"and be painful and you will end up watching all of your hopes and dreams be flushed away." wrote one Clemson-leaning journalist in 2012 after the Ol' Ball Coach sought to have a fellow journalist at The State fired for questioning USC's decision to start an injured Connor Shaw versus UAB.
That Spurrier has tried - and, failed - to make USCarolina relevant in college football is both amusement and wonder to me.
Sure, as an SEC-East foe there is the natural rivalry... but as an old-guard Dawg, the Cocks have always been that tough, early season "W". I was 15 years old before I saw Carolina beat UGA for the first time. 15. The games were close, gritty affairs. That UGA's greatest team won 13-10 in 1980 speaks to the nature of the series.
Then, there is the Spurrier element. His success at Florida... and, particularly, his intense hatred for all things Red and Black... made him the perfect foil after he took over at USC. I thought his mere presence would make the Cocks better; and, it did for a while. They are more than a tough win... they are season-spoiler for UGA in many ways. Respective to UGA, he has righted the boat. He's nearly break even with us in his time in Columbia... but, that's about where the Steve story ends.
It seems that Steve has coached for one game a year... and, that is Georgia. His magic has been lost on the remainder of the schedule... his focus less intense... his attention more distracted.
And, it may be that even that focus on Georgia is fading... and, with it the career of Spurrier.
That Spurrier has tried - and, failed - to make USCarolina relevant in college football is both amusement and wonder to me.
Sure, as an SEC-East foe there is the natural rivalry... but as an old-guard Dawg, the Cocks have always been that tough, early season "W". I was 15 years old before I saw Carolina beat UGA for the first time. 15. The games were close, gritty affairs. That UGA's greatest team won 13-10 in 1980 speaks to the nature of the series.
Then, there is the Spurrier element. His success at Florida... and, particularly, his intense hatred for all things Red and Black... made him the perfect foil after he took over at USC. I thought his mere presence would make the Cocks better; and, it did for a while. They are more than a tough win... they are season-spoiler for UGA in many ways. Respective to UGA, he has righted the boat. He's nearly break even with us in his time in Columbia... but, that's about where the Steve story ends.
It seems that Steve has coached for one game a year... and, that is Georgia. His magic has been lost on the remainder of the schedule... his focus less intense... his attention more distracted.
And, it may be that even that focus on Georgia is fading... and, with it the career of Spurrier.
