A new kind of truth

I want the truth, not truthiness. \nThe Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines "truthiness" as the truth that comes from the gut, not books. Truthiness, the 2006 Word of the Year, is the truth with a twist. Where once Americans used the phrase "stretching the truth," we now say "truthiness." To be fair, truthiness has been around long before Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert introduced it on his show in October 2005. More notably, truthiness relates more so to political pontifications. \n"I did not have sexual relations with that woman." Truthiness.\n"I am not a crook." Truthiness.\nIraq 2003: "Mission Accomplished." Forget truthiness. That's delusional. \nBut in the world of sports, especially across the country of college recruiting, truthiness comes with the character. \nAt first, the character is a door-to-door salesman disguised as a country-bumpkin collegiate coach whose priority is that particular family's son. In that moment, the coach croons lullabies of loyalty as lies leave through the spaces of his teeth. These coaches aren't looking for relationships; they are searching for a ringer who can gift wrap a big-bowl payout appropriately around Christmastime. \nBut one former college coach rang in the New Year tainted in truthiness. \nFormer Miami Dolphins head coach Nick Saban masked the truth in regard to his future with this statement: \n"I'm not going to be the Alabama coach."\nA week later Saban snuck from South Beach under the cover of darkness, accepting an eight-year, $32 million deal to coach the Crimson Tide. \nIn the interest of full disclosure, I am a devout Dolphins fan. Since I can remember watching football, the colors aqua and orange have pumped through my bloodstream. Saban's decision to leave Miami sliced me open and bled me dry. I came to with the bitter taste of truthiness in my mouth.\nSaban's decision is unusual because he left college football and the Louisiana State Tigers and upgraded to a head coach in the NFL. Soon Saban slipped out of his contract and splashed back into the warm waters of the Southeastern Conference and into a new era of Alabama football. \nLast season, Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino signed a 10-year, $25 million contract, insisting that the university is "where I want to be." On Sunday he packed his bags for the NFL -- the new head coach of the Atlanta Falcons -- and a five-year, $24 million deal. \nThen again, what are these coaches suppose to say to their teams? If they mention their flights, they'll lose their players' fights and possibly the multiple job offers. Instead they do as nature has taught us. They serve up lies that would make Benedict Arnold seem like an ardent patriot and paddle the pond to another profession. \nSaban surrendered, Petrino found greener pastures and the hierarchy of hiring coaches has been turned upside down. But lying inside these Wally Lowman lowlifes are the beating hearts of liars. \nOf course, in 2006 we don't call them lies. They're acts of truthiness.