Kiffin's Exit Getting More and More Bizzare

As the College Football world woke up Wednesday morning and tried to make sense of the Kiffin's hasty exit from Tennessee as the new Head Coach at USC, several interesting and in some cases weird stories are starting to pop up.

((Lane Kiffin doesn't want to face the mob outside//Courtesy: Adam Brimer/Knoxville News-Sentinel))

Case in point. This story from WATE-TV on the impact of this with recruits RIGHT HERE . There are multiple reports that Kiffin's chief henchman Ed Orgeron has been telling UT recruits, some of whom were about to enroll early..."Don't go to class, come with us". In fact, in the story, recruit Brandon Willis confirms that he was asked to go. He declined, though he didn't early enroll, he now wants to figure out what he will do.

According to the guy who hired Kiffin, the subject of Kiffin going to USC came up on Saturday. Check out the story from govolsextra.com RIGHT HERE.

According to WVLT-TV and several other outlets, Kiffykins is obligated to pay UT $800,ooo for bailing out on them. In the world of College Football, that ain't much and often the payment never happens.

For those who are interested, WVLT also posted a copy of the contract...check it out HERE.

ESPN's Gene Wojciechowski joins the masses piling on Kifikins and adds that his sources say that the Board of Trustee's has already been in contact with the Great Pumpkin, Phillip Fulmer, about coming back to be the AD...Check it out RIGHT HERE though he buried that part until later in the story.

It should be interesting to see how a guy who may or may not get his "Now" previous employer on NCAA probation, reacts to going to a school where more than likely, they will be going on Probation. At the very least, this keeps those of us in the blogging world busy on a cold winter day.

There will apparently be a press conference in L.A introducing the newest Trojan Man sometime later this afternoon so stay tuned, we expect this won't story won't be going away for awhile.

Is Fulmer Interested In USF...??? Is The Feeling Mutual...???

Yes... maybe... could be...
Something like that...

Andrea Adelson of the Orlando Sentinel tracked Fulmer down at the AFCA coach's convention and she got a non-denial denial...

Fulmer, when he was making the rounds as an analyst for CBSCSTV this season, has maintained that he doesn't want to be part of any rebuilding process for his next gig. If he's going to consider a program to get back in to wandering the sidelines full time, they have to have the capability to winning a national title. He's done that before and wants to be presented with the same resources to chase after another one...

USF has not "directly" talked with Fulmer...

Here's the conjunction: BUT... from Adelson's conversation:

"I made a significant point when I got out of coaching that I’m looking for a program that’s committed to winning and being the best they can be. Certainly South Florida fits that profile. Coach Leavitt, the alumni and the administration have done a tremendous job getting it to the point where it is. There’s probably another level they can get to.

“The recruiting base, the facilities as I understand them they’ve done a great job with that. My wife is from St. Pete. We have lots of friends in the area. I’ve recruited in Florida for a long time. There’s some positive things about the program.”

Now all South Florida has to do is figure out the whole Jim Leavitt-thing before figuring out just how much they can spend on a new head coach...

The HQ is intrigued by this idea as well... but we thought Fulmer's arrows would shoot a little higher. The Big East Conference hasn't proven itself to be a national title contender-type conference...

Friday Afternoon Dis And Dat...

Late last night, the Boston Red Sox thought they were out of the Mark Teixeira sweepstakes...

At least that's what they said publicly...
SI's Jon Heyman calls shenanigans and posturing...

Braves General Overseer John Schuerholz is somewhat angry over the whole Rafael Furcal "he's here now he's not" deal...

The choice paragraph from Jeff Schultz's piece is below...

Yeah, we know... it's two paragraphs...

“Having been in this business for 40-some years, I’ve never seen anybody treated like that,” Schuerholz said. “The Atlanta Braves will no longer do business with that company — ever. I told [agent] Arn Tellem that we can’t trust them to be honest and forthright. I told him that in all my years, I’ve never seen any [agency] act in such a despicable manner.
“It was disgusting and unprofessional. We’re a proud organization, and we won’t allow ourselves to be treated that way. I advised Arn Tellem that whatever players he represents, just scratch us off the list. Take the name of the Atlanta Braves off their speed dial. They can deal with the other 29 clubs, and we’ll deal with the other hundred agents.”

Heyman catches up with Fookie's agent, who again denies a bait and switch...

PGA Tour Commish Tim Finchem wants the number of unexcused absences from his players to decrease severely... What...? He doesn't like the current field at the Reno-Tahoe Open...?

Both Phillip Fulmer and Terry Bowden are interested in the Iowa State job...
Why...? Just flat-out why...? We ask and beseech for an answer...?????

While UGA is welcoming Jeff Owens for another year in 2009, they may lose Stacey Searles to Auburn. Searles is in talks with The Chizik about a possible upgrade from his offensive line position on Mark Richt's staff...

Rocky Top Down

"Given the emotions of the week..."

That seems to be the phrase used the most in and around Knoxville this past week- even more so after Wyoming goes in to Neyland Stadium and beat the Volunteers 14-3.

For UT's homecoming...

Commence laughter...

Here's the ever-painful postgame with Lame Duck Head Coach Philip Fulmer...
((HT: WVLT-TV/volunteertv.com))

Part One With Coach Majors

We're, kind of, backtracking here but the give-and-take with Coach Johnny Majors is a beautiful thing... he's not going to get dragged down in to the whole Fulmer thing...

Until something happens...

There's an old saying about animals and a barn door or unbirthing a baby...
This is an "unbirthing..."
Coach Majors even goes third-person...
((HT again: WVLT-TV))

Johnny Majors Almost Comments On Fulmer

WVLT-TV gets all the credit for this one...
Daryl Hobby of Volunteer TV caught up with the former UT coach outside a golf warehouse...

The live shot is quite priceless for the fact that Majors says what he wants to say without saying anything direct...



WVLT's coverage of the press conference is below...



Did it just get cold in here, or is that just us...???
We gather the translation of Coach Majors has something to do with a door and Fulmer's backside...

Majors: Hiring Fulmer a "Mistake"

Former Tennessee Head Coach Johnny Majors ((pictured right, thanks Knoxville News-Sentinel/Bob Fowler)) is taking shots at current Tennessee Head Coach Philip Fulmer any chance he can get these days.

A few weeks ago, Majors told the Chattanooga Times-Free Press that he thinks Defensive Coordinator John Chavis has kept Fulmer at his current employ for the last ten years.

This time, according to govolsextra.com and the Knoxville News-Sentinel, on the "Paul Finebaum Radio Show" Majors also said that if he had any advice for the Vols ills he wouldn't "offer it to the person in charge over there trying to coach the team,”

About the Fulmer hiring:

“There’s nothing funny about it, but that was one of the main mistakes I made in my coaching career,” Majors admitted after some goading from Finebaum. “Maybe that’s the major mistake, but I’m not going to talk about what they’re doing now.”

Then he went and did, anyway...

You can hear the conversation by clicking into the black...

((ed. note- Brother Phil would, of course, like to ask the following))

Who in the hell is Paul Finebaum...?

Still Another Dirty Dozen

Settledown Saturday

Okay, so what did we learn last week? We learned that Tennesse is really bad, Florida is really fast, Georgia can play out west and Missouri can score a lot of points. We also learned that LSU may have found a quarterback and that Florida State still doesn't have one. Gosh, aren't Shakedown's fun.

Here are this weeks 12 (Not to be confused with the Big 12 which is a conference):

1. Southern Cal (Didn't play, didn't have to, they don't have any roadblocks at this point)

2. Georgia (They are for real, though they are going to have to beat a really tough Alabama team this week)

3. Oklahoma (Where the wind sweeps...anyway, they are really good, but the Big 12 will shake out here eventually)

4. Missouri (Right now they are putting up Video Game numbers, but again, things are getting ready to settle out here)

5. Florida (Damn, they are fast. They hammered a crappy Tennessee team, they may be looking ahead to LSU in a couple of weeks)

6. LSU (Jarrett Lee became a man in the 2nd half vs. Auburn, if that holds, these guys could be dangerous

7. Alabama (We get to see if they are for real this week at Georgia. They are big and nasty, can they hang with the big boys...we'll see)

8. Texas (Getting better every week, once again, the Big 12 will settle out here really soon)

9. BYU (More pinball, no competition)

10. Wisconsin (They'll lose eventually, they always do, the 10 is a poor conference)

11. Penn State (Joe Pa apparently doesn't do background checks, but his team is undefeated)

12. South Florida (How'd they get here?)

Without question Alabama at Georgia is the game of the week. We are going to find out which of these two belong here. Stay tuned to your favorite Sports Blog (us) and find out, I'll be there in person to see this one.

((Nelson Notes: Oklahoma, UGA, Florida, LSU, Mizzou, Alabama, BYU, Texas, 'Sconsin, Penn State, TCU, and Oregon State))

Bottom of the Barrel:

5. Tennessee (Welcome to obscurity Philip Fulmer)

4. UCLA (You've got a lot of work to do still Mr. Nuehiesel)

3. Washington (These guys just can't get it together, is Ty Willingham long for the coaching world?)

2. Rutgers (And to think Greg Schiano was "The" hot coaching candidate just a couple of years ago)

1. North Texas (Just because I want to say "Not so Mean and Very Green")

That is what sayeth we (or at least me), what sayeth everyone else? And oh, happy fall!

((Nelson Still Notes: USC, Notre Dame, Washington, UCLA, and USC))

SEC Media Days, Day 2

Nuggets…We Got Nuggets (SEC Day 2)

Yes, we have stepped into what can only be described as Bizarro land here in beautiful Hoover (outside Birmingham) Alabama. It was truly a strange, strange day here in well, I’m not sure really how to describe this place.

You Got Served…

Obviously, the big news of the day was Tennessee Coach Phil Fulmer receiving a subpoena upon his arrival at the luxurious Wynfrey Hotel. There are a few different versions of how this occurred. I’ve heard it was handed to him as he walked through the hotel, before making the rounds with the media hordes.

The new information is that according to ABC 33/40 (Can’t think of the call letters) here in Birmingham, the document was “Thrown” at Fulmer when he got out of his vehicle. He supposedly picked it up and upon realizing what it was, kept it and went about his business. Unfortunately nobody got this on videotape, but, what can you do?

Fulmer didn’t want to talk much about it today, but he didn’t have to. When he arrived in the room I was in and was asked about it, he said “There are a lot of nice fans who are dedicated to rooting for there team, but there are also some who are just plain Jerks. I’ll stick to that word since this is going to be on TV”. Nice, he obviously wasn’t happy about it, but didn’t deny it like he did to the Knoxville News-Sentinel either.

Great Satan…

The other pariah today, none other than Alabama Head Coach/Traitor Nick Satan…I mean Saban. If you haven’t been to Alabama you probably don’t realize how the people worship and I’m talking fawning at the mere sight of there “Football Coach”.

Much to my amazement, Saban actually had my favorite line of the day. When asked about having to go to LSU (one of several former employers), he responded this way: “When we get on the busses to head over to the stadium, I’ll probably be on one bus by myself, I’m pretty sure that my guys will not want to be near me”. Wow! Self-Deprecating humor. Somewhat out of character for the Great Satan, but amusing never the less.

Other Stuff…

Really there wasn’t much else to report. Mark Richt and the Georgia Bulldogs were in the house today. There really wasn’t much to report on with the ‘Dawgs, they were asked a gazillion times about this years high expectations and last years Florida game, but that was about it. Both the Coach and his players, Jeff Owens and Mohammed Massaquoi were classy and answered every question…except when someone asked Massaquoi “If you don’t win the SEC this year, who do you think will?” He kind of smiled and just said “I’m not really thinking about that”. What else can you say.

Friday’s session should be interesting, among the scheduled guests, Tommy Tuberville of Auburn, the ‘Ol Ball Coach himself and the happy wanderer Bobby Petrino, currently of Arkansas (for now). There probably won’t be much hoopla with the first two guys, it’ll be real interesting how Mr. Stiff Petrino, answers questions from the Atlanta media in attendance.

“The time has come, my song is over, thought I’d something more to say”- Time (Pink Floyd)

Fulmer Served At SEC Media Days

And we're not talking about the food at the Wynfrey Hotel...

The lawyer for the Head Football Coach at the University of Tennessee says his client received a summons on the property after his making the morning rounds at Radio Row. Fulmer has now been ordered to give a deposition in late September in regards to the libel and defamation case against the NCAA brought forth by a Chattanooga, Tennessee car salesman.

Robert Wendell Smith has been alleged to be a high-falooting booster for University of Alabama football. He has been linked to the recruitment of Kenny Smith, a defensive lineman prospect who ended up at Alabama in 2002. RW Smith has admitted to helping out the other Smith family with automobiles, but not to get the blue chipper to Roll Tide.

It's just out of the goodness of his heart...
Allegedly...

OSG HQ's favorite passage of the Bryan Mullen article is as follows:

A Tennessean reporter saw the subpoena this morning but during an interview shortly after the news broke, a clearly agitated Fulmer denied he had been served.

“A couple of guys have asked me about that and I haven’t seen anything like that,” he said. “We spent three or four years ago putting up with all of the (nonsense) and it has nothing to do with football and the Southeastern Conference. "And darn if I’m going to start it again if I don’t have to. So somebody is just screwing around, sounds to me like.”

However, Drew Edwards' piece in the Knoxville News-Sentinel claims that Fulmer ain't seen nothing yet...

More from Brother Phil in Hoover, Alabama as situations warrant...