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TEN HC Fischer rips Lane Kiffen


BeeR
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Doesn't sound like much of a story to me. A running backs coach gets an opportunity to be a OC at a major program. Not sure why Fisher would get his panties in a wad.

 

IMHO, I think it's about the "professional courtesy" typically expected in pro sports (and I hope nobody tries to convince me USC football isn't "pro sports"). Apparently Kiffen didn't bother mentioning this to Fischer. This may or may not be a point to debate whether or not a college coach, or vice versa, should ask permission to speak to an employee/assistant of another organization. Now, Fischer, with camps starting within the next week or two, has to fill a position out of the blue. FWIW, I think this is dyyck move by Kiffen too.

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It's turned it a lawsuit. Could be interesting...

 

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans are suing Southern California and coach Lane Kiffin for "maliciously" luring away assistant running backs coach Kennedy Pola a week before training camp opens.

 

Tennessee Football Inc., the company that owns the Titans, filed the lawsuit Monday in Davidson County Chancery Court against both the university and Kiffin.

 

The lawsuit accuses Southern California and Kiffin of violating Pola's contract that required him to have written permission to discuss a job with anyone other than the Titans.

 

Kuharsky: Titans Defend Turf

 

Kuharsky Jeff Fisher's stinging comments about Lane Kiffin's lack of professionalism in luring Kennedy Pola away from the Tennessee Titans' staff were only a first step in the team's discontent, writes Paul Kuharsky. Blog

 

• Blog network: AFC South | NFL Nation

 

Tennessee hired Pola as running backs coach in February only to lose him Saturday to Southern California as the Trojans' new offensive coordinator and running backs coach.

 

"USC and Kiffin maliciously intended to -- and did -- induce Pola to breach the Pola contract," the lawsuit charges.

 

"USC and Kiffin engaged in improper means in their procurement of the breach and were not legally justified in their actions. Kiffin and USC's actions, through him, were part of a course and pattern of conduct fostered by Kiffin and USC to use improper methods and means to the direct harm and damage of parties to contracts ..."

 

The Titans declined to comment Monday beyond the lawsuit.

 

Titans coach Jeff Fisher, a Southern California alumnus, said Saturday that Kiffin neglected to make the customary courtesy phone call to let him and the NFL team know he was interested in hiring Pola. Fisher himself had hired Pola, letting go Earnest Byner to free up the spot on his coaching staff.

 

Pola's contract ran at least to Feb. 14, 2011, with the NFL in the final year of its current labor agreement with the players.

 

The lawsuit lawsuit notes that written permission from the president and general counsel was needed because verbal "consent is inadequate." The lawsuit also notes Southern California and Kiffin, through Pola, knew about his contract requirements.

 

"Pola was not given express written consent by Tennessee Football or the Commissioner of the NFL to entertain employment with any other entity," the lawsuit argues.

 

The move left the Titans without a running backs coach one week before training camp opens, which the lawsuit argues disrupts planning, causes "potential loss of confidence by players" and the loss of salary and benefits already paid to Pola along with "future damage."

 

The lawsuit is particularly harsh on Kiffin for what it calls intentional actions. Kiffin said he first spoke to Pola on Friday, and then called Fisher on Saturday after Pola called him back, apparently to accept the job.

 

Kiffin acknowledged in a statement that timing wasn't perfect.

 

"I have spoken with Coach Fisher and he now has an accurate understanding of the timeline of events," Kiffin said. "We realize the timing of this isn't perfect for all parties, but this is a great opportunity and promotion for Kennedy."

 

Fisher told The Tennessean newspaper he was very disappointed in Kiffin's lack of professionalism. The lawsuit doesn't hold back in criticizing Kiffin for "furtherance of a culture of violation and avoidance of respect for the sanctity of contract, which Kiffin similarly practices ..." in inducing Pola to breach his contract.

 

The lawsuit notes Kiffin "abruptly departed" his coaching job at the University of Tennessee in January after just 14 months, which angered Volunteers' fans. Kiffin also lured four other Tennessee coaches to join him at Southern California, and the lawsuit also notes how Kiffin tried to hire Eric Bienemy away from NFL's Vikings, forcing Minnesota to redo his contract to keep the assistant.

 

The lawsuit asks for a jury trial and punitive damages and attorneys fees.

 

The Tennessean first reported the lawsuit on its website.

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It's just a publicity stunt. The fans in Tennessee already hate Kiffin for bailing on them, this is just to fan the flames and get the fans loving the Titans for persecuting The Great Satan that Kiffin represents to them. The Titans had no contract or committment with either Kiffin or USC so there's no basis for this. If anything the coach is the one they should be going after - the fact that they aren't says it all.

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Other than the thing about not being able to discuss job openings with said coach without written consent... Other than that, yeah, no basis...

 

 

But there is a good point: why is the guy who was under specific contract terms with the Titans the one NOT being sued? I doubt Kiffin is under contract with the Titans so there certainly isn't clarity as to what laws were broken.

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Other than the thing about not being able to discuss job openings with said coach without written consent... Other than that, yeah, no basis...

 

Why would Kiffen be under any legal obligation about contacting a Titans coach when Kiffen never signed a contract with TEN saying that he would not contact their coaches? If the Titans are upset about it, then the only person they could sue would be the coach that left the Titans. He is the one who may have breached his contract, not Kiffen.

 

What if the Titans had a contract that said nobody in the world could ever contact any of their coaches ever? Would the rest of the world be obligated to honor that contract?

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Other than the thing about not being able to discuss job openings with said coach without written consent... Other than that, yeah, no basis...
That's Pola's responsibility, not Kiffin's. Neither Kiffin nor USC has a contract with the Titans to breach - Pola did, and he clearly breached it. That, however, is on Pola.

 

I have no dog in this fight - I don't like Kiffin much, I like USC even less, and I'm kind of a mini-Titans fan (mostly because Fisher is such a great coach). I'd love nothing more than for Kiffin and USC to take a hit here - but they won't take any kind of hit beyond a publicity one.

 

"The lawsuit notes Kiffin "abruptly departed" his coaching job at the University of Tennessee in January after just 14 months, which angered Volunteers' fans." - this pretty much tells all - they are just fanning the emotional flames.

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"The lawsuit notes Kiffin "abruptly departed" his coaching job at the University of Tennessee in January after just 14 months, which angered Volunteers' fans." - this pretty much tells all - they are just fanning the emotional flames.

They may also be guarding their turf a bit on this one. It sends a signal that other teams need to respect the process. As in, if Kiffin went ahead with the initial written request this could have all been avoided.

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Why would Kiffen be under any legal obligation about contacting a Titans coach when Kiffen never signed a contract with TEN saying that he would not contact their coaches? If the Titans are upset about it, then the only person they could sue would be the coach that left the Titans. He is the one who may have breached his contract, not Kiffen.

 

well there is a legal theory that's been around a while that it can be a tort for a 3rd party to interfere with a contractual relationship they're not a party to. so on its face, it's not a totally frivilous lawsuit. but I agree with the comments that it's more for publicity/making a point than anything else and probably ends up being dropped.

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