Pahokee coach confused, saddened by Kiffin's comments

GAINESVILLE -- Florida wasn't the only school Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin took a shot at on Thursday. The Vols' coach also called into question the people at Pahokee Middle/High School.

While addressing a crowd of about 1,000 people at the Knoxville Convention Center, Kiffin said that receiving a faxed National Letter of Intent from Pahokee receiver Nu'Keese Richrdson on Wednesday was made difficult by the staff at Pahokee. Kiffin inferred that Pahokee High wanted to somehow prevent Richardson from signing with UT.

"You can't understand how hard this is to get done," Kiffin said. "[UT assistant coach] Eddie [Gran] had this set up at 7 o'clock in the morning. [Richardson's aunts] got the papers signed by the kid. They didn't go do it at the school because they knew somebody at the school was going to screw it up. The fax machine wouldn't work, or they would have changed the signatures, all the things that go on in Pahokee now. The aunts took it over to a junior high, found a fax machine that worked and faxed them over to us at 7 o'clock, and I kept it in a drawer till their 1 o'clock press conference."

Pahokee coach Blaze Thompson said on Thursday he was "confused" by Kiffin's comments. For starters, there isn't a junior high in Pahokee. Pahokee High School and Pahokee Middle are the same school. Thompson said that Kiffin must have been talking about Pahokee Elementary, where Richardson's aunt works.

Thompson said that he has been friends with the Richardson family for 20 years and also said, "I wouldn't think they would say something like that about me."

Thompson was troubled by Kiffin's apparent fear that Pahokee had the intentions to somehow sabotage Richardson's attempt to fax his National Letter of Intent to Tennessee.

 

"I'm just confused," Thompson said. "I don't know where he would get we screw up faxes or change signatures. No player here has ever been coerced by me or anyone else at the school to go to one school or the other. Pahokee is certainly not a Florida school. [UF cornerback] Janoris [Jenkins] was our first to go there in a long time. We would have been proud for [Richardson] to go to Florida but we're just

as proud he went to Tennessee, although with these statements, I'm confused why [Kiffin] would bash a school he would get a commitment from."

 

Thompson said he looks forward to speaking with Kiffin and "hearing what this is all about."

 

"We have to deal with Tennessee and we're going to maintain a professional relationship with them," Thompson said. "They've got a great kid and a great player. We've never had anyone at Tennessee and we're excited about it. This is really sad that Coach Kiffin would make these kinds of statements.

 

"You put your heart into working with kids and any time your professionalism or your character is questioned it takes you back and makes you concerned."

 

-jo-

Comments

[The U]

Florida is very close to getting NCAA sanctions,,, LOL Urban Crier is a lying PUNK.

[Adam S.]

Florida couldn't be FURTHER from getting any sanctions. I'm just curious how much Randy Scammin' had to pay Bryce Brown for his commitment...

[K-MAN]

Lol, Kiffin is a douchebag, I am a UM fan but this is idiocy at it's finest, all it is doing is hurting his program. I would never ever play for such a moron.

[Scooter]

Nu'Keese made a terrible decision here, and Kiffin is a total amateur.

[Chris F.]

Let UF and UT whine at each other while UM puts together a solid unified team. Randy Shannon has never been accused of, or come close to any kind of violations....i.e. Urbey the Saint offering a track scholarship to the girlfriend of his prize recruits. Shannon plays it straight up and wouldn't even venture into a whiney fude like "I'm the man Urbey" and "Lame Brain Kiffin"

[Lou Vales]

Randy Shannon looks like the 43rd person in line to use a Porta Potty after some bad ribs on July 4. You NEVER have to worry about losing Randy Randy to another program or pro team. The bad news is there is NO interest. As long as the Confused One(check that expression) can continue to recruit the CESSPOOL that is Miami Northwestern--He will have a job.

[Randy Zook]

Don't mind me. I'm just another ignorant UM fan thinking this somehow effects my team. I'm also going to spout inaccuracies about other coaches, while ignoring the fact that my coach is a documented liar. I can't wait for another chance to win an Emerald Bowl!

[Joe]

What is pretty sad is NuKeese was clearly played as a pawn by Kiffin and has been encouraged to lie to lifetime confidants, mentors, and to his own local community. NuKeese has embarrassed his home town and the very people who helped him reach this moment, not by choosing Tennessee but by the way he conducted himself during the last week. Now NuKeese and the coach he follows are both admitted liars. It's a sad day that something as special as signing a college scholarship will always be remembered as a day of deceit.

NuKeese probably won't understand this now, but he'll regret this day (his actions, not necessarily his choice) when he is mature enough to wish for people to see him as someone with dignity and integrity.

[Duh U]

Yeah, Randy is such an Angel. Just ask the Marve family how nice of a guy he is. Sign me former Miami fan. Maybe I'll come back when he's gone, probably after 2-3 more losing seasons.

[Duh U]

As for Kiffin, he's just revealed himself as the scumbag he really is. Seems Al Davis is not as dumb as I thought he was. As for Nu'Keese, I know I don't know the kid, but I do believe he will eventually regret his actions and perhaps his choice as well.

[The truth]

let me know when Randy aka The last angry man..get a personality

[T-Bone]

With each passing day it appears Al Davis was right on the money with this guy.

[Jr.'s Judgement Day]

With each passing day it appears Al Davis was right on the money with this guy.

Posted by: T-Bone | February 06, 2009 at 12:45 AM

Almost makes ol Al seem sane .

3:30-6:30pm Sat. Sept. 19 will determine the punishment

[Steve]

As a UM fan (University of Michigan), I say Kiffin is a total tool. He thinks he can stroll into SabanMileMeyer country and be top dog? Take your pill Lane.

[GuamGator]

Prediction: Kiffin won't last 3 years at UT.

[Adam S.]

I've actually heard from more UM fans supporting UF and taking a poop on Kiffin than I ever would've expected both online and off. It is quite refreshing.

[richie]

so did Kiffin only want this poor kid because he was committed to Florida or because he really liked him as a player?

Kid got used...Vols fans better hope Lane Kiffers can coach as well as he can pull his used car salesman act on kids...

[Ocean Gator]

Lane Kiffen -- aka "Lame Kitten" -- is a retard, plain and simple. UT fired their best-ever coach to hire THIS guy???

[Ocean Gator]

Oops -- I spelled his name wrong. Should have been Kiffin.

Oh well, I don't need to remember how to spell his name, really. He's not going to be around very long. I give him 2-3 years, tops.

[bamajj15]

Wow Kiffin is an idiot. How do you say things about a school that has numerous DI recruits and then call out urban meyer with his best team coming back. I am an alabama fan that is going to enjoy the 50 point beating that florida is going to put on TN this year

[Adam S.]

richie, "addition by subtraction."

[Cudjoe key Gator]

Lane Kiffin at UT equals Ron Zook at UF. He'll be there three years at the most.

[ManYoo]

Congrats Goody you got a name mention on Chris Lowe's lunchtime links on ESPN.com
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/sec
Go Gators!

[Z]

Retard is the best way I have heard Kitten described. Plain and simple.

[O-town Gator]

Kiffin's a sleazeball, a buffoon and a blowhard - and you know what - Al Davis was right all along.

[Adam S.]

Very cool, national recognition.

[Goody]

Chris covered Tennessee for 11 seasons before going to ESPN.

-jo-

[urban league]

you people need to get a life, kiffin was cracking jokes and this was one of many,looks like it worked, you guys fell for it,wise up.

[Ocean Gator]

The only ones who "fell for it" are the Tennessee boosters and AD when they hired this buffoon.

[OaktownGator]

As an Oakland resident, and observer of the debacle that is Raiders management, I never thought I'd find myself saying that Al Davis was right about much of anything. But no doubt he was right about Lane.

Monte might be a great defensive mind, but he never taught his boy to act like a man.

Not to worry, though... Saban, Meyer, Spurrier and Richt are gonna take that boy out behind the woodshed this year, and give him some long overdue butt whoopin's. He's just lucky he doesn't get LSU this year, cuz Miles has good reason to whoop that butt, too. I'm sure Nutt will be happy to stand in for Miles, though.

It s/b an interesting welcome to the SEC for this boy. UT will probably be lucky to win 2 games in the SEC next season.

[aaron]

this is just one of the few rapings florida will recieve time after time from it's DADDY, TENNESSEE. so get used to being raped and abused by a superior team florida fans. THIS IS JUST THE BEGGINNING

[Adam S.]

LOL, he wasn't making a "joke." He was making a "joke" of himself. He was trying to give Urban and our program a gut-shot or a kick in the balls, and it completely backfired. He's a moron, and so are you for thinking the way you do about it.

And aaron, I wouldn't be saying UT is our daddy...have you watched college football the last four years?

2008 - UF wins in Knox by 24.
2007 - UF wins at home by 39.
2006 - UF wins in Knox
2005 - UF wins at home

[g8rlvr]

Hey Vols band members - go ahead and change the lyrics of Rocky Top to this:

Rocky Top we will always be,
FIFTH in the SEC!
Florida's gonna beat our brains in,
SEVENTY-FIVE TO THREE,
SEVENTY-FIVE TO THREE!

[Cudjoe Key Gator]

Aaron, crack kills, put down the pipe and step back. Tennessee has never been UF's daddy and never will.

[Ocean Gator]

Uh... Aaron -- I think your ma is calling. You know you're not supposed to mess around with that interweb thing unsupervised. Now git!

[Ocean Gator]

Also, it is rather illuminating that "aaron," obviously a member of the UT faithful, finds it perfectly normal for a "DADDY" to be raping his children. Good grief, boy.

[Jack]

The U is for losers..Keep losing U losers.

[FLAsportsfan]

Hey guys,

I just read on espn760.com, that Pahokee coach Blaze Thompson was on with Evan Cohen on Friday, and demanded a public apology from Lane Kiffin.

To hear the interview, go to www.espn760.com, and click on the Instant Replay page.

[Ocean Gator]

It's like Tennessee hired a college freshman to be their head coach. Seriously, this guy is a major douchebag.

[BigOrangeKitten]

Does anyone else not see the resemblance in Lane and Monte Kiffin to Lil Abner and Pappy Yokems?
Just listening to Pappy talk on camera is more entertaining than any football game. I especially like the fact that, after Lil Abner falsely claimed Meyer violated recruiting rules, Pappy Yokem said, on camera, "I don't know what the rule is"; sounds like NCAA violations will be in Knoxville, not Gainesville very, very soon.

[maizenbluefan]

college freshman heck more like a junior high kid.

[Falco]

Look all kidding aside. What this guy said about coach Meyer and especially about Pahokee was stupid. But really how stupid was this kid? Do you think he may have a bulls eye on his back when they play Florida?