MIRAMAR BEACH, FL – I think the friendship between coach Pete Golding and Lane Kiffin will survive a few hiccups in the media, even if one of them continues spouting off about the other.
The ongoing circus around the former Rebels head coach seemed to hit a tipping point for Ole Miss fans in recent weeks, thanks to an article written by Vanity Fair that tying in past racial issues to why some recruits did not want to live in Oxford.
Clearly, as you’ve seen, for the comments, even if he’s tried his hardest to clear the air that came in the weeks that followed.
And while it would be easy for Pete Golding to brush Kiffin off to the side for his antics, sometimes friendship goes just deep enough that some comments can be shown grace.
If Clemson feels as though they have the Rebels by the throat in terms of tampering with one of their former players, Pete Golding might just have more, according to multiple sources.
And, I’m not referring to the case Dabo Swinney made against Ole Miss over two months ago about tampering with LB Luke Fornelli, who at first transferred to Clemson from Cal. He would ultimately wind up at Ole Miss, after Dabo Swinney accused Ole Miss of tampering to land him.
In reality, Pete Golding has enough proof of tampering from the transition of Kiffin to himself that it would make the NCAA feel as though they were taking crazy pills.
So, the problem for the NCAA is that if they want to come after Pete Golding, they also understand that Ole Miss is ready to start naming others who have also dabbled in some of that good ole tampering.
But in the eyes of Pete Golding, there’s a difference between the professional Kiffin and the personal one, though that doesnt mean the Rebels head coach won’t get on Lane’s rear end for what he may perceive to be stupid comments.
“I really dont have a response to it. Obviously theres a Lane side for us where were buddies and friends, then theres a professional side that I have to get on his ass a little sometimes,” Golding said on Wednesday. “I think every time he gets in front of a camera, theyre bringing up Ole Miss. The break up wasn’t perfect and never will be.Â
“But for some of the last comments he made, anybody thats been in Oxford knows thats where were not at right now. Ive lived all over the southeast, we all got our own issues, you know. I think the biggest thing is people come to Oxford, and see it for themselves”
As for Lane mentioning that Ole Miss might have had a chance to win a national championship if the Rebels administration wouldve allowed him to stay with the team after accepting the LSU job, even Pete Golding thinks that is a bit far-fetched.
“I dont think youll find any coach who will say they were better off with me not being there, you wont hear any football coach saying that,” Golding said with a laugh. “No, i dont think that had any impact on not winning the game against Miami.”
In what felt like back-to-back pieces attacking the Ole Miss program, the Rebels found themselves on the back end of multiple stories that did not exactly provide them the best type of public relations.
First, it was the Vanity Fair piece involving Lane Kiffin. Then, though it was done weeks prior, an was released in which the Texas head coach tried to use Ole Miss as a punching bag while discussing the Longhorns academic standards.
You remember, right? Does basket-weaving. ring a bell?
Well, Pete Golding was once again not taking things too seriously, this time while discussing the comments from Steve Sarkisian.
“Its a hard thing to do. You ever tried it? I haven’t,” Golding said of basketweaving. “Obviously from an academic standpoint, I dont have to sit up here and talk about what Ole Miss does. I think that was a little out of context. Sarkisian hit me up right after that happened. It was a month prior, then the timing of it kinda piggybacked the other. But, no, I’m n
