February 2, 2008
Gamecocks have one million reasons for Spurrier to stay
With his name coming up more than once among college coaching vacancies (and potential vacancies), the South Carolina Gamecocks are looking for a way to convince head coach Steve Spurrier to stay in Columbia. It now appears they may have found more than one... one million to be exact.
The university's Board of Trustees approved a tax-deferred retirement package Friday for Spurrier's contract that would pay the football coach $1 million if he remained with the Gamecocks the next four seasons.The money would accrue in installments of $250,000 the next four years and would be given to Spurrier if he's still at South Carolina by Dec. 31, 2011. Spurrier would forfeit the package if he left the school before then.
The Old Ball Coach's name was brought up on message boards during the Les Miles hat-dance. Rumors had Saban pining for the LSU position, while 'Bama boosters were working the phones to bring Spurrier in to replace St. Nick.
And while it turned out to be just talk, the Gamecocks don't want to take any chances.
South Carolina athletic director Eric Hyman said the retirement package was a thank you for Spurrier's work so far."He's an MVP. He's a champion," Hyman said. "And this the way for us to show how much we appreciate the job he's done."
Of course, it doesn't hurt that USC just did the same annuity for their head basketball coach, too.
In my opinion, I think South Carolina is being a little too Dr. Evil. One "meeellion" dollars isn't going to stop boosters at any school from going after Spurrier for a vacancy. And the money certainly isn't going to stop the OBC from packing up and leaving if he's not happy in Columbia.
Money is nice, but Spurrier has money - plenty of it.
If South Carolina really wants to keep Spurrier, they will find a way to silence some of the more absurd criticism coming from the 'Cocks fanatics, develop the facilities that Spurrier has been requesting for years now, and truly commit to building a winner.
Those things will keep the OBC in a USC visor for years to come.
Comments:
U. of S. C. 1978 said:
posted on February 2, 2008 8:38 AM — 97.82.188.250 — link — abuse?
Thanks for the post Kev. I guess it is possible that we have a larger percentage of dumbass fans than other schools. I will concede that any so-called fan who boos his team, any sport, any school, is a dumbass. If I could, I would biatch slap all the dumbasses. The only thing that stops me, legal fees and jail time.
If you stop to think about it, Mr. Spurrier is a champion and a proven winner. His program is already a success for our school. The best is yet to come. The man has class, and a damn good sense of humor. Some things piss him off, some things piss me off. I've got some hats I would throw on the ground. That being said, Mr. Spurrier deserves a bonus for striding through chicken shit and remaining loyal.Big Tide said:
posted on February 2, 2008 8:42 AM — 12.208.88.211 — link — abuse?
UofSC1978; I appreciate your dedication to a lost cause but when your head coach starts playing golf at Augusta National.......well it's over. His best years are behind him. He's not the coach he used to be and his offense has been copied by EVERYBODY. His lack of quality players is the real problem. Check the TIDE...Top 3 recruiting. We are bring the PAIN.....
Big Tide said:
posted on February 2, 2008 9:07 AM — 12.208.88.211 — link — abuse?
Kevin must be feeling low. His head coach is heading for a new low (actually they don't even know who the HEAD COACH is???0 But can we get some BAMA love?? We have the best coach in the country signing the best class in the country and we've got threads talking about Urban "Oscar" Myer having some conversations with "Hoodie." Kevin, maybe they are have a gay love fest - who cares????? BAMA IS BACK. WE HAVE THE BEST COACH IN FOOTBALL AND WE CAN'T GET ANY LOVE???? 2008 BAMA BRINGNS THE PAIN!!!
AUTigerFan08 said:
posted on February 2, 2008 12:20 PM — 74.239.251.222 — link — abuse?
#4 Big Tide
If Saban is Such a great coach and Shula was such a bad one then how come they had similar records these past two seasons? Saban IMHO is not the next Bear. I do think he is a Good coach but don't count your chickens before they hatch.
WAR EAGLEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!
posted on February 2, 2008 12:44 PM — 205.188.116.136 — link — abuse?War Eagle Atlanta
said:
Anyone else get the feeling that all this sucking up to Spurrier by the SC administration is going to backfire one day? This reminds me of a loser guy who somehow lands a hot chick and is always insecure about their relationship, worrying that some other guy is going to steal her away. The guy knows he's out of his league, but constantly dotes on her, going way overboard in his efforts to keep her around, and eventually, his insecurity does push her away, and she goes and bonks some other guy out of spite...
The end!
How'd we turn this into a Bama thread? The last time Bama brought me any pain was 2001. Since then, it's been pure joy... :-)
Big Tide said:
posted on February 2, 2008 3:37 PM — 12.208.88.211 — link — abuse?
AUTigerFan08 #5; Let me give you a football leason, really a LIFE LEASON. If your people are better, more skilled, than those of your adversary and your coaching ability is THE SAME as your adversary then you win 9 out of 10 times. Now you can have the miracle come along every 48 years (check Minnesota 1948 via TE) but the talent is THE KEY. Shula can't hold Saban's jock strap when it comes to recruiting talent - neither can Turtleneck (TE just can't take that fact which is why he's UNDERGROUND) and talent my boy is the way to the promise land. FIRST) pre-season polls, which are CRUCIAL are based SOLELY on your team's talent. What else is there???? When you return 10+ starters that are 4 Star recruits (see Lloyd Carr) people tend to give you the benefit of the doubt. In other words, you are good until someone proves otherwise - let's say Appy State.
So, Saban recruits great players. I mean let's face it, if you can recruit players to a non-winner, backwood ass place like LSU what do you think this guy is going to do in Tuscaloosa? The Bryant Musuem, Joe Namath, Lee Roy Jordan, Ozzie, Rose Bowl wins, National Championships every decade except the 80's, Stabler, Bennett, THE KICK, it just goes on and on. I rarely jump way out there like this, and believe me I've had to eat the HUMBLE PIE, but we are the BE$T FOOTBALL SCHOOL IN THE COUNTRY and we are bringing the pain. Everybody knows it. Shula is small change. He was a high school kid with the keys to Daddy's car. Saban is a full grown man on a mission. TE knows what kind of coach we have and I'm so glad they got they title last year. They probably won't get another one for 50 years...
Finally: Tommy Tubby probably is the best coach in the country (my 2 cents) when it comes to developing talent. He's a guy that has that Blue Collar (Virginia Tech) mentality. I remember that kid you guys had season before last that was a walk on and then ended up being a captain on the defense. He was a player. Saban just does it differently. He recruits the best and then wins.Zac said:
posted on February 2, 2008 5:42 PM — 64.12.116.136 — link — abuse?
WITH REGARDS TO SC…ahem, (Gotta noiv, don't I?) I personally feel they have yet to find their coach. Good coach and bad have made their attempts to elevate the Game Cocks program with little or no consistency.
Case in point: Steve Spurrier, after 3 seasons, is 21-16. Prior to the "ole ball coach", 7 men (some of them able) have tried their luck as SC's HC to no avail. Consider the list since 1966:
Paul Dietzal: 9 seasons, 42-53-1, best season 7-4, worst 1-9
Jim Carlen: 7 seasons, 45-36-1, best season 8-4 (twice), worst 5-7
Rich Bell: 1 season, 4-7
Joe Morrison: 6 seasons, 39-28-2, best season 10-2, worst 3-6-2
Sparky Woods: 5 seasons, 25-27-3, best season 6-4-1, 3-6-2
Brad Scott: 5 seasons, 23-32-1, best season 7-5, worst 1-10
Lou Holtz: 6 seasons, 33-37, best season 9-3, worst 0-11The numbers speak for themselves. In 42 seasons, SC has seen 8 HC's come and 7 go. Only 3 have winning records (one by only 2 games); one of them was 3-3 in winning seasons, and he coached the only 10 win team. None lasted longer than 9 seasons.
Now, in all fairness, a coach has to be given 5 years to produce. Even Saban, realistically, has to be given at least that long. So, Spurrier still has time. If it were my $1.75M being paid to him, great coach or not, I'd say he's running out of time and FAST.
Autigerman said:
posted on February 2, 2008 11:44 PM — 68.109.98.15 — link — abuse?
Big Tide
I can see reason to get excited over recruiting but im just wondering how tide fans will feel if they lose 6 games again next year.
The reason im saying that is because it looks very likely that you will lose at least 5 and maybe 6. Much tougher schedule then this year.
Not hating just wondering if he will be giving several years to make it work.
Tomcat said:
posted on February 2, 2008 11:46 PM — 66.142.89.118 — link — abuse?
#8 Thank you Zac for the information and keeping us on topic.
#7 Its obvious to me and everybody else that this thread has absolutely nothing to do with that red team that used to be good way back when.
Who's fans are so obnoxious and zealous that it really doesnt matter who coaches that red team, they wont be satisfied as they continue to waller in the mud of past decades and anoint themselves with some false sense of purpose as if they really matter in the big sceam of things which are important.Certain fans of that forementioned red team are so caught up in their jealously of better teams, that they contiunually bring up those golden days of yesteryear like anybody really gives a sh-t bout bama ball except bama fans. So dig your way up out of the hole that yall have dug for yalls program and look around, yall are not the only football team in America.
This football thread is about South Carolina Gamecocks and their coach Steve Spurrier.
If I catch you boys beatin your meat I'm going to turn you over to the guacamole queen.
#9 Hows that leave it to Bevo ?
Autigerman said:
posted on February 3, 2008 12:04 AM — 68.109.98.15 — link — abuse?
What Spurrier did at Florida was pretty amazing however, i can never see him having that success at South Carolina. The recruiting base in Florida is way way hotter then it will ever be in SC.
With his ego ill be suprised if they can hold onto him after one more mediocre year.
posted on February 3, 2008 2:56 PM — 64.12.116.136 — link — abuse? said:
Cracking open the paper this morning, I glanced at the Super Southern 100, a list of the most-prized recruits in the southeast. It'a amazing how many times I saw 'Alabama' out to the side of a kid's name.
I don't know how Saban is doing it. I could see it maybe last year, with all the buzz his hiring generated, but after a disapointing finish this past season, I'm really surprised that the luster hasn't worn off. Of course, at some point, recruiting is going to have to translate onto the field in the way of wins.
It does seem to me that Tubs gets a lot of mileage out of his recruits, but we'll have to wait and see. Auburn certainly seems to have been out-recruited this year by Alabama...
Tigerman: Spurrier was the perfect storm raging ashore in Gainesville at the exact right moment.(BTW: Gainesville has lovely beaches) After the 1980s when Florida first started to get some national attention, they couldn't get the right coaches and/or stay out of trouble. A solid coach was the missing piece of the puzzle. With the 2nd or 3rd most prep talent right in your backyard, a good coach can do great things there. But, you're right. South Kakalaki is no Florida when it comes to prep talent. Thus, OBC is going to need some devine help to create a winner there...
U. of S. C. 1978 said:
posted on February 3, 2008 5:26 PM — 97.82.188.250 — link — abuse?
Thanks for numbers Zac. I've said it here before, words to the effect that we don't have much of a winning tradition in football. Mr. Spurrier does and it will take an awful long time for him to wear out his welcome here. Those numbers illustrate why we feel so good about Coach. Remember that going into last season we had the second toughest schedule in the land. So breaking even is not too bad.
09/01/07 vs. Louisiana-Lafayette TV Columbia, S.C. W, 28-14
09/08/07 at Georgia TV Athens, Ga. W, 16-12
09/15/07 vs. South Carolina State TV Columbia, S.C. W, 38-3
09/22/07 at LSU TV Baton Rouge, La. L, 28-16
09/29/07 vs. Mississippi State TV Columbia, S.C. W, 38-21
10/04/07 vs. Kentucky TV Columbia, S.C. W, 38-23
10/13/07 at North Carolina TV Chapel Hill, N.C. W, 21-15
10/20/07 vs. Vanderbilt TV Columbia, S.C. L, 17-6
10/27/07 at Tennessee TV Knoxville, Tenn. L, 27-24 (OT)
11/03/07 at Arkansas TV Fayetteville, Ark. L, 48-36
11/10/07 vs. Florida TV Columbia, S.C. L, 51-31
11/24/07 vs. Clemson TV Columbia, S.C. L, 23-21We competed with them all. We had some bad breaks. We support Coach and look forward to trying again this year. All of you who think Mr. Spurrier might go to another program, why would he? If he fails at SC, he retires because what school would still want him?
Bevo Boy said:
posted on February 3, 2008 8:24 PM — 64.12.116.136 — link — abuse?
Right, I thought that there were at least a couple other people that weren't from the south. Uh, guess I better get ready for my house to get egged. However, if 40 Acres brought 2 patrol cars then you guys would get boxed in. Then I could unleash my dacschund on you guys (she has fought opossums, mother raccoons right by its cubs, and even bit a German shepard on the nose, so you should fear the weiner dog!
Tomcat said:
posted on February 4, 2008 12:44 AM — 66.142.89.118 — link — abuse?
#15 If you ever fed your inlaws roadkill for Christmas dinner- you might be a redneck
I did that one year when a school bus clipped a doe on the edge of town, purty good eatin they all came back for seconds.
#14 Your right about Spurriers tenor at Fla everything was in place, at Columbia it may be a bit harder to compete for recruits that may favor a Saban coached team with a program who's championship history is looking to repeat its prior success.
When looking at Texas recruits its painfully obviuos that Texas A&M is trying to rebuild the Wrecking crew defense
2 top ten Defensive tackles-A&M
2-UT
2-OU
1-TCU
1-Ok St
3 top ten Defensive ends-A&M
1-OU
1-LSU
1-Ok St
1-Colo
1-Bama
2 top ten Linebackers-A&M
3-UT
1-LSU
2-Ok St
1- Missu
4 top ten safties-A&M
1-OU
1-UT
1-TTech
1-Ok St
1-Colo
#17 sorry man I didnt really understand your post, I guess I'm geographically challenged
Adios Tomcatsirbigspur said:
posted on February 4, 2008 10:48 AM — 167.7.17.3 — link — abuse?
Big Tide,
Since you put this whole thing off topic by declaring Bama football is back, I would like to compare some things. Now, don't get me wrong. I know Alabama's past compares nothing to South Carolina's, but recently we've both been pretty mediocre to say the least. We both have hired coaches who have won it all before. You have harped on how great your recruiting is this year, and that combined with a great coach equals success. South Carolina did exactly the same thing last year, and look what happened to us. Don't expect success by a #3 recruiting class. Also, Alabama has had really good recruiting classes recently besides this one, and Alabama has still been mediocre. South Carolina has done the same.I really hope that Spurrier stays for a while, but he really needs to be successful this coming year. A division title would be nice, but that might be asking too much. Then again, we've played teams in the SEC very tough the last several years, so it wouldn't surprise me if we did make it. Plus, I don't think Georgia is all that they will be hyped up to be next year.
In case anyone missed it, Spurrier is going to change his scheme next year. He is adapting his offense for a running QB. So those of you who are saying that his offense is passed it's time, he does understand that he needs to change to win in this day and age.
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Big Tide said:
posted on February 2, 2008 8:38 AM — 12.208.88.211 — link — abuse?Alabama Is Back Thread???????