war of words continue....meyer v kiffin
Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 12:10 pm
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&page=dash0904&sportCat=ncf
If You Thought The Postgame Handshake Marked The End Of Hostilities …
… Then you're dumber than Smokey the bluetick hound. The hissing will continue between Florida coach Urban Meyer (8) and Tennessee provocateur Lane Kiffin (9). Presumably until Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive has their mouths stapled shut.
After his team failed to annihilate the 30-point underdog Volunteers on Saturday, winning by a mere 10, Meyer enumerated a few health issues. They included at least three key players saddled with the flu: running back Jeff Demps (just four carries and six touches overall), tight end Aaron Hernandez (four catches for just 26 yards) and defensive end Jermaine Cunningham (one assisted tackle).
On Sunday, presumably after hearing as much as he could stomach about Tennessee's moral victory, Meyer fired this shot to The New York Times about Kiffin's hyper-conservative offense in the fourth quarter: "It was unbelievable. They were taking their time snapping the ball when they could go win the game. There was no two-minute drill."
Monday after practice, Kiffin returned serve.
Asked about Meyer's insinuation that Tennessee abandoned the Herman Edwards credo ("You PLAY to WIN the game!"), he responded thusly, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press:
"I'd say this. This offseason, the commissioner made a big deal about a renewal of vows, and what we're supposed to say about other teams, other coaches and other players. Obviously, Urban feels he doesn't need to follow that. We won't say anything else."
[+] EnlargeJoe Kohen/WireImage
Dashette Jessica Lowndes thinks the Kiffin-Meyer exchanges are funnier than a 90210 script.
Then, of course, he said something else. It came in response to a question about whether his team, like Florida, had any flu concerns.
"I don't know," Kiffin said. "I guess we'll wait and see, and after we're not excited about our performance, we'll tell you everybody was sick."
Choose which is more amusing:
• Kingpin Meyer being ruffled enough after the victory to take a shot at a guy who has never won an SEC game.
• Kiffin and his 1-2 college career record being emboldened enough to keep taking shots at a guy with two national championships.
OK, you don't have to choose. Plenty of reason to chuckle at them both.
Next up: Kiffin tells recruits that Meyer has a taste for human flesh. Meyer tells recruits that Kiffin performs animal sacrifices at midnight in Neyland Stadium. Then both deny having any hard feelings for each other to the media.
Presumably they can agree on one thing: Dashette Jessica Lowndes (10) is first-team All-Tailgate.