http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/5171/monte-kiffin-hot-sec-reputation-not
It’s time to delve into who’s hot and who’s not in the SEC:
En Fuego
Tennessee defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin: The SEC is full of great defenses, but is there one playing any better than the Vols right now? They haven’t given up a touchdown for eight quarters, and you just knew that Kiffin was going to have something in store for Alabama with an extra week to prepare. He was a step ahead of the Crimson Tide’s offensive staff the entire game. Kiffin remains a legend in NFL circles, and yes, there were some questions about how he would adapt to coaching college kids and coaching in the college game. I guess it’s safe to say we have our answer to those questions now.
Ice, Ice Baby
SEC’s reputation: The last thing the SEC wanted or needed was a weekend where there was more controversy with the officiating. And wouldn’t you know it? The two main issues involved the Alabama and Florida games. Tennessee’s Lane Kiffin and Mississippi State’s Dan Mullen were both reprimanded by the league for comments they made about the officiating. It’s the kind of thing that only fosters the perception out there that the SEC is somehow brokering to have Alabama and Florida both stay unbeaten so the SEC Championship Game will be a bigger deal. It’s like SEC commissioner Mike Slive has a magic button he pushes if Alabama or Florida needs a call. It’s silly to even be taking about it, but it’s out there everywhere, especially after this latest round of reprimands. But it’s just as silly to think that it’s all just going to go away unless the SEC puts some real teeth in its punishment for coaches who take on the officiating publicly. Of course, it would also be nice if the officials would start getting it right in the first place.
ESPN.com
10/26/09
