After reviewing Lane Kiffin's less than stellar start at Tennessee, I got to thinking about the comments made by opposing SEC coaches about him and the overall trash talking done around the league. The first person that comes to mind is Steve Spurrier. Without a doubt, he is the ultimate coach when it comes to the gift of gab. I'm a huge Washington Redskins and Florida Gators fan, as well as an alumnus from the University of South Carolina. I have followed him my whole life and have loved him at each of those coaching stops.
Paying homage to "The Ole Ball Coach," here are some of my favorite quotes from "The Visor":
On Florida beating Tennessee every year, resulting in the Vols multiple Citrus Bowl appearances in the 90s: "You can't spell Citrus without UT."
On Peyton Manning returning to Tennessee for his senior year: "I know why Peyton came back for his senior year, he wanted to be a 3-time Citrus Bowl MVP."
On Florida State's lack of institutional control with their players: "You know what FSU stands for, don't you? Free Shoes University."
On a fire in an Auburn dorm room that burned, among other things, 20 books: "The real tragedy was that 15 hadn't been colored in yet."
On whether Florida would beat Georgia that particular season: "I don't know. Is Ray Goff still the head coach there?" (Spurrier was 6-0 against Goff, often referring to him as Ray Goof)
On Florida's 52-17 victory over Georgia in Athens, 1995: "We knew coming in nobody had scored 50 against them here, so that's what we wanted to do. This may be the only time in our lifetime that Florida plays here, so we wanted to make it memorable for the Gators."
On Georgia's recruiting after a 45-13 win in 1991 over the Bulldogs: "Why is it that during recruiting season they sign all the great players, but when it comes time to play the game, we have all the great players? I don't understand that. What happens to them?"
Regarding his nickname for Ben Hill Griffin Stadium: "The Swamp is where Gators live. We feel comfortable there, but we hope our opponents feel tentative. A swamp is hot and sticky and can be dangerous." (Hence, "The Swamp" was born)
On recruiting from the state of Alabama during the Crimson Tide's era of scholarship violations: "In 12 years at Florida, I don't think we ever signed a kid from the state of Alabama. Of course, we found out later that the scholarships they were giving out at Alabama were worth a whole lot more than ours."
On whether coaching would be more difficult in the NFL than college: "Yes, because there are no Vanderbilts in the NFL."
After beating Mississippi State 52-0: "Their pass defense was number one in the nation coming in, but it won't be going out."
After winning the SEC championship: "This is our annual team picture."
After beating Ohio State in the national championship in both football and basketball: "We've kind of turned Ohio State into Runner-Up U, haven't we?"
After being called "classless" by North Carolina coach Mack Brown for bringing his Duke team back onto the field for a team photo in front of the scoreboard after a win in Chapel Hill: "Why? I've got a better record on that field than he does."
Finally the best story I've ever heard about Spurrier and his recruiting, taken from his biography by Bill Chastain:
"McGriff went to a weight-lifting competition held at the school where he encountered Spurrier.
'Steve didn't like weight-lifting at all,' McGriff said. 'I didn't know he was going to be there. We show up at the same time. I see him in his casual way.'
Spurrier: Hey, how you been, whatcha gonna do? You gonna watch this weight-lifting thing? You like that?
McGriff: No, I don't really, I like to work out and all that, but I don't know that I want to watch this competition. But I'm going to do it, because that's what the guy's doing and he's going to see me.
Spurrier: Then whatcha gonna do?
McGriff: Well, hopefully, I'll see him, then I'll be back at the school tomorrow.
Spurrier: Well, I really don't like this stuff. Whatcha wearing a tie for?
McGriff: Well, I won't wear this to every high school. If I'm in Pahokee, I don't have this on. Or if I go to Tampa Plant High School, I don't have this on. But I'm here at Cardinal Mooney.
Spurrier: I don't like to wear ties. I don't know, I don't think I'm going to watch this stuff. I'll see you in a little while.
Spurrier retrieved his workout clothes from his car and changed in the Cardinal Mooney locker room.
'He goes out there with the Cardinal Mooney baseball team and starts shagging flies,' McGriff said. 'He doesn't see shit for the weight-lifting thing. So the great part of the story is, somehow he's got his car keys, but he stayed out shagging flies for so long that he gets locked out from his clothes. He can't get them out. Well, he had a home visit that night. He goes to this boy's home. Shows up, he'd been sweating, because it's May, it's hot. He doesn't have a shirt on. This boy comes home and there's Steve Spurrier sitting on his couch, on a towel, no shirt on, drinking a beer with the guy's dad. And of course, I know Steve, and I'm laughing my brains out the next day when Steve is telling me this story. Then I see somebody else who confirmed the story. Well, I'm working my butt off to sign my guy. I don't sign him. You think Steve signed his guy? He did.'"
Paying homage to "The Ole Ball Coach," here are some of my favorite quotes from "The Visor":
On Florida beating Tennessee every year, resulting in the Vols multiple Citrus Bowl appearances in the 90s: "You can't spell Citrus without UT."
On Peyton Manning returning to Tennessee for his senior year: "I know why Peyton came back for his senior year, he wanted to be a 3-time Citrus Bowl MVP."
On Florida State's lack of institutional control with their players: "You know what FSU stands for, don't you? Free Shoes University."
On a fire in an Auburn dorm room that burned, among other things, 20 books: "The real tragedy was that 15 hadn't been colored in yet."
On whether Florida would beat Georgia that particular season: "I don't know. Is Ray Goff still the head coach there?" (Spurrier was 6-0 against Goff, often referring to him as Ray Goof)
On Florida's 52-17 victory over Georgia in Athens, 1995: "We knew coming in nobody had scored 50 against them here, so that's what we wanted to do. This may be the only time in our lifetime that Florida plays here, so we wanted to make it memorable for the Gators."
On Georgia's recruiting after a 45-13 win in 1991 over the Bulldogs: "Why is it that during recruiting season they sign all the great players, but when it comes time to play the game, we have all the great players? I don't understand that. What happens to them?"
Regarding his nickname for Ben Hill Griffin Stadium: "The Swamp is where Gators live. We feel comfortable there, but we hope our opponents feel tentative. A swamp is hot and sticky and can be dangerous." (Hence, "The Swamp" was born)
On recruiting from the state of Alabama during the Crimson Tide's era of scholarship violations: "In 12 years at Florida, I don't think we ever signed a kid from the state of Alabama. Of course, we found out later that the scholarships they were giving out at Alabama were worth a whole lot more than ours."
On whether coaching would be more difficult in the NFL than college: "Yes, because there are no Vanderbilts in the NFL."
After beating Mississippi State 52-0: "Their pass defense was number one in the nation coming in, but it won't be going out."
After winning the SEC championship: "This is our annual team picture."
After beating Ohio State in the national championship in both football and basketball: "We've kind of turned Ohio State into Runner-Up U, haven't we?"
After being called "classless" by North Carolina coach Mack Brown for bringing his Duke team back onto the field for a team photo in front of the scoreboard after a win in Chapel Hill: "Why? I've got a better record on that field than he does."
Finally the best story I've ever heard about Spurrier and his recruiting, taken from his biography by Bill Chastain:
"McGriff went to a weight-lifting competition held at the school where he encountered Spurrier.
'Steve didn't like weight-lifting at all,' McGriff said. 'I didn't know he was going to be there. We show up at the same time. I see him in his casual way.'
Spurrier: Hey, how you been, whatcha gonna do? You gonna watch this weight-lifting thing? You like that?
McGriff: No, I don't really, I like to work out and all that, but I don't know that I want to watch this competition. But I'm going to do it, because that's what the guy's doing and he's going to see me.
Spurrier: Then whatcha gonna do?
McGriff: Well, hopefully, I'll see him, then I'll be back at the school tomorrow.
Spurrier: Well, I really don't like this stuff. Whatcha wearing a tie for?
McGriff: Well, I won't wear this to every high school. If I'm in Pahokee, I don't have this on. Or if I go to Tampa Plant High School, I don't have this on. But I'm here at Cardinal Mooney.
Spurrier: I don't like to wear ties. I don't know, I don't think I'm going to watch this stuff. I'll see you in a little while.
Spurrier retrieved his workout clothes from his car and changed in the Cardinal Mooney locker room.
'He goes out there with the Cardinal Mooney baseball team and starts shagging flies,' McGriff said. 'He doesn't see shit for the weight-lifting thing. So the great part of the story is, somehow he's got his car keys, but he stayed out shagging flies for so long that he gets locked out from his clothes. He can't get them out. Well, he had a home visit that night. He goes to this boy's home. Shows up, he'd been sweating, because it's May, it's hot. He doesn't have a shirt on. This boy comes home and there's Steve Spurrier sitting on his couch, on a towel, no shirt on, drinking a beer with the guy's dad. And of course, I know Steve, and I'm laughing my brains out the next day when Steve is telling me this story. Then I see somebody else who confirmed the story. Well, I'm working my butt off to sign my guy. I don't sign him. You think Steve signed his guy? He did.'"
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