If it's UF-UT, the Spirit of Spurrier Always Prevails
Florida hosts the University of Tennessee Saturday. Once upon a time, that meant Steve Spurrier would be in his element.
The undisputed king of college football smack cut his teeth at UF on former UT coach Phillip Fulmer's backside:
"You can't spell Citrus [Bowl] without U-T."
He made mincemeat of Peyton Manning.
"I know why Peyton came back for his senior year. He wanted to be a three-time star of the Citrus Bowl."
Spurrier's swagger at Florida always seemed calculated to give the Vols an inferiority complex. It worked, you know: Prior to coming to South Carolina, he was 9-4 against Tennessee -- including five in a row in 1993-97.
The Ole Ball Coach even turned the non-existent rivalry between South Carolina and the Vols into something. Since taking over the Gamecocks, Spurrier is 5-5 against UT; before he came to Columbia, South Carolina was 2-19-2 all-time against the Vols.
But no one outside of Knoxville and Central South Carolina cares about Gamecocks-Volunteers. This is about the Gators and the Vols, and about Spurrier's delicious habit of smacking down his old rivals.
Which brings us to this week. Florida-UT no longer carries the luster it once did. The national title is not on the line this weekend. The Gators will turn the Swamp blue tomorrow, but so what?
It's just not the same as when Spurrier prowled the sideline, scowling and chucking his visor and generally wearing his arrogance like a comfortable old pair of boots.
Let's revisit some of the all-time great moments in Spurrier history, shall we? It'll probably be more entertaining that tomorrow's UF-UT game -- unless you're really into blue.
WATERMELON
[caption id="attachment_1095" align="aligncenter" width="400"] That is a MIGHTY good watermelon.[/caption]
NEARLY THREW IT
[caption id="attachment_1096" align="aligncenter" width="443"] He wanted to throw it. See? He does have self-control.[/caption]
DEAL WITH IT
[wpvideo qGkhPqsX]
SO ... YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE?
[caption id="attachment_1100" align="aligncenter" width="360"] Yes. YES![/caption]
CAPTION THIS
[caption id="attachment_1101" align="aligncenter" width="267"] I betcha I could win a Super Bowl in Washington ...[/caption]
STILL GOT IT
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkOIAD2eI0A]