Spurrier says NO to Fla...

[SoTex]

Story



Spurrier stiff-arms Florida, won't return for second term


Nov. 4, 2004
SportsLine.com wire reports



GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Steve Spurrier won't be returning to coach the Florida Gators.


Spurrier removed his name from consideration Thursday to replace Ron Zook, who was fired last week after the latest in a series of embarrassing losses. Zook was hired at Florida after the 2001 season, when Spurrier left the Gators to coach the Washington Commanders.

"When I departed three years ago, there were several reasons why I believed it was time to move on," Spurrier said in a statement. "Other than simply wanting to coach in the NFL someday, I also believed that 12 years at Florida was probably long enough. Many people in football believe that around 10-12 years in the same job is about the maximum time a coach should stay."

The Gators won six Southeastern Conference championships and the 1996 national title under Spurrier. He posted 122 victories over 12 seasons, tormented opponents with his offensive flair and witty one-liners, and left town with the best winning percentage in league history.

Spurrier said athletic director Jeremy Foley called him several times this week to set up a meeting after the season with him and school president Bernie Machen.

"They were obviously making an effort to meet with me," Spurrier said.

Spurrier was fired by the Commanders after last season.
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2004, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved

 

[ibis]

Story



Spurrier stiff-arms Florida, won't return for second term


Nov. 4, 2004
SportsLine.com wire reports



GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Steve Spurrier won't be returning to coach the Florida Gators.


Spurrier removed his name from consideration Thursday to replace Ron Zook, who was fired last week after the latest in a series of embarrassing losses. Zook was hired at Florida after the 2001 season, when Spurrier left the Gators to coach the Washington Commanders.

"When I departed three years ago, there were several reasons why I believed it was time to move on," Spurrier said in a statement. "Other than simply wanting to coach in the NFL someday, I also believed that 12 years at Florida was probably long enough. Many people in football believe that around 10-12 years in the same job is about the maximum time a coach should stay."

The Gators won six Southeastern Conference championships and the 1996 national title under Spurrier. He posted 122 victories over 12 seasons, tormented opponents with his offensive flair and witty one-liners, and left town with the best winning percentage in league history.

Spurrier said athletic director Jeremy Foley called him several times this week to set up a meeting after the season with him and school president Bernie Machen.

"They were obviously making an effort to meet with me," Spurrier said.

Spurrier was fired by the Commanders after last season.
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2004, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved

..was it Fitsgerald who said there are no second acts...

 

[LaTunaNostra]

..was it Fitsgerald who said there are no second acts...

Yes it was. I think the full F.Scott quote was 'there are no second acts in American lives'.

Fitzgerald never met Joe Gibbs, I guess.

Or Madonna.

 

[ibis]

Yes it was. I think the full F.Scott quote was 'there are no second acts in American lives'.

Fitzgerald never met Joe Gibbs, I guess.

Or Madonna.

...screwed by the spelling on FitZgerald...nice and slow now ibis...Z E L D A....ahhh perfect....

 

[jacs]

which job does he want?

 

[SoTex]

which job does he want?

Good question. If I were him I would just play golf everyday while Danny boy's checks keep rolling in.

 

[jacs]

Good question. If I were him I would just play golf everyday while Danny boy's checks keep rolling in.

How would you feel if he went to the Longhorns?

 

[SoTex]

How would you feel if he went to the Longhorns?

I think he is a good college coach. If Mack were out, I would have no objections.

 

[Yeagermeister]

which job does he want?

Dolphins

 

[jacs]

Dolphins

lmao, it would be a great fit, average QB, 2 good WR's and a crappy RB

 

[mr.jameswoods]

I can see why he wouldn't want to coach there. He just came off a miserable NFL career. Going back to college would be like admitting defeat and settling. And Spurrier has too much pride to settle for anything. I think he wants another crack at the NFL.

 

[Encore]

ESPN brought it up that he might go to the Dolphins.

 

[ibis]

I can see why he wouldn't want to coach there. He just came off a miserable NFL career. Going back to college would be like admitting defeat and settling. And Spurrier has too much pride to settle for anything. I think he wants another crack at the NFL.

...I don't see him with the Fins... he was just a terrible Pro coach...his work habits were atrocious,,,the Saturday game is more to his liking..the thing is,he doesn't like to recruit...in Florida,at Florida...he was going to get players regardless of how many living rooms he had to sit in...Heisman 66 was never going to be Saint Bobby....(SB on Sunday morning taped football show,DADGUMIT,Earl,that was ole 34....from err ...he looked good there running that route) bowden loves to tell the parents just how he'll look after their children...I honestly don't know where the Limo drops him... come on ibis...take a guess....ummmmmm ACC...Carolina Blue...

 

[mr.jameswoods]

...I don't see him with the Fins... he was just a terrible Pro coach...his work habits were atrocious,,,the Saturday game is more to his liking..the thing is,he doesn't like to recruit...in Florida,at Florida...he was going to get players regardless of how many living rooms he had to sit in...Heisman 66 was never going to be Saint Bobby....(SB on Sunday morning taped football show,DADGUMIT,Earl,that was ole 34....from err ...he looked good there running that route) bowden loves to tell the parents just how he'll look after their children...I honestly don't know where the Limo drops him... come on ibis...take a guess....ummmmmm ACC...Carolina Blue...

I agree with everything you said about Spurrier. But it's for those reasons why I think Stever Spurrier does not want to return to the college game. Where is the challenge? Yeah, if he was going for the easiest lifestyle, he would settle in college. But the guy is a competitor first. He dominated college and he has too much of an ego to back down. I don't know if he will go to the Dolphins but I think he would be very receptive to joining a pro team. I think he learned from his mistakes and would like another shot at the pros. I think he left Washington becaue it was a bad situation. The team lacked a lot of talent and he was under the gun from their owner. Plus, the team was in the northeast which contains weather that is counterproductive to his offense.

I disagree with your notion about recruitng. I think players will automatically follow Spurrier wherever he goes whether that is North Carolina or Florida. And that's because he is a charismatic coach. Players love his system because its pass friendly and puts up a lot of points. And thrid, they will follow Steve because he gets press coverage; players know they will get exposure when playing for Spurrier. If he is seeking a challenge in recruiting, he will stay in Florida. Miami is now the premier football school which would be a challenge to Spurrier. In the 90's, Miami dropped of the Florida map and he only had to compete with Florida State. So if he is seeking a challenge in recruiting, he will remain in Florida.

Or you could be right and he is just waiting for the University of Texas opening to occur. Mack Brown is going to get fired eventually if he keeps losing to OU and hurting his team's national championship hopes.

 

[ibis]

I agree with everything you said about Spurrier. But it's for those reasons why I think Stever Spurrier does not want to return to the college game. Where is the challenge? Yeah, if he was going for the easiest lifestyle, he would settle in college. But the guy is a competitor first. He dominated college and he has too much of an ego to back down. I don't know if he will go to the Dolphins but I think he would be very receptive to joining a pro team. I think he learned from his mistakes and would like another shot at the pros. I think he left Washington becaue it was a bad situation. The team lacked a lot of talent and he was under the gun from their owner. Plus, the team was in the northeast which contains weather that is counterproductive to his offense.

I disagree with your notion about recruitng. I think players will automatically follow Spurrier wherever he goes whether that is North Carolina or Florida. And that's because he is a charismatic coach. Players love his system because its pass friendly and puts up a lot of points. And thrid, they will follow Steve because he gets press coverage; players know they will get exposure when playing for Spurrier. If he is seeking a challenge in recruiting, he will stay in Florida. Miami is now the premier football school which would be a challenge to Spurrier. In the 90's, Miami dropped of the Florida map and he only had to compete with Florida State. So if he is seeking a challenge in recruiting, he will remain in Florida.

Or you could be right and he is just waiting for the University of Texas opening to occur. Mack Brown is going to get fired eventually if he keeps losing to OU and hurting his team's national championship hopes.

...I don't see UT...too much pressure...OU becomes FSU...he'd compete but more often than not lose...(quick aside on Saint Bobby and the Noles...unless you're very very good and in the case of the Canes,three times lucky,he/they are going to whip your butt) I see Carolina,he loved his time at Duke,expectations at first would be lower,he'd either be in FSU's or Miami's division so during the Season he would only have to play one...can't speak for Texas but around and on Tobacco Road,the golfing's great...and finally.if I could exercise my feminine side...few campuses (maybe none) more beautiful than UNC....

 

[mr.jameswoods]

...I don't see UT...too much pressure...OU becomes FSU...he'd compete but more often than not lose...(quick aside on Saint Bobby and the Noles...unless you're very very good and in the case of the Canes,three times lucky,he/they are going to whip your butt) I see Carolina,he loved his time at Duke,expectations at first would be lower,he'd either be in FSU's or Miami's division so during the Season he would only have to play one...can't speak for Texas but around and on Tobacco Road,the golfing's great...and finally.if I could exercise my feminine side...few campuses (maybe none) more beautiful than UNC....

If he joined Carolina then he would play FSU and Miami every year because Miami joined the ACC so he wouldn't have the option of avoiding one of those schools like he had in the past. When he was at Florida, the Gators didn't play Miami every year. And I read the opposite. He rips on Duke every chance he gets. I never got the impression that he enjoyed his time at Duke.

Texas is the better choice for many reasons.

1. Texas has arguably the best high school players in the country and there are no FSU or Miami's to compete with for them. Aside from Oklahoma, Texas can have anyone they want in their state. And now the Texas high school kids who leave for one of the Florida schools will reconsider staying in state because of Spurrier.

2. The Big 12 is a much easier conference than the ACC now that Miami and Virginia Tech joined it. If you can beat Oklahoma, you pretty much have a first class ticket to the national championship game. Kansas St. and Nebraska are done. Oklahoma St. and Texas AM while competitve are not better than FSU, Miami, and Virginia Tech. And let's not forget that Virginia, Clemson, Maryland, Georgia Tech and NC State are capable of breaking the top 10 depending on the year.


3. Spotlight-UNC is a basketball school. He will never be the king at a school where Roy Williams is the man. Football takes a backseat to basketball at Carolina. At UT, Football is the lifeblood of that school. Heck the entire state of North Carolina is about basketball first while the entire state of Texas worships football. Spurrier could be a god in Texas.

 

[ibis]

If he joined Carolina then he would play FSU and Miami every year because Miami joined the ACC so he wouldn't have the option of avoiding one of those schools like he had in the past. When he was at Florida, the Gators didn't play Miami every year. And I read the opposite. He rips on Duke every chance he gets. I never got the impression that he enjoyed his time at Duke.

Texas is the better choice for many reasons.

1. Texas has arguably the best high school players in the country and there are no FSU or Miami's to compete with for them. Aside from Oklahoma, Texas can have anyone they want in their state. And now the Texas high school kids who leave for one of the Florida schools will reconsider staying in state because of Spurrier.

2. The Big 12 is a much easier conference than the ACC now that Miami and Virginia Tech joined it. If you can beat Oklahoma, you pretty much have a first class ticket to the national championship game. Kansas St. and Nebraska are done. Oklahoma St. and Texas AM while competitve are not better than FSU, Miami, and Virginia Tech. And let's not forget that Virginia, Clemson, Maryland and NC State are capable of breaking the top 10 depending on the year. Spurrier knows he would have an easier time going through the Big 12 than the ACC.

3. Spotlight-UNC is a basketball school. He will never be the king at a school where Roy Williams is the man. Football takes a backseat to basketball at Carolina. At UT, Football is the lifeblood of that school. Heck the entire state of North Carolina is about basketball first while the entire state of Texas worships football. Spurrier could be a god in Texas.

..I thought UT BASEBALL was the lifeblood of that school....

 

[mr.jameswoods]

..I thought UT BASEBALL was the lifeblood of that school....

If you are being sarcastic then I applaud you. If you are not, I can understand your viewpoint because they have won so many college world series but baseball will never take precedence over football in the state of Texas. It's kind of like the Boston Red Sox. The Patriots won 2 Superbowls, but ask which is more important to Boston natives and they would trade those 2 Superbowl wins for a Red Sox World Series any day. Likewise, UT students would trade their college world series for a shot at the Chrysler Trophy.

 

[SoTex]

If you are being sarcastic then I applaud you. If you are not, I can understand your viewpoint because they have won so many college world series but baseball will never take precedence over football in the state of Texas. It's kind of like the Boston Red Sox. The Patriots won 2 Superbowls, but ask which is more important to Boston natives and they would trade those 2 Superbowl wins for a Red Sox World Series any day. Likewise, UT students would trade their college world series for a shot at the Chrysler Trophy.

Good Red Sox/Patriots analogy. I agree 100%. Football always has been and always will be king in Texas. I follow both NCAA and MLB baseball, but I would turn it off in a second for a good football game.