1. Since I last left you on Wednesday, the sports world has been dominated by one man: Lane Kiffin. EVERYONE had Lane Kiffin takes. It was nonstop Lane Kiffin takes. The Lane Kiffin takes were endless. Some were good, some were bad, some were embarrassing.
One take in particular even got under Kiffin’s skin, although the kid who called him a name was totally vindicated.
Lane Kiffin confronts Ole Miss reporter after
— Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace_) November 28, 2025
“You wanna walk in here and call me a hoe? Well see how it goes”
Reporter @SpiritBen said earlier in week: “Can’t turn a hoe into a housewife. Hoes don’t act right” pic.twitter.com/px2nwWdHLf
But the person who stood out the most among those opining on Kiffin was ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt.
Van Pelt isn’t a hot take artist, so maybe that’s why his opinions carry more weight, but what I appreciate the most about the SportsCenter host is that he’s straightforward, blunt and real. You don’t get a sense that he’s trying to protect anyone or that he’s trying to sugarcoat things or that he’s trying to do a TV bit. He just says it like it is. And he's consistent.
Van Pelt gave us an appetizer on Sunday’s SVP Pod when he was completely incredulous that some suggested Kiffin be able to coach Ole Miss in the playoffs while being the head coach for LSU.
“I see folks talking like, he should be allowed to coach,” said Van Pelt. “I completely disagree with that. NO! If I’m Ole Miss, no. You’re going there? Get the f--- out! Go! What are you talking about, let him coach? He’s leaving. I’m gonna let him spend three more weeks or a month with these people that he could take with him? Get out. What are we talking about?
Van Pelt then said “Pick a lane, Lane,” and went into a great Chris Berman impression, so bonus points for that.
"If I'm Ole Miss, no. You're going there? Go!"
— SVPod (@_SVPod) November 30, 2025
Why Ole Miss shouldn't let Lane Kiffin still coach in the CFP ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/p1jEAXHL0L
Hours later on the Sunday night SportsCenter, during an interview with Rece Davis (who will be this week’s SI Media With Jimmy Traina guest) Van Pelt then tried to explain the Kiffin situation in a way everyone could understand.
“This is a divorce and the analogy I’d make is this: If you’re leaving me for one of our neighbors who I hate, but you tell me you want to stay through Christmas for the kids, I’m telling you to take your ass down the road and we’ll figure out Christmas with who’s here,” Van Pelt said. “I appreciate it, it’s a mature way to view it and maybe I’m being immature but dammit I am and I hold grudges and there’s no way in God’s green Earth that I’m letting him coach my team.”
Pretty good analogy from SVP last night https://t.co/dIpqyS6Vzv pic.twitter.com/LogE3mnzbY
— Jon Tweets Sports (@jontweetssports) December 1, 2025
As always, Van Pelt sums it up PERFECTLY.
2. Speaking of Van Pelt, he was a big topic on the latest SI Media With Jimmy Traina. In case you missed it over the holiday weekend, my guest on the latest episode is ESPN president Burke Magnus.
Van Pelt possibly moving to the 5 p.m. slot that used to be occupied by Around the Horn was just one of a slew of topics discussed on the show.
In addition, Magnus talked about fallout from the YouTubeTV-Disney carriage dispute, whether ESPN has a public relations problem and what the new deal with YouTubeTV means for cable companies.
Burke also shared his desire to get more episodes of Inside the NBA on ESPN in the future and how the partnership with Turner Sports for Inside the NBA is going.
Other topics discussed include Molly Qerin’s departure from the network, the various Pat McAfee and Stephen A. Smith controversies, Paul Finebaum possibly leaving ESPN for politics, whether Monday Night Football doubleheaders are dead, how the new partnership with the WWE is going and much more.
The podcast wrapped up with the weekly “Traina Thoughts” segment featuring Sal Licata from WFAN and SNY in New York.
This week, I gave out a couple of shout-outs to listeners before we discussed a couple of documentaries we watched, the cost of going to the movies and more.
You can listen to the SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast below or on Apple and Spotify.
You can listen to the SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast below or on Apple and Spotify.
3. My favorite broadcasting moment from the weekend was Mike Tirico paying homage to the great Marv Albert and using “REJECTED!” for the final call of the Broncos-Commanders game.
NIK BONITTO FOR THE WIN!
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) December 1, 2025
📺: @SNFonNBC | #ProBowlVote pic.twitter.com/ZdjLpM7lMq
Tirico also had a very strong call on Treylon Burks’s insane touchdown.
TREYLON BURKS WHAT THE
— NFL (@NFL) December 1, 2025
DENvsWAS on NBC
Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/HJHF3GYt5n
4. Speaking of strong, Troy Aikman showed why he’s the best in the business by immediately telling viewers that the hit from Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss on Giants quarterback Jaxon Dart last night was a legal hit. Aikman didn’t need replay, didn’t hedge or hem and haw. He called it right away and was correct.
Players had to be separated after Patriots LB Christian Elliss hit Jaxson Dart along the sideline. pic.twitter.com/wZPTVasGSw
— ESPN (@espn) December 2, 2025
5. I don’t know why it took more than a day for NBC or Rodney Harrison to comment on the bizarre situation that took place on Sunday night since Harrison is fine, but the former Patriot finally spoke out on Tuesday morning.
@SNFonNBC needs to check on Rodney Harrison! He doesn't seem to be feeling well! It looks like he was close to passing out! pic.twitter.com/L00bZKlJc2
— Br0nc0z (@BBroNNcoSS) December 1, 2025
Harrison told MassLive, “I was exhausted working on a few hours of sleep watching my son play Saturday night. I had three hours of sleep on Sunday and had to work all day. I was suffering from exhaustion. But I’m good.”
6. J.J. Watt ate an obscene amount of food on Thanksgiving.
7 RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY
Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Google. You can also follow Jimmy on X and Instagram.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Scott Van Pelt Was the Clear Winner in the Lane Kiffin Take-a-Thon.
