I really do feel kinda bad for Lane. I think he’s genuinely trying to do right

by everybody, but doesn’t know what that is. He’s the 1st coach to be in this exact situation, where all the new changes have put a lot of pressure on making a decision earlier than ever. Sure, it’s great to be wanted, to have leverage, to have 3 schools willing to make him the highest paid coach in college football (for now, anyway). It’s good to have options.

But sometimes, too many options can be a bad thing. I remember this show called “Brain Games” (not the old HBO one. “Brain Games…are…ooooover.”) This one came on the History Channel or something, and it explored human psychology, and why the brain does some of the things it does. Or why it makes us do some of the things we do (like buy large popcorns and cokes).

But one segment I remember was about ice cream flavors. They did a study and it showed that people tended to be less happy with their ice cream experience if they had gotten it from a place that had a ton of different flavors rather than a place that just had 2 or 3. Because instead of really enjoying the option we choose, we are more concerned with the “what if?” of the ones we didn’t.

Usually that’s subconscious, but I think Lane is probably very aware of it and is going back and forth due to the “what ifs” of making the wrong decision. Or maybe he’s convicted in taking the Florida or LSU jobs, but truly doesn’t want to hose/hurt his current players by having to leave them before a playoff run. He just never imagined he’d ever be in this position.

Whatever the case, he’s going to wind up with a great job at a great program, making a shite ton of money. I’m not going to be crying for him. But I still do feel bad for him, because I don’t think he’s playing games or stringing anybody along on purpose. I think he wants to do the right thing, but doesn’t know what that is, because nobody has navigated these particular waters yet. And there may not even be a “right” thing under these circumstances anyway.