Kiffen's thing (from my observation of coaches at most Rabid-Crazy-Fan Universities) isn't childish whining. He's playing politics. And it's a win for him. He lost three games and knows damm well that he shouldn't be in, but he's winning with the crazy fans, the football donors, and even his athletes by sticking it at the Committee. He doesn't give a shit about what IE thinks, just "playing to his political base".
[doesn't make me a Kiffen fan; but this isn't random behavior. Fortunately the Committee knows what this is too. But they STILL will hold it against him since it IS more serious to their work than childish behavior is. --- BIG games of money and politics are being played here, not childish sandbox mud throwing.]