Goodbye Kiffin

My feelings about Lane Kiffin jilting Tennessee for Southern Cal (yes, I am an SEC girl and USC is South Carolina to me) can best be summed up by saying "Lane, we hate to see you go, but love to watch you leave." About a year ago, Tennessee hired Lane Kiffin to help resurrect a football program that had been floundering in mediocrity for several years. Volunteer fans were desperate to believe in their team again. I know because I've been there. Steve Spurrier left after my freshman year at UF. After three years under Ron Zook, Urban Meyer was exactly what we needed. What Urban has done in his 5 years as the Bull Gator takes nothing away from the Old Ball Coach's legacy, in my opinion at least. Steve brought us 4 straight SEC titles and our first national championship. Does Urban's resume speak a little louder with two national titles? Sure. But Steve was UF's first Heisman winner. Steve is a Gator through and through - present mascot choice not withstanding.

What Urban gets and what, I'm afraid, Lane will never get is that without the foundation laid by Ray Graves and Steve Spurrier, and yes, even Ron Zook, he would never have achieved the success he has enjoyed at Florida. Nick Saban, a ruthless football coach and fierce competitor, has bounced around more times than a Pogo stick in the past 10 years. But Nick understands the Bear's legacy. He didn't take the job at Alabama to drastically change it; he took it to build on it. Mark Richt is perhaps too tenderhearted to be a coach in the SEC. But he accepted the job at Georgia with the intent of reclaiming the program's glory under Vince Dooley.

Tennessee has great football traditions in its own right. Neyland Stadium at its best is one of the best CFB venues in the country. The Volunteer Navy remains one of the great tailgating traditions in the SEC. And just two more words: Peyton Manning. I love that Peyton never beat the Gators, but he was a wonderful representative for UT when he was a student-athlete and he has created a lasting legacy in the NFL.

But either Lane never appreciated any of that or just thought that his way was better. Either way, Lane Kiffin and Tennessee was never a match that meshed very well. There are numerous reasons why Volunteer fans support Tennessee, and for the faithful, Lane Kiffin just wasn't a good enough reason.

Hopefully Tennessee will hire a coach who can appreciate the history and build on the future. It would be nice to restore the UF/Tennessee rivalry of the mid-90s and early-00s. With that Lane, this Gator fan bids you adieu.