Count the Mad Hatter among the ND haters.
LSU Tigers coach Les Miles doesn’t think much of Gunner Kiel, who backed out of his commitment to the Indiana Hoosiers, in order to commit/later back out of committing to Miles’ Tigers in order to finally sign with Notre Dame.
It’s clear Miles is still bitter about it, and he took some shots at Kiel, and in the process, the Fighting Irish football program.
h/t Dr. Saturday
In an interview with CBSsports.com’s Dennis Dodd that was published Friday (hey, NO ONE has been online the past three days due to the holiday weekend, we’re all catching up now) Miles threw some really backhanded compliments at Kiel, who was rated the nation’s top incoming freshmen quarterback..
“I’m not bitter. I’m glad he stayed there. I really mean it. Here’s the truth: If you don’t have some swagger to you and you can step into this stadium and be able to know the advantage that you’re playing with the Tigers and you’re leading the program that has some real weight and clout, then you really need to stay home with your brothers.
“I don’t mean that [negatively]. I’m for him. He gets a chance to come in here and compete and start on a team that is a great team. I really meant what I said. I was talking more about the confidence and swagger. I was not demeaning. If he shows up, it means he has all those things.”
[ Video: Les Miles mocks Gunner Kiel’s ‘chest and ability to lead a program’ ]
So, Miles is doing the whole “not to __ ___, but I’m really ___ing ___” right now bit. He’s insulting Kiel and saying that he’s not at a big boy program, that he doesn’t have the stones to lead an actual big boy program- all the while saying it’s ok and giving him a compliment. The fact that Notre Dame is not nationally relevant anymore, certainly not as nationally relevant as LSU, is not news to anyone. Well, anyone outside of South Bend.
But Kiel, the Columbus, Indiana native probably made the right choice for himself. Even if he acted worse than Indianapolis native Eric “Basketball Judas” Gordon to get there. I guess it’s just coincidence that the two biggest examples of last minute recruiting defection were perpetrated by Hoosier state citizens.
But Miles still needs to get over it.
Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports
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