CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) - The University of Tennessee's interim president has told a newspaper he talked to Lane Kiffin "early on" about the university having more than an athletic reputation, and he also said the Vols didn't just lose Saturday to a better UCLA football team.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that in a Monday meeting with its editors, interim president Jan Simek said "Lane comes from the Pac-10, which is in many respects the epitome of great academic institutions playing great athletics, as this past weekend showed on several different levels, including to us. When we lost to UCLA, we lost to a better academic institution, too."
over 2 years ago
Achilles
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That quote is a little misleading
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/15/simek-acknowledges-having-talk-with-kiffin/?sports
That’s the original article which adds more context to those remarks.
The Vols are more like a circle
and Kiffin an oblong. You’d think it’d fit but realistically it won’t.
I liked this part of the story.
Simek said he believes Kiffin has heard his message that “while athletics is clearly an important part of that tradition, academics is central to what we do.”
it sounds to me like Lame Kitten was being instructed not to turn this into a South Central style program where the “student” athletes run wild, assault police officer, run drug rings out of their dorm rooms, and rape female students. This is the Genteel South! NOT! The Los Angeles South of downtown area.
A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment. John Wooden
I agree
but this story isn’t really a dig against Kiffin, it’s more about their president being incredibly gracious and recognizing the excellent academic programs at UCLA.
The conversation they had was a while ago and since then Kiffin has stopped the NCAA violations and toned down a bit. I don’t know how long it will last but at least he’s being pushed in the right direction.
I think this is significant because of what it says about just$c*
Lame seems to have been under the impression that the football coach ran the school, and all other aspects of the school rotated around him. And why shouldn’t Lame have held this opinion, given his background? As soon as he hits Knoxville, or maybe even before, he starts shooting his mouth off and starts chalking up violations. To his horror, the University self-reports, which is something that Lame has never experienced, and tells him to keep his mouth shut.
Given the interaction with the RTT guys over the past two weeks, are any Bruins surprised when Tennessee’s president shows class?
Lame and Tennessee don’t seem to fit. I hope he leaves before he really embarrasses a good program and a good school and some really good people.
100%
Guys, I think you’ve summed this up well. When I was in Knoxville I asked every Vol I spent 5 min with (I lost count = friendly & respectful folks) why UT picked Kiffen? It seemed odd that UT would look outside the program- let alone the SEC to replace Fulmer. And therein laid the answer. Fulmer opinions varied, but one common theme was that in order for UT to make it back onto the national stage they’d have to open up a national recruiting net – Fulmer wasn’t able to do that. Lane’s credentals at SC paid off, but Monty (his legendary dad) is viewed widely as a 5 star recruiting catalyst. Only time will tell if the Kiffen crew will deliver, but this article indicates that Lane will be policed internally. Great as the NCAA seems just as inept as the BCS to create a fair & level playing field. Lesson I think UT, CRN, & others are reaching for here is that victory at any cost is no victory at all because those that win that way are destined to fail.
BTW: You can't spell Trojan without OJ. UCLA GO FIGHT WIN BABY!
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