Is he done? I remember many articles (and posts) like this one in 2008

[Sumter Cock]

Vandy Owns Steve Spurrier: Is Spurrier Done?

Clay Travis
9/5/2008

For the second season in a row a double-digit underdog Vanderbilt football team has beaten Steve Spurrier and the South Carolina Gamecocks.

This year's 24-17 Vandy win become the Dores first victory over a ranked opponent at home since 1991. Last year the loss to Vandy sent the then 6-1 and top ten ranked Gamecocks into a tailspin. The Cocks finished 6-6 and didn't make a bowl game.

This year South Carolina was #24 in the country and undefeated. Now they're 1-1 with a home game next weekend against Georgia. So, get ready for this, Steve Spurrier is 1-6 in his last seven games at USC with multiple losses to Vandy. Worse, he's gone all Uncle Rico on us. How did he prepare for the big game last night? By visiting the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame (Spurrier grew up here) to see if his high school baseball jersey was on display.

Seriously. In a sign of the times for Spurrier, he was informed that it wasn't because the museum didn't have room to display all donated items.

In 2000, when he left Florida for the Washington Redskins, Spurrier could reflect on six SEC championships in a decade and a national title. The subsequent Washington implosion has been well-chronicled. After signing a $5 million a year deal Spurrier went 12-20 in two seasons and quit. He sat out a year and with much fanfare returned to the SEC as the coach of the Gamecocks.

Now after three complete seasons and one extra SEC game Spurrier has more SEC losses at USC (13) than he had in his entire SEC coaching career with Florida (12). From 82-12 in the SEC to 11-13 with the Cocks. The best season Spurrier has had was his second—an 8-5 mark with wins over Florida and Tennessee.

But now, in the wake of yet another loss to Vanderbilt, the question has to be asked, is Steve Spurrier done? He's 63, his team is not going to do better than 8-4 with their schedule (and probably worse) and, what's more, Spurrier simply doesn't appear to have much passion for the game anymore.

In year's past watching a football game featuring Spurrier was an exercise in showmanship. Spurrier tossed visors, broke clipboards, yanked quarterbacks from one play to the next with reckless abandon, and celebrated with sophomoric glee. Last night? Last night I couldn't even pick Spurrier out on the sideline at South Carolina.

How bad has it gotten for Spurrier? If he left he couldn't even anoint his son as successor right now. Also, in an alarming economic indicator of Spurrier support, visor sales have plummeted 95% in the greater Columbia area in the past three seasons.

In the end Steve Spurrier is in danger of what once seemed impossible, slipping away into SEC irrelevance. No one fears the Ol' Ball Coach anymore. Not even Vandy.
___________________________________

Oh, how I wish that this article, message board posts, and hundreds like them hadn't been so accurate, and that the Ol' Ball Coach had found some fire back then in 2008, and turned this program around.

But, alas, the game had simply passed him by at that point, he just didn't recruit much, and rode off into the retirement sunset (as most predicted)
So very sad.

 

[ReadR00ster]

If it was 2008, he'd be fine, but it's 2015 now and the obstacles he faces are much more difficult now. Football coaches have an expiration date. Sorry but they just do. If he pulls some more miracles of his rear end and finds a way to win 7-8 games, I think he be back. Otherwise, I think this year is it.

 

[Sumter Cock]

Could you please list said obstacles compared to 2008 and explain how they are more difficult.

Other than him being older.

I'm not saying we will ever get back to where we got to after the 08 season, I sure hope we do, but the point of me posting that article is that all that is being said now has been said before, and people were just as sure of the outcome then as they are now.
But they were wrong.

I hope they are this time, too.

 

[Carolina Cat]

Should have been finished after last season..how much further to the bottom of the SEC will Spurrier be allowed the time to accomplish. Say what you want but as far as recruiting is concerned he has done very very little over the last 3 years which is why you are seeing what is now taking place.

If Tanner had a clue and with the money that Carolina has , this would be it as far as Spurrier is concerned..going to have to hire a new coach..then listen to him tell everyone it will take 3 years plus to develop his system as well as what all needs to be recruited..how much longer are you people willing to wait?

 

[Sumter Cock]

The posting of the article begs the question:

What makes it more true now, than it did then?
I'm not saying what people are saying now might not be reality, but again, that's the exact same thing they were convinced of then and if you read the article, it's for the very same reasons.

So rather than keep posting that you think it's over, try start explaining why it's so different now than in 2008?

 

[SportsSuites1]

What's true is the story's author, Clay Travis can't hold down a job. His gig as a drive-time sports radio guy in Nashville recently went bye-bye while his 'reporting' for FOX has been curtailed ... he was an ambulance chaser in the Virgin Islands for a short while after completing law school - but the only thing he's ever done well was give tours of congressional office buildings where he worked as an intern while in college.
Travis is a self-anointed contrarian who's always routinely takes the devil's advocate roll knowing that spiel has a better chance of being repeated given so many 'successful' people naturally have lots of 'haters' (something he learned from politics).
He's a tiny Howard Stern-lite for sports, now void of his daily speaking platform hoping to 'revive' his career which is all but over even though he's not yet 40.
Travis is glib without being witty and oft-times cruel when simply cold would do. He's one of those legions of media reporters who fashion themselves as much a part of the story as the people they write about.
Travis is one of those bizarre writers who upon spying a grass-stained knee on a pair of khaki pants will envision a clandestine tryst behind the hen house - and speculate about it, rather than making a routine inquiry, as if one was necessary to begin with.
Clay Travis is a stumble bum wannabe who in the years since this article about SOS was written has assumed his rightful place in the ash can on the cold hearth next to the fireplace while the HBC was securing his spot on the mantle.
Some people are destined to chime and tell time while others simply remind us of the trash that needs to be dumped. It's 'bout time to toss Clay Travis out for good - and good-riddance. Travis is a stain on 'journalism' - voted in high school 'most likely to fall down while bowling' according to his own published (and promoted) bio.

 

[Palmetto1984]

Well being 7 years later is a big one. One of the biggest reasons we were so successful the years following 2008 was our in state talent was as good as ever and they came to Carolina (Clowney, Lattimore, Gilmore, Quarles, Holloman). Our in state talent does not seem to be at that level and we haven't been known to pull any 5 star, program changing recruits from other states.

 

[Sumter Cock]

While I appreciate your very long explanation of the history of the author of the article, he is not the point.

The point is, the article is typical of many such articles, message board posts, and media talking heads of that time and typical of what is being said now, and for the very same reasons.

What I have not heard in any of the replies is why those type of opinions are any more true now than they were then.

 

[Sumter Cock]

Well being 7 years later is a big one. One of the biggest reasons we were so successful the years following 2008 was our in state talent was as good as ever and they came to Carolina (Clowney, Lattimore, Gilmore, Quarles, Holloman). Our in state talent does not seem to be at that level and we haven't been known to pull any 5 star, program changing recruits from other states.

And we had not done any of those things up to that point then, so I guess my question to you is, is it impossible now that the talent in SC takes another upward turn, and Spurrier once again rights the ship?

Not saying it will happen, but does not past history earn just a sliver of the benefit of the doubt?

 

[SportsSuites1]

"What I have not heard in any of the replies is why those type of opinions are any more true now than they were then"

Do you want to hear it?
If so, you won't hear it from me.
It wasn't true then and it's not true now. .

 

[ReadR00ster]

Could you please list said obstacles compared to 2008 and explain how they are more difficult.

Other than him being older.

I'm not saying we will ever get back to where we got to after the 08 season, I sure hope we do, but the point of me posting that article is that all that is being said now has been said before, and people were just as sure of the outcome then as they are now.
But they were wrong.

I hope they are this time, too.

They aren't wrong this time unfortunately. "Other than him being older" you said? Don't you get it? You want to do the dumb sunshine pumper thing and brush this age issue aside like it's no big deal. It's a gigantic deal. When he was 63 they just started talking about Spurrier retiring. Yes other coaches were negatively recruiting but at that point it wasn't that big a deal...yet. Spurrier could tell recruits he planned to be around for 6-7 years and people could believe that. Find it reasonable. Okay, well 6-7 years is here. While he was old in 2008 at 63 now he is really dang old, almost 71. Now when Spurrier says he will be around 4-5 years, the only ones who believe it are the sunshine pumping Gamecock fans who think he is some kind of immortal. Most of the recruits aren't going to believe him especially when those other coaches have been beating that same drum all this time. Eventually the message gets stronger and it sets in more and more.

So basically, back in 2008 when the negative recruiting really wasn't working, now in 2015 it is. And its all about him being an old man. He's been trying to pass duties off to to his staff, but it's hard to find decent help. He just doesn't have to energy to fend off these rabid recruiters the Nick Sabans and Butch Joneses and yes even a clown named Dabo, and all the other coaches that are all really doing an excellent job of putting their teams together. He can't last against that anymore at his age. One day you will understand how much of a curse getting old is. I am sure many reading this believe he can go on coaching for a good many more years and he might, but his chances of success are just going to get worse every year, because less people are going to believe in and commit to a coach that is 72-73-74-75. All the time bloodthirsty coaches across the SEC negative recruiting him and burning the midnight oil to take the good recruits. There's just no fighting it anymore. He is going to realize that. It is what is it is. Change is a coming. It's part of the circle of life and we as a fan base have to get ready for it. I can see a lot of y'all are not even close to being ready. Stay strong. Gamecock Nation will endure.

 

[Sumter Cock]

Perhaps you are right. Sooner or later he will be too old to do this anymore.

Maybe that time is now, but other than his age now, I don't see these many new obstacles.

The negative recruiting, the rumors of retirement, didn't end after 2008, but continued on even during the best years.

And I am not a pumper, I just don't necessarily believe things are so just because someone says it loud and long.

It been said before, and it's being said again. It wasn't true then, and I hope it's not now. It may very well be true. Only time will tell.

But I am willing to wait for more evidence than one 7-6 record, and one early season loss.

 

[Six Million Dollar Man]

Truth is that no one knows. Spurrier will do the right thing in the end. He has taken us to unprecedented heights and deserves our full fan base support. People underestimate how much he and his family fell in love with our state and our flagship college.

 

[tngamecock#]

Vandy Owns Steve Spurrier: Is Spurrier Done?

Clay Travis
9/5/2008

For the second season in a row a double-digit underdog Vanderbilt football team has beaten Steve Spurrier and the South Carolina Gamecocks.

This year's 24-17 Vandy win become the Dores first victory over a ranked opponent at home since 1991. Last year the loss to Vandy sent the then 6-1 and top ten ranked Gamecocks into a tailspin. The Cocks finished 6-6 and didn't make a bowl game.

This year South Carolina was #24 in the country and undefeated. Now they're 1-1 with a home game next weekend against Georgia. So, get ready for this, Steve Spurrier is 1-6 in his last seven games at USC with multiple losses to Vandy. Worse, he's gone all Uncle Rico on us. How did he prepare for the big game last night? By visiting the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame (Spurrier grew up here) to see if his high school baseball jersey was on display.

Seriously. In a sign of the times for Spurrier, he was informed that it wasn't because the museum didn't have room to display all donated items.

In 2000, when he left Florida for the Washington Redskins, Spurrier could reflect on six SEC championships in a decade and a national title. The subsequent Washington implosion has been well-chronicled. After signing a $5 million a year deal Spurrier went 12-20 in two seasons and quit. He sat out a year and with much fanfare returned to the SEC as the coach of the Gamecocks.

Now after three complete seasons and one extra SEC game Spurrier has more SEC losses at USC (13) than he had in his entire SEC coaching career with Florida (12). From 82-12 in the SEC to 11-13 with the Cocks. The best season Spurrier has had was his second—an 8-5 mark with wins over Florida and Tennessee.

But now, in the wake of yet another loss to Vanderbilt, the question has to be asked, is Steve Spurrier done? He's 63, his team is not going to do better than 8-4 with their schedule (and probably worse) and, what's more, Spurrier simply doesn't appear to have much passion for the game anymore.

In year's past watching a football game featuring Spurrier was an exercise in showmanship. Spurrier tossed visors, broke clipboards, yanked quarterbacks from one play to the next with reckless abandon, and celebrated with sophomoric glee. Last night? Last night I couldn't even pick Spurrier out on the sideline at South Carolina.

How bad has it gotten for Spurrier? If he left he couldn't even anoint his son as successor right now. Also, in an alarming economic indicator of Spurrier support, visor sales have plummeted 95% in the greater Columbia area in the past three seasons.

In the end Steve Spurrier is in danger of what once seemed impossible, slipping away into SEC irrelevance. No one fears the Ol' Ball Coach anymore. Not even Vandy.
___________________________________

Oh, how I wish that this article, message board posts, and hundreds like them hadn't been so accurate, and that the Ol' Ball Coach had found some fire back then in 2008, and turned this program around.

But, alas, the game had simply passed him by at that point, he just didn't recruit much, and rode off into the retirement sunset (as most predicted)
So very sad.

Gee......look who wrote that. Clay Travis.....go figure.

 

[atlanta cock#]

Perhaps you are right. Sooner or later he will be too old to do this anymore.

Maybe that time is now, but other than his age now, I don't see these many new obstacles.

The negative recruiting, the rumors of retirement, didn't end after 2008, but continued on even during the best years.

And I am not a pumper, I just don't necessarily believe things are so just because someone says it loud and long.

It been said before, and it's being said again. It wasn't true then, and I hope it's not now. It may very well be true. Only time will tell.

But I am willing to wait for more evidence than one 7-6 record, and one early season loss.

He had a different staff in 2008, not to mention some mega stars from SC on the way. Today is much different. Below average staff, and he's put his kid in charge. Jr. is no JFK. I watched Jr.'s interview yesterday regarding the large number of walkons in our program. I was embarrassed and a bit turned off over his arrogance and dismissive attitude. To use contemporary vernacular, we are trending down and it's undeniable.

 

[ReadR00ster]

Perhaps you are right. Sooner or later he will be too old to do this anymore.

Maybe that time is now, but other than his age now, I don't see these many new obstacles.

The negative recruiting, the rumors of retirement, didn't end after 2008, but continued on even during the best years.

And I am not a pumper, I just don't necessarily believe things are so just because someone says it loud and long.

It been said before, and it's being said again. It wasn't true then, and I hope it's not now. It may very well be true. Only time will tell.

But I am willing to wait for more evidence than one 7-6 record, and one early season loss.

It's not true because I am saying it. I am saying it because it's true. It's obvious what it happening. Spurrier admitted he was thinking about retiring after last year. He let the cat out of the bag. You have to understand something. 7-6 to you seems pretty good. To Spurrier, 7-6 sucks donkey butt. How many 7-6 seasons has he had? If he has another season that even worse after that one. It will be a wake up call for him. The majority of people aren't seeing a saved season because we just don't have the team capable of making it happen. There is no Shaw, no Clowney, no Lattimore, no Alshon. We have a Pharoh and that is about it. We have been waiting for other players to step up and become stars, but no one really has simply because they just aren't that good. They just aren't star caliber like those guys. The talent is just much worse than what it was. We have a lack of winners.

 

[ReadR00ster]

Truth is that no one knows. Spurrier will do the right thing in the end. He has taken us to unprecedented heights and deserves our full fan base support. People underestimate how much he and his family fell in love with our state and our flagship college.

What he deserves has nothing to with it. This is a business. Decisions need to be made based on r what is best for the program going forward. As for what he deserves, he deserves a good pension and the key to city and all the other honorary accolades we can give him.

 

[Sumter Cock]

. 7-6 to you seems pretty good.

You want to do the dumb sunshine pumper thing and brush this age issue aside like it's no big deal.

You make some pretty big assumptions about me there.

First, 7-6 has never seemed pretty good to me, and never will be.
But even if it did, it wouldn't change the point of my op, which is that people have counted Spurrier out before, and he shut them up.

I don't know if he can do it again, and it is definitely a hill to climb, but experience has taught me that I can place more confidence in him than the naysayers.

Secondly, I never said that his age is not a factor, but I'm not willing to totally write the man off at this point. That is not the same thing as sunshine pumping.

It's just means I'm not a knee jerk reactionist.

 

[superflyby]

Could you please list said obstacles compared to 2008 and explain how they are more difficult.

Other than him being older.

I'm not saying we will ever get back to where we got to after the 08 season, I sure hope we do, but the point of me posting that article is that all that is being said now has been said before, and people were just as sure of the outcome then as they are now.
But they were wrong.

I hope they are this time, too.

I will try to answer that. Spurrier was still new in the program and was building for success. He has now been in the program for years...built the program and now is on the skids.....bigger problem by far !

 

[RockThrillCock]

The 2-3 comment was a killer. Clemson has turned the tide, despite almost losing to UL. How long will he stay is inevitable. Who can we get to replace him now? We should still be an attractive position if we can keep up with the rest of the SEC. We do not want a total overhaul. We need someone that can recruit and be competive with the used car salesmen in the upstate. Maybe Charlie Strong, Lane Kiffin (yikes). We do not want to hang on to long. SOS should want to go out on top and not have to be taken off life support.

 

[the-iceman]

Who knew? Rome was burning back then too apparently, and we thrived anyway.

Fantastic point. The doom and gloom is available anytime you want it.

 

[Sumter Cock]

I will try to answer that. Spurrier was still new in the program and was building for success. He has now been in the program for years...built the program and now is on the skids.....bigger problem by far !

I could say that it might be harder to build a program with no respect or winning reputation, like it was in 08, than to repair a program that has now gotten at least some national respect.

We now have better facilities, more legitimacy, at least as good players.

And back then there was a question as to whether Spurrier, or anyone, could win at SC, but now that it's been established that we can compete under the HBC, I could argue that it's not as much of an uphill climb as it was back then.

Established program > than a building one.

 

[superflyby]

I could say that it might be harder to build a program with no respect or winning reputation, like it was in 08, than to repair a program that has now gotten at least some national respect.

We now have better facilities, more legitimacy, at least as good players.

And back then there was a question as to whether Spurrier, or anyone, could win at SC, but now that it's been established that we can compete under the HBC, I could argue that it's not as much of an uphill climb as it was back then.

Established program > than a building one.

It's easier to build up because people are enthusiastic and energetic in the beginning. The fall from those heights is less romantic and things seem doomed from start. People love a winner but a loser will go it alone most times. It's no longer a 'can he do it'.....it's now a 'oh crap this is going downhill fast'. Different mind set in everyone's eyes......media, fans, coaches, and players. It's not selling a 'be a part of what we are building' . It's become a 'be a part of us and ignore the falling apart deal....' I hate it but it is what it is !

 

[Sumter Cock]

It's not selling a 'be a part of what we are building'

So you're saying it's easier to sell "come help us build" when, as the perception at the time was, we can't build. We had proven nothing.
Than it is to sell, "look what we've done", we're relevant, look what we KNOW we can achieve?

At the very best, I would say the latter is easier, and at the very worst, it's an even struggle.

If the former had been easier, then why did it take over 100 years to get there?

 

[cockynchicago#]

They aren't wrong this time unfortunately. "Other than him being older" you said? Don't you get it? You want to do the dumb sunshine pumper thing and brush this age issue aside like it's no big deal. It's a gigantic deal. When he was 63 they just started talking about Spurrier retiring. Yes other coaches were negatively recruiting but at that point it wasn't that big a deal...yet. Spurrier could tell recruits he planned to be around for 6-7 years and people could believe that. Find it reasonable. Okay, well 6-7 years is here. While he was old in 2008 at 63 now he is really dang old, almost 71. Now when Spurrier says he will be around 4-5 years, the only ones who believe it are the sunshine pumping Gamecock fans who think he is some kind of immortal. Most of the recruits aren't going to believe him especially when those other coaches have been beating that same drum all this time. Eventually the message gets stronger and it sets in more and more.

So basically, back in 2008 when the negative recruiting really wasn't working, now in 2015 it is. And its all about him being an old man. He's been trying to pass duties off to to his staff, but it's hard to find decent help. He just doesn't have to energy to fend off these rabid recruiters the Nick Sabans and Butch Joneses and yes even a clown named Dabo, and all the other coaches that are all really doing an excellent job of putting their teams together. He can't last against that anymore at his age. One day you will understand how much of a curse getting old is. I am sure many reading this believe he can go on coaching for a good many more years and he might, but his chances of success are just going to get worse every year, because less people are going to believe in and commit to a coach that is 72-73-74-75. All the time bloodthirsty coaches across the SEC negative recruiting him and burning the midnight oil to take the good recruits. There's just no fighting it anymore. He is going to realize that. It is what is it is. Change is a coming. It's part of the circle of life and we as a fan base have to get ready for it. I can see a lot of y'all are not even close to being ready. Stay strong. Gamecock Nation will endure.

So explain why Duke basketball hasn't fallen with their coach who is as old as Spurrier?

 

[rogue cock]

So explain why Duke basketball hasn't fallen with their coach who is as old as Spurrier?

He hires great assistants and recruits his ass off.

 

[king ward]

If it was 2008, he'd be fine, but it's 2015 now and the obstacles he faces are much more difficult now. Football coaches have an expiration date. Sorry but they just do. If he pulls some more miracles of his rear end and finds a way to win 7-8 games, I think he be back. Otherwise, I think this year is it.

I find it hard not to agree with this.