Titans are Suing USC

Discussion in 'Tennessee Titans and NFL Talk' started by Chapparal97, Jul 26, 2010.

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  1. Beaudreaux

    Beaudreaux Starter

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    lawlz!

    http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/07/27/lane-kiffin-says-he-was-surprised-by-titans-lawsuit/



    Lane Kiffin says he was surprised by Titans lawsuit
    Posted by Mike Florio on July 27, 2010 10:17 PM ET
    USC coach Lane Kiffin says he was surprised by the Tennessee Titans' decision to sue Kiffin and the Trojans for pilfering running backs coach Kennedy Pola.

    John Taylor of CFT has the details.

    As best we understand Kiffin's position, he was taken aback by being sued for interfering with Tennessee's contractual rights as to Pola because Kiffin routinely has interfered with the contractual rights of other football programs.

    We don't care what happens to Kiffin at USC because college football isn't our thing, but we hope no NFL team ever gives this guy another chance as a head coach or as an assistant.

    And we hope he doesn't win his grievance against the Raiders, which at last word was still not resolved.

    Finally, at what point does Kiffin's father, long-time NFL assistant Monte, get called out by the media for allowing Lane to act this way?
     
  2. Beaudreaux

    Beaudreaux Starter

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    http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/07/27/titans-lawsuit-catches-kiffin-by-surprise/


    Titans lawsuit catches Kiffin by surprise
    Posted by John Taylor on July 27, 2010 10:01 PM ET
    A day after being slapped with a lawsuit, Lane Kiffin is having a hard time wrapping his head around the fact that he's being sued.


    On Monday, the Tennessee Titans filed suit against Kiffin, USC and new Trojans offensive coordinator Kennedy Pola, claiming the coach and the school "maliciously interfered" with Pola's Titans' contract, and that Pola breached his contract by ditching his job as the NFL club's running backs coach for the position on Kiffin's staff.


    While attending the Pac-10's East Coast media day, Kiffin said he was shocked, shocked I say, over the suit.


    "[Pola's hiring] was done no differently than any we did at SC or Tennessee," Kiffin said according to the Orange County Register. "I didn't anticipate this. No one would."


    Titans head coach Jeff Fisher ripped Kiffin following the hiring this weekend, saying he was "very disappointed in the lack of professionalism on Lane's behalf." Pola painted a different picture of his former boss' reaction to the move.


    "[Fisher] was excited for me about the opportunity to come back and help USC," Pola told a Los Angeles radio show.


    I don't know why, but I'm really rooting for the two sides to be unable to reach a settlement and forcing it to go to a jury trial. Wait a minute, yes I do know why -- Kiffin on a witness stand would be freaking awesome.
     
  3. Gunny

    Gunny Shoutbox Fuhrer

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    He shouldn't. Lane is old enough to make his own choices.
     
  4. jdog

    jdog I like beer!

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    Great idea.... wait you said stamp. I misread the post I thought it read "rubber over his head".
    It would make a good Trojan commercial and I am not referring to the team.
     
  5. HALL97ROX

    HALL97ROX Camp Fodder

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    I am not a lawyer, but why would Jeff have to testify? He did not write the contract. The lawsuit is between USC, Kiffen and the Titans. The only testimony I could think Jeff would be able to give would be "Yeah, I wanted to hire him so I told Steve to do the contract".
     
  6. PhiSlammaJamma

    PhiSlammaJamma Critical Possession

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    Kiffen gave Jeff a timeline on the phone. I think that would mean testifying. It may have been a huge mistake by Kiffen to do that, depending of what he said. The lawsuit seemed to gain steam after the call.
     
  7. Riverman

    Riverman That may be.... Tip Jar Donor

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    I'm no attorney either but this is my understanding of the way civil suits work. There is a phase where both sides gather information (discovery) to present at the trial. That includes deposing many key persons who have pertinent knowledge or allegations. Fisher will definitely be deposed with his role as coach, his comments to the media and conversations with Kiffin and Pola, and possibly some element referencing his own lengthy experience in the NFL. I imagine some of the other assistant coaches would/could be deposed at well.

    Both sides have the option to call the person offering deposed testimony to the stand during the trial. This is often done to persuade the jury in their favor. Many times attorneys attempt to have a person contradict their deposed statements at the time of the trial to make the jury doubt their credibility.

    According to the source I posted earlier, the prediction was this thing would take months (not years like somebody suggested) and there is very little monetary gain for Titans. We have to be able to prove damages before any money is awarded. This isn't like a traffic citation or an imposable fine- it requires hard proof to persuade the judge/jury that actual fiscal damages did occur.

    It has been my experience that nobody ever REALLY comes out feeling like a winner in a civil trial. There is a tremendous amount of time, money and energy spent attempting to seek an outcome and unless it involves mega-bucks (which experts state this case doesn't), then both sides leave the trial unsatisfied.

    I understand everybody hates Kiffin- the guy is a pretty boy douchebag. I understand UT fans feel like he one-nighted their sister and want to see him punished in some way for what he has done to UT as well as the Titans. It's just my opinion that this case is a bit ridiculous. The premise of proving that Kiffin, much less USC had malicious intent toward the Titans by disregarding what Fisher stated in the media was "courtesy" and making an offer to Pola is unlikely to be proven to have caused fiscal damage to the organization.

    The case comes off to me as a pointless chest thumping PR move weakly veiled under the guise of "dissuading" other coaches from not following "protocol" when looking to hire somebody on the Titans staff. I still contend this whole affair could have been avoided with better research on Fisher's part regarding Pola and better communication with Pola about what his own contract entailed regarding "permission" to engage in discussions regarding other employment opportunities. Let's not forget it was Fisher who fired Ernest Byner to go get Pola. He shouldn't get a pass on that mistake.
     
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  8. jdog

    jdog I like beer!

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    You are pretty much on the money as far as your description of the process of "discovery" which can be expensive and lenghty and witness are eventually requested or subpoenaed to testify at trial as part of proof if a suit actually goes to trial.
    I would suspect this one will end up in mediation, either voluntary or court ordered.
    It would be interesting to see who might be called to give expert testimony.... Coach Cowher?

    An additional thought is concerining jurisdiction. If Kiffin is deposed he will probably have to come to Tennessee to do.
    What a homecoming that would be.
     
  9. World Peace

    World Peace Nephew Gunner

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