Lane Kiffin Can Kill a Dumb Narrative or Keep It Alive Forever on Saturday

What a week it’s been for Lane Kiffin. The Florida Atlantic coach has taken his role as a social media influencer very seriously. He’s trolled Nick Saban, explored North Korean photoshops, and corresponded with a petulant Erik Ainge.

He’s showing his personality and the media has largely celebrated him for it. And you know what? Good for him. We should all be so full of life.

But did you guys know that Kiffin has to coach a game tomorrow? A very big game pitting his Owls against North Texas for the Conference USA championship. Florida Atlantic is an 11.5-point favorite so perhaps Kiffin’s active social media week was fueled by rightful confidence.

Or perhaps Kiffin doesn’t fully grasp how monumental this game is — both for him, the program, and a very stupid narrative that’s gripped sports for far too long. If Florida Atlantic wins, it can help in the fight to shut down the incredibly silly idea that athletes and coaches must pretend to do nothing but eat, sleep, and dream about their sport 24/7. It will prove that sending a few tweets out has no impact on a football game — something most thinking people already understand.

If North Texas wins, the floodgates will once again open. Kiffin was too busy making memes to make a gameplan! Kiffin was too busy tweeting to practice a four-minute offense! Kiffin was more interested in 280 characters than 22 football players! It will be brutal.

No pressure, Lane. Hope you know what you’re doing.