Last Saturday night, I accompanied Husband-man and stepson to the Indiana High School State Football Championships - played at Lucas Oil Stadium (where the Colts play). The southside's Center Grove Trojans played the northside's Carmel Greyhounds. It was a rival match made in heaven - the stuff that good games are made of, really. The southside has always been perceived as the more "blue collar" part of town (even if we do have many million-dollar homes and ridiculous farmhouse spreads), while the northside is more mini-mall yuppified. We have farmers down south. They have a Saks up north. So, the match up was truly divine. It ended up being a pretty cool and historical night, as my stepson's high school team (the southside underdogs) came back from a horrible first half to win the title. They say it was the biggest comeback in Indiana high school football history.
While they were kicking the northsider boys' asses, I was watching Tennessee kick the crap out of Kentucky. We were in a friend's suite, so I had the luxury of watching both simultaneously (which, I might add, is not too shabby for a hick chick from the southside). I got a little teary-eyed when I watched Phil Fulmer coach his last game. Players hugged him like they would their own Dads, and you could see the emotion in Coach Fulmer, his family, and all of those who understand that he was born and bred to play and coach in Knoxville. In the city with the nicest, most genuine people who not only love the Vols so much, but truly have more heart than any other school in the SEC.
It's heart, I believe, that wins the best games. My stepson's high school had heart the other night. It was palpable. Center Grove's red colors took up 3/4 of the stadium, where Carmel only populated the other fourth, at best. There was a lot of heart in that place. So much so, that a Carmel High School father proclaimed it to Husband-man. "Well, you guys played with so much heart and you really deserve this." Something along those lines, anyway, as we all filed out of the stadium.
But, as we all know, every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end. And so it goes, right?
With Tennessee's Fulmer formally gone now, there's a new Sheriff in town. His name is Lane Kiffin. He's young. Very young. In fact, I couldn't believe how young this guy was when Husband-man pointed him out to me the other day. Impressive career for his age, but yeah....he's damn young.
Apparently, he's already started recruiting players. And, while I'm kind of excited of the prospect that he's actually doing some recruiting, he's doing it a few days earlier than he should. At least for people like Steve Spurrier - who obviously feels the need to watch him like a hawk. And let's face it - that may be the biggest testament to the potential Mr. Kiffin has.
I'm attaching the full article in its glory at the end of this entry, although as a writer and hack blogger myself, I wouldn't really call this a journalistic article. It's a blog. An opinion, and a smug-as-hell one, to boot:
Mr. Kiffin may have wanted to wait, sure, but I do love the fact that he's like a rabid, frothing-at-the-mouth dog, wanting to start his role immediately. Sure, he's young and has a lot to learn, but there's something to be said for ambition. Let's just hope he has that heart that I'm so used to. That all of us Vol fans are used to, really.
In the meantime, Mr. Hinton appears to be a little condescending, at best. He must've gone to Florida or something.
But what do I know? I mean, I'm just a southside redneck that likes corn from a jar. Yep...and I do so with all my heart. So eat that, Mr. Hinton. :-)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Welcome-to-the-SEC-cheater-Signed-Ol-Ball-Co?urn=ncaaf,125819
