[Roberton3]

Lane Kiffin said he didn't vote USC #1 in the coach's poll.  USA Today responded by disclosing his #1 vote -- for USC. 

See http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/ncf/story/_/id/8254386

My reactions:
-Kiffin lying isn't any surprise, but it's rare that he gets so publicly caught.

-It's interesting that USA Today disclosed his vote.  They'd previously said votes were confidential, but now say it was necessary to disclose Kiffin's vote to preserve the integrity of the poll.

-And of course, this just emphasizes the problems with having coaches vote on their own teams.

[Roberton3]

Lane Kiffin said he didn't vote USC #1 in the coach's poll.  USA Today responded by disclosing his #1 vote -- for USC. 

See http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/ncf/story/_/id/8254386

My reactions:
-Kiffin lying isn't any surprise, but it's rare that he gets so publicly caught.

-It's interesting that USA Today disclosed his vote.  They'd previously said votes were confidential, but now say it was necessary to disclose Kiffin's vote to preserve the integrity of the poll.

-And of course, this just emphasizes the problems with having coaches vote on their own teams.

[FarmBoy]

U.SC fans are trying to explain this away by saying he was responding to a questing about RichRod publicly saying he would vote for U.SC as #1 and saying that if he were RichRod, he wouldn't vote for U.SC.

Kiffin is explaining it away by saying that when push comes to shove, his team would have found out that he didn't vote for them and then he would have some 'splainin' to do (is he afraid of telling his players he doesn't think they deserve #1 yet?)

It's pretty disgusting that USA Today would release Kiffin's poll without telling him to keep the integrity of the system. What a bunch of garbage. Are they prepared to release Mack Brown's final poll from that year that C.al got shafted?

[FarmBoy]

U.SC fans are trying to explain this away by saying he was responding to a questing about RichRod publicly saying he would vote for U.SC as #1 and saying that if he were RichRod, he wouldn't vote for U.SC.

Kiffin is explaining it away by saying that when push comes to shove, his team would have found out that he didn't vote for them and then he would have some 'splainin' to do (is he afraid of telling his players he doesn't think they deserve #1 yet?)

It's pretty disgusting that USA Today would release Kiffin's poll without telling him to keep the integrity of the system. What a bunch of garbage. Are they prepared to release Mack Brown's final poll from that year that C.al got shafted?

[Farm93]

No shame in voting your team #1.  The reason provided for releasing the information was that Kiffin provided "false or misleading information".

I don't think Mack Brown ever claimed that he was somehow not voting Texas above UCB that year.  Even if he did, it was not against the rules.  And besides, Texas proved they were BCS worthy when they won the Rose Bowl and UCB proved they were not BCS worthy when they lost big time in the Holiday bowl.

Polls are polls.  I am just thankful that in 2010 and 2011 Stanford Football managed to finish with the polls helping Stanford get into BCS bowls.  :)

[Farm93]

No shame in voting your team #1.  The reason provided for releasing the information was that Kiffin provided "false or misleading information".

I don't think Mack Brown ever claimed that he was somehow not voting Texas above UCB that year.  Even if he did, it was not against the rules.  And besides, Texas proved they were BCS worthy when they won the Rose Bowl and UCB proved they were not BCS worthy when they lost big time in the Holiday bowl.

Polls are polls.  I am just thankful that in 2010 and 2011 Stanford Football managed to finish with the polls helping Stanford get into BCS bowls.  :)

[doug]

Agreed, there is no shame in voting your own team no. 1 when there is an objectively defensible case for that, as there seems to be for usc this year. But is it just me, our is Kiffin in serious contention to be the biggest douchebag in CFB? Not jerk, but douchebag, if you get my distinction. Without even going into all his pre-sc baggage, he just seems constantly to be a whiny little doucher. There was his crap about the reffing after Stanford's 3OT win and his 5-year-old son being able to count to 7. More recently there is his crass hypocrisy in decrying other coaches from poaching his players as the most difficult aspect of the NCAA sanctions keeping , only to the launch a very public media effort to woo and ultimately poach Silas Redd from PSU. This lie about his vote in the coaches' poll is only the latest. I admit I detest the guy, at least in part because he's sc. Anyone have a different opinion of him?

[doug]

Agreed, there is no shame in voting your own team no. 1 when there is an objectively defensible case for that, as there seems to be for usc this year. But is it just me, our is Kiffin in serious contention to be the biggest douchebag in CFB? Not jerk, but douchebag, if you get my distinction. Without even going into all his pre-sc baggage, he just seems constantly to be a whiny little doucher. There was his crap about the reffing after Stanford's 3OT win and his 5-year-old son being able to count to 7. More recently there is his crass hypocrisy in decrying other coaches from poaching his players as the most difficult aspect of the NCAA sanctions keeping , only to the launch a very public media effort to woo and ultimately poach Silas Redd from PSU. This lie about his vote in the coaches' poll is only the latest. I admit I detest the guy, at least in part because he's sc. Anyone have a different opinion of him?

[Redrum]

Kiffin... simply... cannot...help... himself.  There's something in his character that makes [taking the shortcut,  shading the truth,  lying like he really believed he wouldn't get caught] some sort of compulsive behavior.  So on something basically innocuous,  he manages to make its discovery profoundly revealing.

[Redrum]

Kiffin... simply... cannot...help... himself.  There's something in his character that makes [taking the shortcut,  shading the truth,  lying like he really believed he wouldn't get caught] some sort of compulsive behavior.  So on something basically innocuous,  he manages to make its discovery profoundly revealing.

[FarmBoy]

Farm93, I focused more on the USA Today statements that they did it to "set the record straight to protect the poll's integrity."

If the integrity of the poll was important, than knowing if coaches dramatically changed their votes from one week to another in a pattern that is intended to game the system would be useful information.

I don't know all of the quotes or timing, but it sounds like Kiffin said he didn't know if he "would" vote for U.SC. If the voting hadn't been done yet, that statement isn't technically a lie. If he had already submitted his vote, then it would take a Bill Clinton level of logic bending to make this not a lie.

Also, I'm not arguing that UT shouldn't have been in the RB that year. But it seems hypocritical for USA Today to be moralistic about lies but not voters gaming the system.

[FarmBoy]

Farm93, I focused more on the USA Today statements that they did it to "set the record straight to protect the poll's integrity."

If the integrity of the poll was important, than knowing if coaches dramatically changed their votes from one week to another in a pattern that is intended to game the system would be useful information.

I don't know all of the quotes or timing, but it sounds like Kiffin said he didn't know if he "would" vote for U.SC. If the voting hadn't been done yet, that statement isn't technically a lie. If he had already submitted his vote, then it would take a Bill Clinton level of logic bending to make this not a lie.

Also, I'm not arguing that UT shouldn't have been in the RB that year. But it seems hypocritical for USA Today to be moralistic about lies but not voters gaming the system.

[jayasena]

Seems to me like someone at USA Today has an ax to grind against Kiffin. Sure, Kiffin's behavior is unethical but this is hardly the biggest threat to the poll's integrity. As others have said, there's a basis for a #1 vote for SC this year and it's a preseason poll that has no real value. I'm sure coaches routinely vote in far more erratic and and selfish ways during the season and that's much more damaging to the poll's integrity.

If USA Today is so concerned about the "integrity" of the poll, why don't they make the votes public in the first place. That would obviate the need to "set the record straight". This feels personal.

[jayasena]

Seems to me like someone at USA Today has an ax to grind against Kiffin. Sure, Kiffin's behavior is unethical but this is hardly the biggest threat to the poll's integrity. As others have said, there's a basis for a #1 vote for SC this year and it's a preseason poll that has no real value. I'm sure coaches routinely vote in far more erratic and and selfish ways during the season and that's much more damaging to the poll's integrity.

If USA Today is so concerned about the "integrity" of the poll, why don't they make the votes public in the first place. That would obviate the need to "set the record straight". This feels personal.

[washingtonismoney]

Kiffin on Poll-Gate:

"I don't really care," he said. "Really, it doesn't make any sense to me. The coaches I know, the good ones, they don't watch other games. They're trying to worry about their own team. But we vote on who's the best."

http://www.ocregister.com/sports/kiffin-...-redd.html

[washingtonismoney]

Kiffin on Poll-Gate:

"I don't really care," he said. "Really, it doesn't make any sense to me. The coaches I know, the good ones, they don't watch other games. They're trying to worry about their own team. But we vote on who's the best."

http://www.ocregister.com/sports/kiffin-...-redd.html

[Kathy]

Kiffin will no longer be voting in the poll -- at least, he says he won't.

http://tiny.cc/3oiziw

[Kathy]

Kiffin will no longer be voting in the poll -- at least, he says he won't.

http://tiny.cc/3oiziw