Neo
09-21-2006, 07:05 AM
Story from an airport passenger: “Spurrier was in town for the anniversary of his ACC championship at Duke and after the game he came straight to the airport. He ended up taking the bar stool next to me, ordered a beer and asked "What’s happened so far today?" At this point, my brain registered that the “Visored One” himself was trying to catch up on the scores, so we gave him a quick rundown. Auburn vs. Alabama was the main game on TV at the moment, and we spent the next two hours listening to him break down each of the plays on a level that I had never even considered. I learned more about football in that two hour period than I have in any other setting. Spurrier was basically what you'd expect - down to earth, friendly, and funny as hell. He signed some random autographs for people and was poking fun at the waitress for asking for his ID to drink. All in all, one of the more entertaining brushes with fame one can have. He refused to talk about where he was headed next, though at that point it was pretty obvious (South Carolina).”
When columnist Ron Morris of The State asked Spurrier if he had been asked for his input on an investigation, Spurrier let it loose, saying that he wasn't an investigator and probably would never be one. "I'm also not going to be at a fraternity house breaking up fights either.”
In 1966, the Gators were in a tight game with Auburn. In the final minutes, Spurrier led the offense down the field into position for a field goal to win the game. Spurrier - a quarterback, not a kicker - told coach Ray Graves that he would kick the 40-yard field goal himself. Unbelievably, Spurrier's arrogance paid off and he nailed the game-winning kick against the Tigers.
In 05 Florida had been pulling for Auburn to beat Georgia to reach the SEC Championship, but after South Carolina beat Florida, Spurrier said “The headline in the Florida paper should read, ’Guess who's pulling for Auburn now’.” (After beating Florida, an Auburn win over Georgia meant South Carolina was mathematically alive for the SEC East title. If the Gators had won they would have gone to Atlanta.)
Q: What's the difference between God and Steve Spurrier?
A: God doesn't think he's Steve Spurrier.
Sportswriter Buddy Martin, an old friend of Spurrier's who co-wrote his autobiography, tells that story. He tells another, too. Martin used to play dollar poker with Spurrier, and once, in a game many years ago, Martin lost all his money in a few quick hands. "Loan me twenty, and I'll pay you back," he said. Spurrier said, "No."
"Why not?" Martin said, incredulously.
"Because the purpose of the game is to get you out," Spurrier said
After a blowout win over Kentucky in 1996: "These sort of games don't prove very much. All it proves is we're better then Kentucky."
When asked if he was surprised at a dismal crowd at Vanderbilt in 1998: "Surprised? It's Vandy. There must have been something good on TV."
When asked by reporters why he went for a last second passing touchdown in Athens against Georgia while the Gators had a huge lead: "Because no visiting team has ever scored 50 points in this stadium and we wanted to be the first."
After Florida blew out LSU in 1996 after only scoring only 28 points against the Tigers in 1995 and knowing that LSU's defensive coordinator sent the 1995 game tape to the Nebraska Cornhuskers before the Fiesta Bowl disaster the year earlier: "Hopefully LSU's defensive coordinator won't be giving clinics on stopping the Gators next year."
After Kentucky tried several onside kicks in Florida's 1997 win: "If I had a defense like Hal Mumme has, I would be trying them on every kickoff."
On Tennessee's 1998 success: "If you play close games, you're not going to win them all. Miracles will not continue forever. Somebody asked me if Tennessee could go 13-0 again and I said, 'If some miracles keep happening for them, sure.' But you can't rely on miracles."
When asked about how he felt being in "Big Orange" country by Tennessee reporters, Spurrier replied: "I thought this was Vanderbilt country."
After the 1996 game against Arkansas when Florida won 47-7, when jogging off the field a angry Arkansas fan shouted, "Run it up some more! You've go no class Spurrier!" Spurrier shouted back: "We love it when you accuse us of that."
At halftime Spurrier was asked if the new Tenn. Stadium was the loudest place he had ever played in. He said, "It was really loud, possibly louder than the swamp, then the game started.”
Gator QB Doug Johnson threw 5 TD's one game (in a blowout) and then he threw an interception in the 3rd Quarter. The game wasn't in doubt, so we all thought, no bid deal. However, when he came off the field Spurrier grabbed Doug and said apologetically. "I'm sorry Doug, it's my fault.... I recruited you." Thought I might acutally die laughing..
Coach Superior was asked in 1993 why he wouldn't play Notre Dame. "Well," he replied, "I've been beaten by the Father and the Son, and I'm not taking any chances on the Holy Ghost!"
When columnist Ron Morris of The State asked Spurrier if he had been asked for his input on an investigation, Spurrier let it loose, saying that he wasn't an investigator and probably would never be one. "I'm also not going to be at a fraternity house breaking up fights either.”
In 1966, the Gators were in a tight game with Auburn. In the final minutes, Spurrier led the offense down the field into position for a field goal to win the game. Spurrier - a quarterback, not a kicker - told coach Ray Graves that he would kick the 40-yard field goal himself. Unbelievably, Spurrier's arrogance paid off and he nailed the game-winning kick against the Tigers.
In 05 Florida had been pulling for Auburn to beat Georgia to reach the SEC Championship, but after South Carolina beat Florida, Spurrier said “The headline in the Florida paper should read, ’Guess who's pulling for Auburn now’.” (After beating Florida, an Auburn win over Georgia meant South Carolina was mathematically alive for the SEC East title. If the Gators had won they would have gone to Atlanta.)
Q: What's the difference between God and Steve Spurrier?
A: God doesn't think he's Steve Spurrier.
Sportswriter Buddy Martin, an old friend of Spurrier's who co-wrote his autobiography, tells that story. He tells another, too. Martin used to play dollar poker with Spurrier, and once, in a game many years ago, Martin lost all his money in a few quick hands. "Loan me twenty, and I'll pay you back," he said. Spurrier said, "No."
"Why not?" Martin said, incredulously.
"Because the purpose of the game is to get you out," Spurrier said
After a blowout win over Kentucky in 1996: "These sort of games don't prove very much. All it proves is we're better then Kentucky."
When asked if he was surprised at a dismal crowd at Vanderbilt in 1998: "Surprised? It's Vandy. There must have been something good on TV."
When asked by reporters why he went for a last second passing touchdown in Athens against Georgia while the Gators had a huge lead: "Because no visiting team has ever scored 50 points in this stadium and we wanted to be the first."
After Florida blew out LSU in 1996 after only scoring only 28 points against the Tigers in 1995 and knowing that LSU's defensive coordinator sent the 1995 game tape to the Nebraska Cornhuskers before the Fiesta Bowl disaster the year earlier: "Hopefully LSU's defensive coordinator won't be giving clinics on stopping the Gators next year."
After Kentucky tried several onside kicks in Florida's 1997 win: "If I had a defense like Hal Mumme has, I would be trying them on every kickoff."
On Tennessee's 1998 success: "If you play close games, you're not going to win them all. Miracles will not continue forever. Somebody asked me if Tennessee could go 13-0 again and I said, 'If some miracles keep happening for them, sure.' But you can't rely on miracles."
When asked about how he felt being in "Big Orange" country by Tennessee reporters, Spurrier replied: "I thought this was Vanderbilt country."
After the 1996 game against Arkansas when Florida won 47-7, when jogging off the field a angry Arkansas fan shouted, "Run it up some more! You've go no class Spurrier!" Spurrier shouted back: "We love it when you accuse us of that."
At halftime Spurrier was asked if the new Tenn. Stadium was the loudest place he had ever played in. He said, "It was really loud, possibly louder than the swamp, then the game started.”
Gator QB Doug Johnson threw 5 TD's one game (in a blowout) and then he threw an interception in the 3rd Quarter. The game wasn't in doubt, so we all thought, no bid deal. However, when he came off the field Spurrier grabbed Doug and said apologetically. "I'm sorry Doug, it's my fault.... I recruited you." Thought I might acutally die laughing..
Coach Superior was asked in 1993 why he wouldn't play Notre Dame. "Well," he replied, "I've been beaten by the Father and the Son, and I'm not taking any chances on the Holy Ghost!"