Free Republic

It may be a rivalry on the field, but there’s a commonality to the Egg Bowl off of it. Especially when it comes to its state flag. In the midst of the tumult across the nation, the calls have been growing louder for the state of Mississippi to replace its stars-and-bars-emblazoned flag. The NCAA extended its ban on holding sponsored events in the state until the flag is changed. The SEC also announced that it would no longer hold conference sponsored championships or tournaments in the state. Conference USA joined the SEC Monday in taking the same stance.

The disastrous Lane Kiffin Era has been officially recognized by the NCAA. It doesn't appear Hurricane Lane will be causing much more damage at Tennessee though. The Vols finally received their long-anticipated Notice of Allegations on Tuesday, and when released publicly for the first time by the athletic department on Wednesday, the broken rules all had a similar theme. The 16 impermissible phone calls, impermissible contact with recruits and the use of an intern to make contact with a high school staff all happened under Kiffin's watch - and the NCAA specifically targeted him with charges of failure to monitor...

KNOXVILLE - A Kingston gun shop that planned to host a bobble-head shooting day based on ex-Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin's abrupt departure last year, has changed up Saturday's fundraiser. Instead of shooting bobbleheads of Kiffin and his father, University of Southern California defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, Frontier Firearms on Gallagher Road plans to adopt them out. "For a $5 donation, bobble-head lovers may take home their very own Monte or Lane Kiffin bobble-head doll to love and nurture as they see fit," . . .

Oakland is way too modest. There should be billboards alongside the freeway at the city limits: "Welcome to the birthplace of the Lane Kiffin legend!" Don't let the world forget that it was Oakland, and Raiders' boss Al Davis, that launched this great coach to stardom. Kiffin, currently the football coach at USC, recently recruited a seventh-grade quarterback. What a surprise! I wasn't aware USC had 13-year-old recruiting hostesses. This was the first letter-of-intent signed in crayon. Now USC faces a possible NCAA investigation into the recruiting of young David Sills, in the wake of reports that the Tooth Fairy...

ESPN's Chris Mortensen is reporting that Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis has asked coach Lane Kiffin to resign. According to Mortensen, Davis sent Kiffin a letter in which he asked Kiffin to step down. In fact, Davis actually provided Kiffin with a resignation letter that he wanted Kiffin to sign and return to the team. Davis and Kiffin have butted heads almost from the beginning of Kiffin's tenure as head coach, particularly over Kiffin's staff of assistants. Most notably, Kiffin wanted to fire defensive coordinator Rob Ryan after this season and Davis refused.