Karma calls as Tennessee Titans file lawsuit against Kiffin, USC

Well, so much for the goodwill and positive press garnered by USC in the wake of the “retirement” of Mike Garrett as athletic director and the hiring of Pat Haden as his replacement.

As noted Saturday evening, Lane Kiffin hired Tennessee Titans running backs coach Kennedy Pola to become the Trojans’ newest offensive coordinator. Being this close to the season, Titans head coach and former USC standout Jeff Fisher did not appreciate the pilfering of his coaching staff, saying that he was “very disappointed in the lack of professionalism on Lane’s behalf.”

As an expression of said disappointment, the Titans have decided to sue Kiffin, Pola and his university.

According to The Tennessean, the Titans have filed a lawsuit in Davidson County Chancery Court alleging that Kiffin and USC “maliciously” interfered with Pola’s contract. Additionally, the NFL club is claiming that Pola breached his contract.

The lawsuit states “as a result of USC and Kiffin’s tortuous conduct, Tennessee (Titans) football has been damaged in an amount proven at trial.” ...

According to the lawsuit, “USC and Kiffin maliciously intended to - and did - induce Pola to breach his contract with the Titans.” The lawsuit alleges “USC and Kiffin engaged in improper means in their procedure of the breach and were not legally justified in their actions.” ...

Kiffin and USC’s actions through him were part of a course and pattern of conduct fostered by Kiffin and USC to use improper methods and means to the direct harm and damage of parties to contract, to interfere with an existing contract includes the breach thereof,’' the lawsuit reads.

And the hits -- literally -- just keep on coming for Kiffin & Company.

Financial damages the Titans may be seeking from USC were not identified in the suit and, as noted by the lawyerly Mike Florio of PFT, the club does not appear to be of a mindset to force Pola to remain with the Titans and honor his contract.

Regardless, this is yet another black eye in the three-year head-coaching career of a man who has won a grand total of 12 games -- or one win for roughly every five controversies he’s been embroiled in.