Spurrier owes Cooper an apology....

[AceLeroy]

To call out an asst. that HE hired was just wrong.

Spur wouldn't appreciate being done the same way. He hired Cooper and part of the HC's job is to answer to the media.

Calling out Cooper in public like Spur did was just unproffesional.

No excuse for being that anal.

[gmcck4life]

Anal or not he gets results. Maybe your head coach should call a few of his coaches out.Do I think what he did was right? No, but i have never coached a college football game either. Maybe he feels if he starts holding these guys (including players because he called a few of them out also) accountable he may get some results.

[timNem]

what exactly happened?

[gmcck4life]

During the press conference the media was asking Spurrier about the defense. Spurrier said i would like to know myself so lets call him in here and you can ask him. Spurrier sent the HC assistant and brought Cooper in front of the media. The media and Spurrier then asked him what defense they were in when the big plays happened and what happened that caused the big plays then left Cooper to answer the questions.

[OmahaBound]

To call out an asst. that HE hired was just wrong.

Spur wouldn't appreciate being done the same way. He hired Cooper and part of the HC's job is to answer to the media.

Calling out Cooper in public like Spur did was just unproffesional.

No excuse for being that anal.

Neo and WB would know better than I, but I have always had the feeling that SOS doesn't 100% trust Cooper's capabilities. Cooper is one of the very few holdovers from the Holtz years (Spurrier didn't bring him here, Ace) and he seems to be shifting jobs frequently for the Cocks. If I'm right that would explain why he would blow up even more on Cooper when his guys screw up. However, I do agree that purposely embarassing the guy was inappropriate at best. Spurrier hasn't publicly apologized or anything, but he did say today that he was 'maybe a little too upset' after the game so I think even he thinks he went a little too far calling out Coop like that.

Cooper deserved to be yelled at and questioned for his players performance last night, but not in front of the cameras.

[Gamecocks4Ever]

Well the first play on the last drive, it didn't look like our guys were even on the field when UK snapped the ball. There was really no excuse for that if they knew we were just going to run a play on 4th down. They should have been ready. I don't want to point the finger, but it seems that'd be more on Nix than Cooper, unless he was holding the secondary up to give last minute instruction or something.

[Williams-Brice]

To call out an asst. that HE hired was just wrong.

Spur wouldn't appreciate being done the same way. He hired Cooper and part of the HC's job is to answer to the media.

Calling out Cooper in public like Spur did was just unproffesional.

No excuse for being that anal.

First, Spurrier didn't hire Cooper. Second, I'd want some questions answered, too. Cooper's secondary is CONSTANTLY out of position. Someone ALWAYS blows their coverage. Tons of Carolina fans have gone on and on about how great our secondary is. Well, during all of that hype, I kept my mouth shut because I've known from day one that this secondary is the most overrated unit on our team. Bennett is just flat out overrated. Carlos Thomas just flat out sucks. Our safeties are constantly out of position. All of those players fall under Cooper's watch.

I'm not going to bust on anyone for screwing up. Has anyone on this board aced every test they've ever taken? In the same sense, we can't expect our players to be perfect all the time. However, we can expect them to be sharp and to not look lost on the field. They looked lost at the end of the game, and the guys who looked the worst were in the secondary. Cooper deserved to be called out because his secondary has looked BAD all season. Cooper deserved to be called out.

I'm willing to bet Cooper isn't one of Spurrier's favorites. He was formerly the special teams coordinator and the interim recruiting coordinator. He no longer holds either position. The guy gets demoted just about as often as Brad Scott. He can't recruit, and he better get his secondary together. If he doesn't, then Spurrier won't be calling him out anymore; he'll be telling him to get his resume ready.

[Chivas]

Spurrier once again shows what a class act he is...

[scunyon]

Spurrier once again shows what a class act he is...

Spurrier wants to win and win big. But he is right in a sense that there seems to be a stigma that USC can't put teams under the bus, so to speak. As was correctly noted, SOS likes to spread the field with the pass, chew up yards and clock with the rush, get a 3 TD cushion and just rub it in t show that you are an inferior team.

That being said, we have to develop and maintain a positive, superior attitude going into the game in order to lay the smack down and come off the field with a big "W" regardless of who the opponent is.

Right now, SOS IMHO, is questioning some of the decisions that he made with hiring and personnel moves (ie BM and CRC) because they seem to be the ones that have bitten him in the arse. Maybe he is kicking himself for putting SN as the starting QB from the start of the season, given our glaring deficiencies on the OL.

He gets paid big bucks to get results on the field and it seems as if some of his AC are not on that page with him. As an armchair coach, we should've kept blitzing on UK's last possession because we stayed in their backfield the whole game. I agree with WB in some regards that CT looks lost and not that I think that FB is overrated, but there is no one else in our secondary to compare/contrast him to. I believe that CT feels like his speed will help him recover when he gets burned, but too many times I have seen him have to get help from FB, EC and/or CM to prevent a big play.

It's going to be a rough two weeks before the Vandy game for our guys. I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see them have a full scrimmage under the lights at WB Saturday night.

[Bongo]

You hit the nail on the head Scunyon. This is business, it ain't about feeling good. Head Coaches in big programs don't get paid over a million a year for being nice guys. They are expected to win. Period. Asst Coaches make pretty good money too compared to what they would make in the "regular" world, so they too should perform. So, does Spurs sound like an a@* sometimes ? you bet he does. But how may CEO's of successful companies have you ever REALLY seen that were not either the same way or have someone that does these deeds for them.

Spurrier is just doing what no one else wants to do. The hard and sometimes unpleasant work of changing a program that had been medicore at best for a 100 years. If you don't want to watch, turn your head ( and ears ) but don't complain about the methods and enjoy the rewards.

[Neo]

To call out an asst. that HE hired was just wrong.

Spur wouldn't appreciate being done the same way. He hired Cooper and part of the HC's job is to answer to the media.

Calling out Cooper in public like Spur did was just unproffesional.

No excuse for being that anal.




Here are my thoughts....

#1. Spurrier didn't do anything wrong. He was asked a few questions by the reporters and he didn't have the answer so he brought the guy that did in.

#2. Being a football coach is no different than any other job. Cooper has got to be held accountable for his performance or lack of.

#3. I really don't think you all understand what Spurrier is actually doing. He is attempting to change the mindset here at USC and the first rule of business is to demand accountabilty and perfection.

Spurrier was not wrong in what he did. Maybe if Croom did the same thing, your OC might be in a little better position. See, Spurrier in a sense let Cooper know that his days are numbered with performances like this.

((Standing Ovation))

[GatorHunter]

I have no doubt that Spurrier was right in calling out his assist. coach...but doing it in front of the post-game media? I think that was unprofessional...if Spurs has a problem with him, he should confront him in a professional matter...and if he doesn't have faith in him...he should fire him.

[Williams-Brice]

I'm clapping, too.

[Noah.Dreams]

I have no doubt that Spurrier was right in calling out his assist. coach...but doing it in front of the post-game media? I think that was unprofessional...if Spurs has a problem with him, he should confront him in a professional matter...and if he doesn't have faith in him...he should fire him.
EXACTLY what he said!

[uscrules]

People handle things in different ways and Spurrier saw a big problem and he used this time to bring it to a head. I will bet you this, the secondary had better show improvment the next time we play or Cooper will be looking for another secondary to coach. I agree with you WB, Carlos Thomas is not far from loosing his job at corner. He can't cover good wide recievers. He seems to always be looking down field and not the ball and the man. Just staying in front of your man is not going to get the job done if he catching it in front of you every time.

[TaySC]

After reading the article I thought this was a huge deal....

After watching the video I no longer thought so. Spurrier is searching for answers and merely called out the one coach that could in fact confirm what he had been asked.. that is, what defense were they in.

Does everyone still feel the same after seeing this interview?

http://www.wltx.com/video/newsVideoPlayer.aspx?aid=26973


Coach calls for Cooper at the 3 minute mark.....

Cooper arrives at the 4 minute mark.......
http://gamecocksportsforum.com/forum/posting.php?mode=quote&p=30449

Also, the initiator of this thread harped not once, but twice on the fact that Spurrier allegedly hired Cooper. While it is true that Spurrier allowed him to stay on (likely for his recruiting as Cooper has some connections), he did not hire him originally.

I see nothing wrong with what Spurrier did and if fans from other schools do, then that is honestly their problem. I am willing to bet they have enough issues of their own to deal with..... especially the two Mississippi schools.

[larryt4111]

... Cooper's secondary is CONSTANTLY out of position. Someone ALWAYS blows their coverage... Bennett is just flat out overrated. Carlos Thomas just flat out sucks. Our safeties are constantly out of position. All of those players fall under Cooper's watch.

...They looked lost at the end of the game, and the guys who looked the worst were in the secondary. Cooper deserved to be called out because his secondary has looked BAD all season.

... he better get his secondary together. If he doesn't, then Spurrier won't be calling him out anymore; he'll be telling him to get his resume ready.

WB YOU MADE A LOT OF VERY GOOD OBSERVATIONS :thumpsup: :thumpsup:
I picked and edited the quote from you to make MY point below.
-----------------------------
I feel that there is talent in the D-backfield. I think it all boils down to COACHING THEM CORRECTLY AND CALLING THE RIGHT DEFENCE FOR THE SITUATION, AND HAVING THE PLAYERS READY TO HIT THE FIELD AS SOON AS THE BALL CHANGES HANDS,NOT 20 SECONDS LATER.

I would bet that COOPER WONT BE BACK IN 07. :thumbsdow :thumbsdow

[AceLeroy]

MAN! You SOCAR boys sure are thin skined these days.

Lighten up a little. I have always been a fan of Spur and I STILL AM a fan of him. I just disagree with the way he handled the situation.

Now if you think he honestly didn't know what coverage they were in and called Cooper in for clarification and not just to put him on the spot , your sarcasm meter needs a new battery.

Oh yeah , No need to go and take shots at my coach just for the sake of "getting back at me" , Believe me , I know how bad Croom is stinking right now. I follow it every week.

[TaySC]

Not thin skinned at all.....

I am also sure that SS knew what Defense we were in. He stated what we were in several times before he used his sarcasm to go get Cooper to tell them for sure. I am also sure that in some ways he was putting Cooper on the spot a little to show his displeasure with the defense on that play.

From the fans that I know that went to the game, they said Steve was so mad that he wouldn't even allow the team to go shack our fans hands, even after they had made that long journey to support their beloved team.

Personally, I am behind Steve IF he decides to make staff changes after this season. Cooper and some of the others have been here for awhile. IF and I say IF, they are a part of the problem, then we need to remedy that issue.

[AceLeroy]

Neo and WB would know better than I, but I have always had the feeling that SOS doesn't 100% trust Cooper's capabilities. Cooper is one of the very few holdovers from the Holtz years (Spurrier didn't bring him here, Ace) and he seems to be shifting jobs frequently for the Cocks. If I'm right that would explain why he would blow up even more on Cooper when his guys screw up. However, I do agree that purposely embarassing the guy was inappropriate at best. Spurrier hasn't publicly apologized or anything, but he did say today that he was 'maybe a little too upset' after the game so I think even he thinks he went a little too far calling out Coop like that.

Cooper deserved to be yelled at and questioned for his players performance last night, but not in front of the cameras.

After reading this thread again , I had to come back and thank you for a good response.

And yes , You are correct. Spur didn't bring him here , he just chose to retain him. To me that is the same as hiring him since when a new HC is hired at a school , he has the right to assemble his staff however he wants to.

Now this I want to clarify. I am not defending Cooper's coaching abilities. We had him at MSU and he was so bad here that I was surprised when you guys hired him.

I don't blame Spurrier one bit for holding him accountable , but like you said , it shouldn't have been done in front of the cameras. Heck , fire him if you want to , just don't try to humiliate him publicly.

I stand by what my original post said , part of a HC's job is to deal with the media. It comes with the job. If your asst. coaches need to be scolded or even fired , do it in a professional manner in an office somewhere. That is how it has always been done.

Imagine how angry you would have been if that coach who was called out was your father , son or brother.

[MSU Ed]

For those who forget, Cooper coached defensive backs at MSU a few years ago. He should have been called out after just about every game then. Our secondary was horrible under Cooper. Spurrier just has the guts to call him out on something, and he probably has the guts to fire a coach as well. Too bad Croom doesn't call out our offensive coordinator McCorvey and ask him why we can't put the ball across the goal line while in the redzone.

[Neo]

For those who forget, Cooper coached defensive backs at MSU a few years ago. He should have been called out after just about every game then. Our secondary was horrible under Cooper. Spurrier just has the guts to call him out on something, and he probably has the guts to fire a coach as well. Too bad Croom doesn't call out our offensive coordinator McCorvey and ask him why we can't put the ball across the goal line while in the redzone.



Welcome back Ed!!! Long time no see. :happy:

[AU Blaaaaaaaake]

Is anyone honestly surprised he did this? Its Spurrier FFS.

[Gamecocks4Ever]

Lighten up a little. I have always been a fan of Spur and I STILL AM a fan of him. I just disagree with the way he handled the situation.



I guess that sort of sums up how I feel. I have some apprehensive feelings about how he handled this particular situation, but that in NO WAY means that I don't support him and what he's trying to do. I understand that it's hard to change mindsets in a program that has revelled in mediocrity. It seemed that after the two good years, even Lou was satisfied with it. IMHO is was unwise to keep ANYONE that was on Holtz's staff. If you're trying to change the mindset of a program, you have to cut ALL ties, as even one remaining weed can turn into a field full.

I guess my unpleasant feelings towards the situation aren't really geared towards Cooper. He's been in coaching a long time, and I'm sure he understands that coaches get blamed when things go wrong. It's just the way it is. I wonder about the recruiting. I know a lot of our recruits love the fact that Spurrier is trying to change the mindset of the program, but I wonder how they felt sitting at home and learning of this particular situation. It didn't help that the media blew it all out of proportion, but they're the media, that's why they do.

In the end, Spurrier is used to winning, and I'm sure he's just very frustrated at the moment. Hopefully his frustrations will only be a short-term problem.

[Williams-Brice]

I'm not a big fan of Cooper, and I've said that many times on this site. However, you really have to admire how he stood there and took it like a man. One of the biggest problems with this world is that too many people don't take responsibility for their actions. Big kudos to Ron Cooper for taking responsibility for the situation, no matter how uncomfortable he was.

[TaySC]

Spurrier, Cooper at peace
Spurrier was wrong ... and he admits it
By RON MORRIS
rmorris@thestate.com

Spurrier to shuffle in backups on both lines
A former head coach, Cooper used to criticism
GoGamecocks.com
Steve Spurrier blew it. Two days later, he admitted it.

“It probably was wrong,” Spurrier said Monday of summoning Ron Cooper before the media following South Carolina’s victory on Saturday at Kentucky, then peppering his defensive secondary coach with questions about late-game confusion by the defense.

“I’ll admit to that,” Spurrier said. “I’ll take the blame for bringing Coach Cooper in. I wasn’t trying to put him on the spot. He’s beyond that.”

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/sports/15719981.htm

[psychowr2]

what's so wrong about bringing a guy in to ask him a question that can only be answered by Cooper. when did he say, "look here guys, this is the reason why almost lost tonight. if we play bad again, i'm firin him." when?