Jim Souhan: Bash Lane Kiffin if you like, but what did he really do wrong? Lane Kiffin is getting bashed all over the country. Dislike him if you want, but I believe that if the contract you signed is not binding, then you are entitled to seek the best deal for you and your family. USC is a better job, at least for Kiffin, than Tennessee. It's a better football program in a better location with less competition and a better recruiting base. He doesn't have to face Urban Meyer and Nick Saban. And the fan base won't threaten bodily harm if he decides to leave. These are two-way relationships: Coaches get fired all the time, even when they're ethical. So they are entitled to cut the best deal possible, and for Kiffin, USC is a much better deal. The only part of these stories that bothers me is that recruits are the only people who can't cut their own deal. I believe scholarship athletes should be as free as everyone else in America. They should be able to leave without penalty at any time, just like an employee. Why should a commitment made by an 18-year-old be binding if commitments made by adults and professionals are not?
Souhan on Sports: www.startribune.com/sports
