Based on Internet rumors -- which we won’t repeat here because they have no basis in fact that we know of -- the following post could be a very big deal.
Based on what we know at this time, it’s really not. But we’ll hit on it anyway. Ya know, just in case.
Anyway, back in August, former Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin was involved in a single-car accident as he was heading home after a late night at the Volunteers football complex. At the time, he was driving a vehicle provided by an area Lexus dealer.
Kiffin claimed at the time that he had “nodded off... about a half mile from home” and proceeded to slip “off the side of the road into the ditch.” According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, neither the Knox County Sheriff’s Office nor the Tennessee Highway Patrol have a record of any wreck involving Kiffin in 2009.
Perhaps in response to the ‘net-generated speculation, the Lexus dealership issued a statement this afternoon addressing the incident.
“For the past 15 years, Lexus of Knoxville has been a proud sponsor of the Tennessee Fund and the coach’s vehicle program at the University of Tennessee for the men’s and women’s athletic programs,” the statement reads. “Former University of Tennessee head football coach Lane Kiffin was involved in a single car accident in one of our vehicles. The proper authorities were contacted and the vehicle was towed to our location. Coach Kiffin’s insurance was contacted and promptly paid the claim.
“We have no knowledge of any of the alleged facts surrounding the accident being reported on the Internet. Any further questions should be forwarded to Lane Kiffin at the University of Southern California.”
A university spokesman told the News Sentinel that no internal investigation into the accident was conducted because "[t]here was no reason for discipline to our knowledge.”
Why do I get the feeling that, based on how Kiffin left Knoxville, this isn’t the last we’ve heard of this story?
