Sued By A Former Trojan: Hello Kiffin Continues To Embarrass Himself As A National Pariah
by Nestor on Jul 26, 2010 4:42 PM PDT
in Football
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PrintPop corn time. The Hello Kiffin era continues to get even more hilarious (HT uclanfa11):
The Tennessee Titans are suing Southern California and coach Lane Kiffin for "maliciously" luring away assistant running backs coach Kennedy Pola a week before training camp opens.
Tennessee Football Inc., the company that owns the Titans, filed the lawsuit Monday in Davidson County Chancery Court against both the university and Kiffin.
The lawsuit accuses Southern California and Kiffin of violating Pola's contract that required him to have written permission to discuss a job with anyone other than the Titans.
Tennessee hired Pola as running backs coach in February only to lose him Saturday to Southern California as the Trojans' new offensive coordinator and running backs coach.
"USC and Kiffin maliciously intended to -- and did -- induce Pola to breach the Pola contract," the lawsuit charges.
"USC and Kiffin engaged in improper means in their procurement of the breach and were not legally justified in their actions. Kiffin and USC's actions, through him, were part of a course and pattern of conduct fostered by Kiffin and USC to use improper methods and means to the direct harm and damage of parties to contracts ..."
So Hello Kiffin's arrogant stunts have now resulted in an angry Trogan suing Troy. As Ted Miller wrote (emphasis added):
Fight on! Jeff.
Sniff, sniff: Anyone else smell a PR stunt from the Titans intended to make Volunteers fans -- read: the entire state -- giddy with Schadenfreude?
Well Fisher just became my third favorite Trogan after Ronnie Lott and Tim McDonald (Niner legends and proud father of Bruins). Not sure if this lawsuit is actually viable but it will surely give the Titans a PR boost at the expense of perhaps the most hated sleazeball in the entire game (not just at the college level). Of course we are okay with it. This couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch of cheaters. More after the jump.
Just how hated is Hello Kiffin? Just read this grafs from Christopher Gates over at the Daily Norseman (SBN's Minnesota Vikings blog) commenting on Kiffin's failed attempt to lure former Bruin assistant Eric Bieniemy as his OC, before cheating his way to snag Pola (HT Orz):
You would think that a high-profile college profile college football program like the
University of Successful CheatersSouthern California would have an offensive coordinator at this point in time. Unfortunately, when your program is led by Lane Kiffin, who is on his way to becoming the biggest jerk in the ranks of football coaching at any level (if he isn't already there),and your season begins with a trip to Hawai'i on 2 September, this is apparently the appropriate time to hire someone to be your right-hand man on offense.Obviously, you need someone that's a pretty good coach to fill that sort of role, so it isn't entirely surprising that Kiffin set his sights on Vikings' running back coach Eric Bieniemy. After all, Bieniemy is regarded as one of the better running back coaches in the NFL. . .save that whole "we need to get Adrian Peterson to stop putting the damn ball on the ground" thing. . .and is said to have a pretty bright future in the coaching ranks. However, Kiffin followed procedure in this case, and asked the Vikings for permission to speak to Bieniemy about the position. In response to this, the Vikings thought it in their best interests to give Bieniemy a raise in pay and a promotion to assistant head coach in order to keep him around. Solid move by Minnesota to keep the man around, in my opinion.
So, Kiffin said to himself, "Hmmmmmm, let's see here. . .I asked the team for permission to speak to a coach, and they did something to keep that coach from leaving. I think next time I might skip that step." And so it came to pass that the job was offered to Tennessee Titans' running backs coach Kennedy Pola. The folks at Music City Miracles really don't seem to be too broken up about it, largely because their old running backs coach (Earnest "The Fumble" Byner) was let go by the Titans this off-season for no real reason so that they could hire Pola. So now, Pola is out of there before even coaching a game with the Titans.
So now Minnesota football fans thinks he is a clown and a sleazy cheater. The joker is already hated by the entire state of Tennessee. Raider fans up North hate him. Never mind the impressions of the fans from Florida, Alabama, Notre Dame, Ohio State and so many other programs around the country, who sees this glorified peon as nothing more than an ignorant, arrogant and pompous jerk.
The more we read about this train-wreck the more we get inspired to start up a BN satellite site: KeepKiffin.com. I hope the Trogans are dumb enough to keep this national pariah around for at least 5 years because we have never had this much fun following a bumbling, stumbling Trogan.
GO BRUINS.
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This never gets old
Every new misstep by Lane is a joy. He’s the gift that keeps on giving.
Especially when he starts going .500 every season…
We need to lay off Kiffin and the world's second biggest oil slick
at least for a few months, until after they have completely wrecked their respective school’s football and basketball teams for the next decade or so.
Other than that, great post. I wish the Titans well in their lawsuit. I hope it costs the Troylets a lot of dough.
Bleeding powderkeg blue and gold for 55 years. Go Bruins!
The Lousiana oil leak is being capped so . . . .
That means the second biggest oil slick may now be first in the nation—something he never came close to while employed in the 90024 zip code. He may soon become the world’s biggest oil slick.
LOL
I’m going to pay for a beeper so I can get notified when a story on Kiffin breaks. This is way too much fun. I suppose nothing has been “settled” as Kiffin earlier claimed.
google alerts
check it out. you wont regret it.
by Captain Leebeard on Jul 26, 2010 7:46 PM PDT up reply actions
Perhaps this was designed to help Kiffin's image
So now, Pola is out of there before even coaching a game with the Titans.
Now there’s a coach who’s spent even less time at a Tennessee coaching job than Lane!
Go Bruins!
this has been the shortest offseason ever
I’m so happy SUC decided to hire Lane Kiffin. Imagine how bored we would be if the trogans had a “normal” coach.
It’s like watching a train wreck in slow motion.
Troy is burning
by bruinbasketball on Jul 26, 2010 5:00 PM PDT reply actions
Remember, this is the same job opening that Norm Chow refused.
And the millions that went with it.
Early test
Pat Haden is being tested early by coach Kiffen. It will be interesting to see how much Pat will tolerate. It’s not like they got this guy cheap. Kiffen is the anti Haden
I'll believe that when I see it.
As of now, Ethical Pat is just a quieter Lamey.
Since Haden was instrumental in hiring Kiffen....
I’ll bet Pat ends up tolerating much more than he ever imagines.
by bornagainbruin on Jul 26, 2010 7:03 PM PDT up reply actions
"by offering scholarships and other incentives???"
I found this very interesting. In the court filed complaint ( http://aolradio.podcast.aol.com/fanhouse/SDOC5914.pdf ), the Tennessee Titans are justifying why the suit should be conducted in the State of Tennessee (page 3 section 7) by noting the following:
“USC has previously been registered with the State of Tennessee to do business within the state; USC and Kiffin have engaged in recruiting student athletes residing in Tennessee to enroll at USC and participates in its sports program by offering scholarships and other incentives…”
Question: What other incentives are being offered to the recruits from Tennessee?
Do the Titans know something we should all know? Can we look forward to some depositions and discovery?
The Chancery Court Complaint Says It All
This is ugly. According to the complaint on file in Davidson County chancery court, Pola agreed not to talk to anybody else about employment without permission of the Titans. And both Kiffin and southern cal knew about the no contact rule.
And here is where it gets nasty, in paragraph 15 of the Nashville chancery court complaint, "On Friday, July 22, 2010, while the Pola Contract was still in full force, Kiffin, individually and in his capacity as an agent of USC, in furtherance of a culture of violation and avoidance of respect for the sanctity of contract, which Kiffin similarly practices, unbeknownst to [the Titans], contacted Pola in Nashville . . and solicited his employment as the USC Trojans’ offensive coordinator and running backs coach." (Italics added.)
Then the complaint in paragraph 16 explains why there is a "culture of violation" and a "course and pattern of conduct" to use "improper methods and means" to interfere with existing contracts—Kiffin violated his Tennessee contract and induced four assistant coaches to do likewise. And according to the complaint, Kiffin tried the same scam on Eric Bienemy, the Vikings assistant coach.
Here’s the best part—the Titans want a jury trial—12 honest Davidson County jurors to just do justice.
interesting
Peggy may be you can do the honors of highlighting some of the key allegations including the one flagged by CB?
by Nestor on Jul 26, 2010 5:45 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
This is just too good
I can’t wait until tomorrow. Lame will do something even lamer tomorrow. It’s rare to see a guy who is such a monumental douchebag on so many levels.
Repetitive neck injury, Worker's Comp!!!
I have decided to sue Lame Kitten, U$C and sorry about this, Bruins Nation. Each and every time I open Bruins Nation I find myself consistantly, violently shaking my head side to side, all the while holding my sides trying to contain my laughter. No one could write this stuff. It only gets better and better. It’s like a big game of can you top this!
Jursdictional allegations and "other incentives' language in the complaint
This is follow on to Chicago’s excellent catch on “other incentives.”
Paragraph 6 of the complaint alleges in terms of Davison County Chancery Court jurisdiction: "
This court has general jurisdiction over USC, and Kiffin, as its agent, because they have engaged in systematic and continuous activities in Tennessee . . . to wit: USC has previously been registered with the Secretary of State of the State of Tennessee to do business within the state; USC and Kiffin have engaged in recruiting student athletes residing in Tennessee from December 2008 and January 2010, and . . . continues to own real property located at . . ., Knoxville Tennessee 37922; he previously worked as head football coach at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville from December 2008 to January 2010, and while in that role engaged in the recruitment of high school athletes from various parts of the United States to attended the University of Tennessee; since leaving the University of Tennessee . . . Kiffin has contacted at least five football coaches who were residents of an employed in Tennessee – Monte Kiffin, Ed Oregon, Willie Mack Garza, James Cregg and Kennedy Pola – to solicit their respective employment at USC.
Paragraph 7 of the Nashville complaint restates those allegations including a reference to the actual hiring the four USC assistants and adds a lengthy allegation that the defendants have engaged in systematic and continuous activities in Tennessee and adds this tidbit, "
USC and Kiffin have engaged in recruiting student athletes residing in Tennessee to enroll at USC and participate in its sports programs by offering scholarships and other incentives."
by peggysue69 on Jul 26, 2010 6:10 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Well, obviously Ethical Pat will do something about this!
I can see all of those talks everyone (Pres.-elect Nikias and ph) has had with Lame have done a lot of good. And obviously, he figured out they didn’t really mean anything by them. Or are they actually going to punish him? Fire him? Obviously, he felt everything was still the same. Come on Ethical Pat, what would your mother think?
Go Bruins!
Actually, please don't do anything. This is so much fun, especially with no other sports to watch!
Go Bruins!
Good point on Mom
Generally, I think we should leave family out of this. But P. Clapper Haden Esquire (ret.) often quotes his late mother’s pithy and often profoundly moral observations which are legitmately moving.
But if you set yourself up as a moral compass because of what your parents taught you, then when the heat’s on—you better deliver on those homilies.
So far, he hasn’t shown us anything. But let’s see. Based on past performance, we won’t see much.
Yes, that's the only reason I brought mom up.
He used her to prove his higher morality. My guess is he’s just a pretty face and the kind of man that sports fans admire, so they (the press) will go easy on him, because they all want to be him.
Go Bruins!
That's a perfect ploy by Ethical Pat
If you challenge his integrity, then you’re insulting his mother. So we gave to tiptoe when we say, “Hey, Ethical Pat, you are really no different from your predecessor.”
By the way, if you want to get some more chuckles, take a run through conquest comicals. They are in utter denial. There’s a lot of “Bring it on, will kick their a**es.” One guy suggests that Lame is a ball of negative energy. But pretty much the prevailing theme is just what the late Mike Garrett said – everyone is just jealous because everyone would really want to be a trogan. One guy was asked about integrity and all that during Cheatie’s reign, and he made it clear that he wouldn’t change anything. The comicals are a good place to stroll through when you might find yourself thinking that we should maybe stop kicking the trogans around. But I have to go take shower.
RayBru
Peggy, you're awesome!!
I can’t stop laughing!
by Chicago Bruin on Jul 26, 2010 6:28 PM PDT up reply actions
Last add to Chicago's point
The Davison County Chancery Court complaint does not allege what those other incentives are. Also, there is no date alleged in paragraph 7 as to when the "other incentives" were offered.
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here—the filing of the suit is dynamite. Evidence picked up during the depositon process could be an USC IED.
Looks like there's a bit of exaggerating n the complaint
The Tennbessee Secretary of State shows “University of Southern California” was registered from 1999 to 2001.
000378576: Corporation Non-Profit – Foreign
Name: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Old Name:
Foreign Name:
Business Type:
Status: Inactive – Withdrawn Initial Filing: 10/15/1999
Formed in: California Delayed Effective Date:
Fiscal Year Close: June AR Due Date: 10/01/2001
Term of Duration: Perpetual Inactive Date: 06/25/2001
Principal Office: OFFICE OF THE PRES
UNIV.PK ADM 352
LOS ANGELES, CA 900895013 USA
Annual Report
Mailing Address: GENERAL COUNSEL
USC/UNIVERSITY PARK
LOS ANGELES, CA 90089 0 USA
AR Exempt: No
Public Benefit Corporation: Yes
http://tnbear.tn.gov/Ecommerce/Common/FilingDetail.aspx?FilingNum=000378576
Unless it’s now registered somewhere else, which I can’t find.
Bleeding powderkeg blue and gold for 55 years. Go Bruins!
Paragraph 7 of the chancery court complaint
Paragraph 7 of the Davidson County complaint alleges that southern cal was “previously” registered in Tennessee. Good catch on when southern cal was run out of Tennessee.
I’m no legal beagle (nor am I a Philadelphia lawyer mind you) so all these Chesterfieldian allegations confuse the heck out of me.
Corporation: Profit
Name: University of Southern California
Old Name: University of Spoiled Children
Foreign Name: United States China
Business Type: General douchebaggery
Troy is burning
by bruinbasketball on Jul 26, 2010 7:17 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Douchebaggery ...Isn't that a Doctoral Program at $SC
by C.T. in Boston on Jul 27, 2010 7:12 PM PDT up reply actions
DbD degree
Thesis topics include Lying with Sincerity; Ethics Are for Suckers (not SUCsters); Doing What’s Right Is Relative; Smarm Trumps Charm.
This looks like an interference with contract claim.
Before we get too excited consider 1) they might actually fire Lame, which would only improve the SUC situation, 2) there’s a strong likelihood this will be settled before depositions, a la Bushgate.
Truly a rat
Before venting, I first want to apologize to all rats. They don’t deserve the comparison.
I’ll leave the legal dissections in BN readers’ capable hands. But, I wanted to offer a, well, earthy assessment of Lame.
He’s a rat. I don’t mean that in the sense of being an amoral, lying, sleaze-oozing douchebag, although he’s all that. I mean in the sense of preferring to do his business in the dark. I’m not sure if he has a tail, but I wouldn’t be surprised.
He could have contacted the Titans beforehand, and didn’t. He could have been up-front with UT about poaching their coaches and recruits, but he wasn’t. No, Lame prefers to operate in the dark and shadows.
He’s a perfect trogan, really. He feels the rules and ethics don’t apply to him. He views sneaky underhandedness as clever stealth. He wings Lame explanations and nonsensical excuses when called out. His ratness also explains the bewildered look on his face when the lights are flicked on.
Again, apologies to the noble rat.
I have a question for the attorneys.
Is this fiasco a legitimate reason to fire Lamey and void his 3+ million dollar per year contact?
Yeah--what's the answer?
Chicago is entilted to a straight answer. No hemming and hawwing allowed.
Not sure what the contractual agreement is between Kiffin and Southern Cal
Plus it would be politically impossible and an embarrassment for the Trojans to throw their 4 million dollar investment even before a single game. Besides if you are a UCLA fan, let’s not even raise this question.
Our goal is to hold on to Lane as long as possible.
I fully agree
It’s much better to have Lame in control at SUC than someone like, like, like the guy suing Lame.
by bornagainbruin on Jul 26, 2010 7:18 PM PDT up reply actions
You really need to look at the contract
If they want to get out of the contract, they probably can. Just fire him, and then keep paying what he’s owed on the contract. I doubt that will happen, though, for lots of reasons.
1. First and foremost, there is an assumption that just$c* wants to fire him. No one has said that. Ethical Pat aka St. Patrick hasn’t said a negative word about him. (Bear in mind that what Ethical Pat says about cleaning up Dodge City does not appear to have any action associated with it. So far what just$c* has done is to comply with NCAA directives.)
2. If Lame got fired and not paid, he might decide to tell all. He could probably tell more than the dog fighter.
3. According to the trogan mentality, Lame has done nothing wrong (and just$c* has done nothing wrong) so why would anyone think of firing him.
4. They have to have a coach. Who would take the job if Lame were fired now? I shouldn’t say that. There will always be someone who thinks working at just$c* is great. The ex-head of BP is looking for a position now, I understand.
One thing that is not a factor is embarrassment. Nothing embarrasses just$c*.
I will say, as much as I hate former (and current) $C football players,
Del Rio and Fisher are making it hard. Del Rio drafts 2 UCLA players in the same draft, and Fisher not only drafts Vince Young, but now drafts AV & goes after Kiffen for stealing his assistant.
"The true athlete should have character, not be a character."- John Wooden
I certainly don't hate all former Trogans
Plus I actually kind of respect what Mark Sanchez did to show up Pom Pom.
Well, I respect Palmer because he has shown a level of humility
and I loved that Sanchez did that, but mostly, I can’t stand them.
"The true athlete should have character, not be a character."- John Wooden
My conspiracy theory...the conversation.
Haden: Fish, my man. Really sorry about that idiot Lane.
Fisher: Capper, you should be. What kind of BS is he trying to pull? He must be envious that he was never a real Trojan. You know what I mean. Like a student.
Haden: Fish. You can do me a big favor. Sue his ass. It will give me the perfect excuse to fire him.
Fisher: Can I do that?
Haden: Sure. I’ll even write the legal complaint. It will sound great. I’ll even use some Rhodes Scholar words. You’ll look really smart.
Fisher: I dunno Cappy. I don’t want to look like a whiner. You know. What goes around, comes around in the coaching world. Besides, we weren’t really USC students either.
Haden: Please Fish. Do it for your school. It will leave a head coach position open at your alma mater. How long do you want to live in BF Tennessee?
laughing so hard i woke my baby son...
…who is resting on my chest, so i am typing with one hand.
can you imagine pat haden saying: Fish my man?
This is truly
one of the most entertaining threads I have read on BN. This stuff is really happening. We couldn’t even make this stuff up!
Endless entertainment!
A few thoughts here:
- Why would any recruit want to play for a douche bag who was a failure in the NFL and is now completely hated and ridiculed by the NFL? Wouldn’t they want to play for someone who has a modicum of respect from coaches in the NFL? Are all those “other incentives” enough? I guess they are for some.
- What is up with Ted Miller? Why is he standing up for a school that was caught cheating and employs an unmanned howdy doody for a coach?
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
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