I've already spent enough time away from work, so here is a brief rundown of my take on the presser. Leave your opinions in the comments.
- Brutally straightforward. A lot of what he said would normally be unspoken by coaches (especially things that might lead to speculation of leaving UT in the future). Until there's reason to do so, evidence suggests taking him at his word.
- Very confident. He didn't shy away from the age thing, but he didn't let it become a negative either. He's right; his childhood doesn't match mine.
- Well-organized. He didn't have a prepared speech; he had a list of talking notes that he occasionally referenced to make sure he said all he wanted to say. But that made for a good opening speech, and he was very coherent with the Q&A.
- No-nonsense. I have a feeling that if something isn't the way he wants it, people will know.
- Great plan in place. As always, he'll eventually be judged by results. However, his plans sound about as ambitious and organized as you could hope for. B/Z for getting the recruiting test finished fast so he could call up recruits. Some kid in Memphis has to be feeling proud that he was mentioned, in a way.
- Very positive. Overall, I was extremely impressed by Kiffin. That conference went a long way towards confirming in my mind that he's a good choice. Until I have reason to believe otherwise, he'll have my endorsement. For whatever that's worth.
Note: B/Z is "Bravo Zulu" and is a Navy expression for "good job". Sorry for any confusion. I was typing fast and lapsed. [Note by hooper, 12/01/08 3:34 PM EST ]