Hats Off To You, Larry Fedora

Steve Spurrier is a queen. I'm not talking about queens in the traditional bigoted sense of the word, but rather the modern hipster version. If this latest NCAA flap has taught us anything, it's that Spurrier's legacy of being a pull no punches, smarmy S.O.B. was built entirely on being nothing more than a drama queen. Back in the day everyone ooh'd when the Ol' Ball Coach talked about Free Shoes University, and ahh'd when he said you can't spell citrus without UT. Spurrier told anyone who would listen, as much as they would listen, that he didn't suffer lightly teams, coaches and players who violated NCAA rules. "Oh, my!" how times have changed. It's easy to be an ass when you're the young, moderately attractive head coach at the University of Florida. It takes considerably more diplomatic acumen to pull it off when you're trapped in college football purgatory, waiting for the ghost of Bear Bryant to come spirit you away to Florida retirement, where, when you say the words "we" and "national champions" in the same sentence, nobody will think you are going senile. Nobody really thinks that (yet), but after last week's hypocritical display, people are starting to question what, if anything, is left of the pre-Gamecock Spurrier.

In the hours leading up to kick-off against mid-major superpower, Southern Miss, it looked as if the Gamecocks were going to be missing up to 10 key players because of NCAA violations committed in relation to the illegal free rooms they had received at The Whitney, a luxury hotel in downtown Columbia on Devine Street near Yo Burrito. Somehow, at the 11th hour, the NCAA issued a reprieve, clearing all but 3 of the players involved in the scandal. Apparently, being cleared by the NCAA was good enough for Spurrier, the man who publicly whined for 10 years in Gainesville any time a player at another school received so much as a ride home from practice with a graduate assistant. Never mind the fact that all the players involved had been receiving illegal benefits. This season is too important for Spurrier's legacy to let something like character interfere with his decision-making process. Everyone knows it's 2010 or bust for Spurrier in Craptown, SC, but it's just sad to see a man who pretended to stand for so much, for so many years, reduced to a pathetic scavenger, all for the glorification of his massive ego (Seinfeld, Sn. 4, Episode 72). These guys all broke rules. He knows they all broke rules. But apparently having that magical, 9 win season that Gamecock fans dream about was more important than doing the right thing. Contrast that with USM's Larry Fedora, who refused to play his best player - the only player who gave them even a fighting chance at a win - because he didn't like the effort the guy was giving. That right there is something to applaud, but I doubt you'll see Spurrier quipping to the press about that.

At least one positive thing came out of South Carolina's surprisingly good performance last Thursday night. Expectations in Columbia might be at an all-time high, which, as we say in the blog industry, is good for business. Take a look:

On the Georgia game

- We know it'll be a tough game and it always is, but we'll typically win in the end.

- Their trash talk won't stop if we win, it'll just turn into excuses of how they lost to themselves.

- I'm not so sure they're better anywhere other than o-line and kicker.

- Make no mistake about it this is (Besides beating Clemson 3 straight) the most important game in Steve's stay here and when we win we will be playing with the houses's money. It is a two-game swing any way you look at it and UGA has a very favorable schedule compared to us. Arkansas will be their toughest opponent after us and Fla. LSU appears not very good, at least until they rotate back on our schedule.I believe we are more ready than we have ever been with weapons galore and a stellar defense. Most of these kids come from a winning program and a NCAA title trumps a stupid curse if you believe in that sort of thing and I don't. I do believe in prayer and pray the Lord will be with all our young men, keep them safe from injury and help us to do and give our best and to him be the honor and glory. Amen GO COCKS1

- Most like to think uga and us are close to equal on talent but there is still a sizeable gap after the top 22. But our coaching for now more than makes up for it. I think I saw where one of their defensive ends squatted 795 lbs.

- I would love to see Stephon on AJ. He would shut him down I am sure.

- Those people have convinced themselves that Georgia is the '85 Bears and we're the '76 Bucs. Bunch of arrogant, bombastic pricks, all of 'em. Nobody deserves to lose and lose and lose as much as the UGA fanbase.


On Clemson

- I can tell you for a fact Clemson football players get preferential treatment. When a party is busted and underage football players are there drinking, the cops just tell them to leave. I've seen it with my own eyes and my bro in law who is a HUGE clemson fan said when he went there, it was the same exact way. The local cops are almost all Clemson fans. They're not gonna arrest one of their own players and risk harming their season...

- Bottom line is it takes money and a lot of other benefits to make them hang around that place for an extra year or in some cases to go there at all.

- Pickens county has highest rate of incest as well as other crimes than anywhere else in the State of SC. Clemson is smack dab in the middle of that.

- My Nephew the Tater student taught up there. The way he tells it people with money are a rarity up their and their biggest source of income is from the Goverment.