SEC Media Days: The best of Steve Spurrier in front of a microphone
By Kevin Miller
The very best quotes of Steve Spurrier just being Steve Spurrier
Sometimes Spurrier took shots at other college football programs or coaches. Sometimes he ragged on his own players or coaches. Sometimes he took aim at himself and his failed NFL career. But sometimes, Spurrier blessed college football fans with incredible quotes in which the Head Ball Coach was just talking about nothing in particular.
Here are some of the best quotes of Steve Spurrier just being Steve Spurrier:
When asked about being an older coach in the SEC:
“Back in January, they appointed this guy, and he’s 77 years old, and he’s the leader of like a billion people in the world. They call him the Pope. He replaced a guy who was 85 years old. So, if he can be the leader of a billion people worldwide, surely I can put 11 guy on a field.”
After hearing that Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer argued that the then-Florida coach Spurrier was a good guy…until you put a microphone or camera in front of him:
“You know what? I like that.”
When asked how he lasted so long coaching in college football with his style and reluctance to change:
“I forgot to get fired.”
When asked about other coaches in the SEC seemingly growing annoyed at Spurrier taking shots in the media after his South Carolina football team beat them:
“That’s fine. People can call me arrogant, cocky, whatever. At least they’re not calling us losers anymore. If people like you too much, it’s probably because they’re beating you.”
Speaking about his abrupt retirement at South Carolina:
“I felt I was doing a lousy job.”
Addressing some bad officiating going against his Gamecock squad:
“We’ve all sorta had some bad reffin’ in our day…” (realizing a fine from the SEC office might be coming in for criticizing officials) “and we’ve had some good ones, too, I guess.”
After smacking his old Florida team in Gainesville to win the SEC East in 2010 with the South Carolina Gamecocks:
“God smiled on the Gamecocks tonight.”
On his job repairing bleachers at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium while playing for the Gators:
“Yep. That was my summer: fixing the bleachers in the swamp in the morning and hitting golf balls in the afternoon. That would be a violation today, though, so don’t tell anybody.”
After former Miami tight end Jeremy Shockey falsely attributed a quote to Spurrier in the ESPN 30-for-30 called “It’s All About the U”:
“I’m not stupid enough to say that…but that’s not the first time in life I’ve had a quote put on me that I didn’t say. I did say most of ’em, but not that one.”