If Monte Kiffin has indeed decided to stay with the Bucs, then why are both Bruce Almighty and Kiffin playing games with the fourth estate?

Both Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune and Stephen Holder of the St. Petersburg Times are reporting that in Bruce Almighty’s news conference concerning the NFL’s hose job of Bucs fans, that Bruce Almighty confessed he knows where Monte Kiffin will be coaching next fall but won’t say where.

Instead, Bruce Almighty is deferring the announcement to Kiffin.

Holder quoted Bruce Almighty:

“This really has been addressed some time ago with Monte,” Allen said. “We feel very comfortable that we know what’s taking place. We’re going to let Monte make any comments he wants to and respect his views.”

This tells Joe that Kiffin is off to Knoxville to join his son Lane at the University of Tennessee. If Monte had decided he was staying in Tampa, why not just come out and admit it? What harm is there in that?

Joe understands why Kiffin would not want to announce his resignation from the Bucs, as not to create a distraction. Joe understands that. Smart move, in fact.

But by announcing he’s staying with the Bucs, it would quash all the rumors that he is leaving. It puts the story to rest and ends all speculation. Joe can’t figure out how such an announcement would in any way harm Lane Kiffin at Tennessee, unless, of course, it would be a lie.

Joe can only conclude that Monte Kiffin and Bruce Almighty playing coy is a sure sign Kiffin is off to Knoxville.