would have to undo that zeroth impression.

It’s all posturing for the future.

Okay, suppose that I know that the speed limit on the interstate is 70. I see Urban Meyer doing 70 and know he’s doing 70. I say in public that Urban Meyer is a “speeder.” Defamation? Probably.

Suppose that I erroneously believe that the speed limit on the interstate is 55. I see Urban Meyer doing 70. I say in public that Urban Meyer is a “speeder.” Defamation? Nah. Just wrong.

Recklessly wrong? That’s the real question.

The standard for proving defamation is higher for public figures, and there is a “malice” component, which, if I remember correctly without looking it up b/c frankly I don’t care that much, is “reckless disregard for the truth or falsity” of the statement uttered. There’s an argument for both sides on that standard. Perhaps he acted recklessly in making an allegation about something he should have suspected wasn’t true. Or maybe he just really thought that what Meyer did was against the rule. It doesn’t matter much to me because either way, he doesn’t look so good, but going the defamation route thing would be a tough road and likely not worth anything to anyone.

I have been reading about this for two days now and its already getting old. Trust me, this is going to follow Kiffin and Tennessee every time the Florida game is brought up. We have looked at it from every angle imaginable. Everyone needs to relax, and let it go!! It pumped me up because I am tired of being walked on all the time by Florida. But Kiffin was wrong about it being a true “violation”. So he called him a cheater…big deal. I have definitely been called worse. Can we please just start moving on with something else. Its over. No one is getting fired, we aren’t losing recruits…nothing has changed. We haven’t won a game or lost one. 0-0. Let’s move on. Let’s talk about who we think is going to QB, or maybe, who is going to start as a Freshman. Now that has some substance…

He’s a dumb ass.

Everybody in the nation expects Tennessee to go the swamp in September and get their collective [FULMERIZED] handed to them (I’m trying here, Joel!). So, if what everybody expects to happen, happens, then no big deal right? So what if he ran off at the mouth, we weren’t supposed to win anyway.

BUT

If the stars align properly as they did for the Rebels this past season, and Tennessee walks out of there victorious, then Lane Kiffin is immediatly elected Governer of the State of Tennessee and would never pay for another meal or drink anywhere he traveled in the state. Bigger than Elvis.

Just don’t tell me that this is gonna drive ol’ Urbs to run up the score. It wouldn’t matter if Coach Kiffin had gone to Gainesville and mowed his grass, washed his car and cooked him dinner, if he can hang 100 on us, he’s gonna do it. That’s just the kind of “classy” coach Ol’ Urbs is. And you can’t convince me otherwise. And a loss is still a loss whether it’s by 1 or 100. Fulmer never called Ol’ Urbs a cheater.

I hid your comment for the [FULMERIZED] text that is found in your own Post. Since the comment was identical, it’s best to let all the responses land in the same spot. Again, thanks for commenting. I have nothing against your opinion.