Kiffin has opportunity to put his discipline where his mouth is
by Jon McDonald
Over 24 hours after three of his players were arrested on attempted robbery charges, there has been no press conference from Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin about the status of Nu’Keese Richardson, Janzen Jackson and Mike Edwards.
All we know is that they won’t be traveling to Oxford to play in the Ole Miss game on Saturday. That information came from Tennessee spokeswoman Tiffany Carpenter, not from Kiffin.
You’ll remember a time when Kiffin took a jab at Florida coach Urban Meyer over the suspension of linebacker Brandon Spikes for an attempted eye gouge in the Georgia game.
Asked if he saw the replay of Spikes’ attempted eye-gouge, Kiffin said, “I did see the rerun. It was pretty bad, but we’ll worry about our team and what we can control. We’ve got a lot of work to do. Obviously, he’ll discipline his team — or not — however he feels.”
Now, Lane can worry about how an attempted eye gouge compares to attempted robbery. I guess we will soon find out — or not — however he feels.
One of the three charged in the foiled robbery attempt was the cornerstone of Kiffin’s first recruiting class, Nu’Keese Richardson. So proud was Kiffin after stealing Richardson from Meyer and UF that he “turned Meyer in” on a recruiting violation that didn’t exist. Kiffin was admonished, and the brash style with which he approached his job was reinforced on a national stage.
Kiffin laid his chips on the table with Nu’Keese Richardson, and Richardson made sure early Thursday morning that Kiffin wouldn’t get them back.
Kiffin will obviously face intense pressure to kick the three players off the team. Even if Janzen Jackson was not a part of the attempt and told the other two, “We have to go,” the fact that he was riding around in a car with someone who had marijuana is an egregious error in judgment. Especially since Jackson was suspended the week before for what ESPN.com called a failed drug test.
But hold it, maybe Kiffin wants some advice from the victim of the attempted robbery, Corey Zickefoose.
Knoxville’s 6 News asked Zickefoose, “Even after they put a gun in your face, you say let them play football?”
Zickefoose’s answer? “Yeah, it’s Tennessee. That’s the way it is sometimes.”
Right now, Lane Kiffin, Zickefoose might have a point.
Fail. Hand picking the facts and quotes are we? Fail.
by Tim Tebow
Its a hard pill to swallow, since I bleed orange. I enjoyed the spark Kiffin brought to the table when he was hired. I know, being from East Tennessee and not rural palm beach county, Richardson and Edwards are very lucky they picked the right one to allegedly rob. I might have had a pellet wound but I guarantee that the 9mm I carry would have done more than suspend them for a couple of games. I want a championship back in Knoxville just as much as the next fan, but I don’t want compromise integrity to get it. Send them packing coach, with your credentials they should be easily replaced.
by AC McMurray
Tennessee has stooped to the lowest common denominator, ie, do anything to have a successful football team. I guess they didn’t realize that all the mud the UT coaches were slinging was actually sticking on them. I would like to see nothing else but that Lane Kiffin dramatically fail in putting Volunteer football back on the scale of class and championship style football. Let’s see, there were three players arrested, is that Strike 1, 2, & 3?
I can yell, complain, argue, and scream but does that make me more of a person or an immature pretender?
Kiffin needs the class of his Dad, Monte.
by Paul
I’m not sure Lame’s credentials will do anything for replacing the lost players; but his father’s might. It’s a shame, but at this point, it’s quite clear that apple fell very far from the tree.
by G8R8U2
Who’s the lame idiot that chose Tim Tebow’s name as his signature?
#1 There’s nothing you’ve done in your life that would even come close to equating you with Tim Tebow.
#2 I guarantee you did not graduate from UF, you are not a booster, and you are not staff, therefore you are NOT even part of Gator Nation (i.e. Tebow’s speech after 08 Ole Miss game and UF’s own alumni letters). The closest you can be to that Univeristy is a fan and by using Tebow’s name as the alias for your pathetic existence on this blog you are showing a great amount of disrespect to Tim, to the University, and to all the official members of Gator Nation.
by gatorboz
TEH CHARGES ARE FELONIE CHARGES.THE STATE WILL PICK THEM UP.THOSE CHARGES WILL BE A SPOT IN A CELL SOMEWHERE IF TENNESSE DONN’T WANT TO KEEP THEM. TRI THEM IN TN. AND HOUSE THEM IN FLORIDA.THEY WONT PLAY FOOTBALL @ TENN.THEY CAN PLAY IN THE PRISON YARD.AND THEY MAY EVEN FIND A GIRL FRIEND OR BOY FRIEND WHILE THEY ARE THIERE.THEY WILL LEARN CRIME DONT PAY.KIFFIN IS JUST AS BAD IF HE LETS THEM STAY@ TENN AND PLAY FOOTBALL.THATS THE WAY IT IS IN THE USA PAY FOR YOUR MISTAKES BY GOING TO PRISON ASK M VICK HE CAN TELL YOU AND BESIDES YOU HAVE A LOT OF KIDS N SCHOOL THAT LOOK TO THE NEXT LEAVE OF EDUCATION WATCHING THESE BALL PLAYERS ON THE WEEKEND. YOU REALLY WANT YOUR KIDS ADMIERRING THIS BEHAVOR.GIVE THE KIDS A CHANCE TO PLAY THAT DO BY THE LAWS AND NOT THOSE WHOM SEEM TO FIND TRUBBLE EVERY WEEK AFTER WEEK.WHY CANN’T ALL BALL PLAYERS LEAD BY EXAMPLE LIKE TEBOW.LIVE LIKE TEBOW.PRIME EXAMPLE OF A GREAT YOUNG MAN WHO IS. ALL TIME GREAT LEADER BY EXAMPLE SQUEAKY CLEAN RECORD AND A MAN OF GOD.MORE CHURCH AND LESS PARTY TIME.THOSE THREE MUST BE AN EMBARISMENT TO THE PEOPLE OF THERE STATE AND SCHOOL.DEAL WITH THEM.AND SHOW EXAMPLE TO OTHERS WHO WANT TO GO DOWN THAT PATCH OF CRIME.WE HAVE SOLDIERS AT WAR THAT WOULD LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY FOOTBALL.BUT THEY RATHER DEFEND THERE COUNTY FOR SORRY PEOPLE.NOT ALL PEOPLE ARE BAD BUT YOU GOT TO STOP AND THINK HOW LUCK WE ARE HERE IN THIS COUNTRY USA.THANKS TO ALL VETERANS PAST AND PRESENT FOR YOUR FIGHT AND OUR FREEDOM GOD BLESS AMERIACA.
by BORN GATOR IN THE SOUTH
He has no choice but to kick all three off the team. Suspensions and sitting games will caused team and school embarrassment. As a Alabama fan I am dissappointed in this and it looks bad for the SEC. You can’t blame Lane Kiffin for what some kids do at 2:00 in the morning. He was at home in bed with his hot wife I’m sure. Any school can be a victim of this and no schools fan should be proud of this and bash Tennessee cause it can happen to your schools players as well. I hope Lane and UT address this matter promptly and get it behind the asap. Kiffin might be a loud mouth and colorful but he is a decent coach and deserves a chance to succeed or fail. Most decent Alabama fans are hoping things work out for the Vols and they continue to get back to the top of the SEC, it’s what makes the SEC the best conference in college football.
by Jon
I agree with Born GATOR IN THE SOUTH. Urban needs to send
Kiffin a Thank You card. But, Born Gator In The South, Please
use spell check before you send in your comments
by gator fan