Full? Of carbs not football I assume. What an absolutely abysmal Sunday of NFL action after the League front-loaded Primetime on Thursday/Friday. I guess that’s okay. I guess we can’t have wall to wall thrillers.

Dylan Cease signed for $210m/7yrs with the Toronto Blue Jays. Remember the Jays being underdogs? NOT SO FAST. Toronto has chased every inner-circle free agent starting with Shohei himself, and they’ve finally landed one. Cease combined with Vlad Jr. means the Jays are signed up to shell out guaranteed $710m in salaries. The Jays, Toronto Raptors, and Maple Leafs are all one way or another owned by Rogers Communications (Canadian Telecom). Forgetting the corporate ownership, Toronto is in my mind the only city with its three top teams owned by one group. As the Dodgers and Lakers fall under the ownership of Mark Walter, I’m watching what happens when a city’s sports are absorbed by one entity. Does payroll grow? How are resources allocated within the portfolio and does infighting leak out? Where the synergies at? Can Shohei play 2-guard? I don’t know. It’s probably nothing, but since I’m not a massive Maple Leafs fan, I might as well find corporate ownership narratives to keep me invested.

Lane, Lane, Lane… is the name irritating or the person? Or both! I’m largely positionless on Lane Kiffin, so let’s try measure his decision to leave Ole Miss for LSU as objectively as possible. I’m going to list a series of Truths, and since this is 2025, you can join some Tribe of people in agreement on what Lane should’ve done.

Truth #1: Lane Kiffin had maximum leverage.

LSU’s job opening is a dream, but the position becoming available when conference rival Florida was also looking for a coach put Kiffin in the best spot possible. Kiffin’s bidding war had three parties equally desperate for his services, and his agent did an amazing job playing all three off each other.

Truth #2: Lane Kiffin could’ve waited until after the season to make his choice.

It’s true - I promise. Look at Florida’s pivot. After learning the Lane Train wasn’t rolling into their station, the Gators hired Tulane’s Jon Sumrall. Sumrall’s been a head coach for 4 total seasons. 4! Would Florida have waited until January to make a hire? Absolutely. Why? Because Jon Sumrall would have been 100% available still.

Ole Miss AD Keith Carter imposed a Sunday deadline for Lane to name his next school. Carter insisted (for obvious reasons) that Kiffin wouldn’t coach the team through the Playoffs if Lane was leaving. Carter didn’t want Kiffin recruiting players (and coaches) to his next stop, and as such, imposed the one piece of PR leverage he thought he had. Lane should’ve ignored this. See point above. If the sun came up Monday in Oxford, Mississippi and Lane hadn’t changed colors, what would Carter have done? Fired him? Fired a standing coach just as the playoffs were beginning. Please. Hold my sweet tea.

Truth #3: Lane Kiffin was leaving the whole time.

LSU is such a titanically larger stage than Ole Miss that the Rebels never stood a chance in retaining Kiffin’s services. LSU won a title as recently as 2019. Nick Saban is a former LSU coach. Following traditional west to east weather patterns, college football’s storm starts on the Bayou before heading across the South. Saturday’s in Death Valley are a world apart from almost anywhere else. If Kiffin can pull a half-Saban in Louisiana, he’ll be considered one of the sport’s greatest coaches.

So did Lane mess up in any way? Oh yeah, a brisk “I don’t know where I’m coaching in 2026 and I won’t decide until then” would’ve let him chase a National Title, and walk to LSU in January. Instead, we were treated to daily leaked reports about which way he was leaning and ultimately had to see him bail mid-season. Perhaps Kiffin was so scared of the LSU job closing that he felt compelled to interview, negotiate, play the media, send delegates to the Bayou, etc… all while shepherding his team to an 11-1 record. All the off-field activities were a disaster and leaving his team high and dry is the ultimate dry turkey flavor in your mouth.

Truth #4: You don’t need to choose a side.

We 100% should not confuse our personal ethics with another person’s employment decision even if the scenario presents intriguing moral components. If deep down you think Lane BIG BUSINESSED his way to $100m (ish), then you’re right. If you think Lane sold out a group of 21yr old kids, you’re right! As I get down to this point in the article, you know what you should feel good about? All the kids are getting paid. How high and dry are any of the Ole Miss players if they’re pulling down millions of dollars and have the option to go earn that paper at any other school. You know who is high and dry though? The fans. Ole Miss will see a wave of transfers, and perhaps witness considerable hold-outs from players the rest of the season. Why should any of these guys play if LSU is also their next stop. If there’s any side to choose in all of this, it’s that college football is wickedly broken for the moment, and this whole Kiffin saga proves it.