Spurrier casts shadow over UF

[Hauss]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/college/gators/orl-sptbianchi11081102aug11.story

Some folks not letting go of certain someone

Published August 11, 2002

Orlando Sentinel

GAINESVILLE -- Steve Spurrier.

Steve Spurrier. Steve Spurrier. Steve Spurrier.

SteveSpurrierSteveSpurrierSteveSpurrierSteveSpurrierSteveSpurrierSteveSpurrier.

In case you're wondering, this is my imitation of the University of Florida's football media day Saturday, where seemingly every other question in some way referenced . . . well, you know his name.

You thought Spurrier attracted a lot of attention when he was the coach at UF? He's attracting even more now that he's gone. Our campus spies tell us they have spotted an inordinate amount of Washington Redskins apparel being worn by UF students. A Gainesville radio station is trumpeting the fact that it will broadcast all 16 Redskins games this season. And seven months after Spurrier's departure, the lead story in the Gainesville Sun Saturday was headlined "Following a Legend."

Coming soon to Gainesville cable: The new reality-based TV show, The Spurriers. Scene I: Steve, wearing a velvet smoking jacket, is in the bedroom with wife Jerri. She's feeling amorous; he's still complaining because AD Jeremy Foley won't recognize the 1990 team as conference champions.

Jerri (coquettishly): "Come over here, you hunka head ball coach, and show me that Emory & Henry formation."

Steve (annoyed): "Dang it, that '90 team was as much a champion as that '91 team."

"Yeah, there's been a lot of talk and a lot of questions about Coach Spurrier," quarterback Rex Grossman admitted Saturday after the 945th inquiry about how much he'll miss Spurrier. "But we're not even thinking about Coach Spurrier. Coach [Ron] Zook is our coach now, and we've moved on."

They might be the only ones.

Spurrier, since moving on to a grander stage in the nation's capital, is now casting a shadow so expansive that the Gators are experiencing a partial eclipse of the sun.

New offensive coordinator Ed Zaunbrecher actually has been stopped on the street by UF fans and asked, "You're going to throw the ball like Spurrier, right?"

At Florida State's media day last Sunday, one of the first questions asked of Bobby Bowden was, "Did you see Spurrier's first exhibition game last night?" Nary a word was mentioned about the Gators.

Everybody knows by now that FSU's team motto is "Let's Roll." Judging by some of the preseason publications, you'd think the new UF slogan is "Let's Roll Over."

On Playboy's preseason All-America team, Ole Miss' Eli Manning was named as the top quarterback in the nation. Never mind that Grossman finished as Heisman runner-up last year, led the nation in passing and threw for nearly 1,000 more yards than Manning.

"I guess they think I'm going to slip because Coach Spurrier's gone," Grossman says. "That's fine. It just adds fuel to the fire."

At the recent SEC media days, the Gators were picked to finish third in the SEC East behind Tennessee and -- I can't believe I'm typing this -- Georgia. Yes, Georgia. The same Georgia that Spurrier used to wipe his, um, feet with. The same Georgia that hasn't won an SEC title since 1982. That was so long ago, President Reagan was still in his first term and the top song of the year was Rosanna by Toto.

"I'm PO'd, I'm real PO'd," UF offensive guard Shannon Snell said. "How can you pick us to finish third in the SEC East? Just because Coach Spurrier is gone, the media thinks the Gators are going to roll over and die."

I don't know what I think, and, besides, I don't really have time to discuss it.

I hope you don't mind, but I have to cut this column a little bit short.

The Redskins' game is about to start.

Mike Bianchi can be reached at mbianchi@orlandosentinel.com.

[bulldog]

Gator fans are going through the same pains now that Redskins' fans did in 1993 when Joe Gibbs unexpectedly called it quits.

you have a great run where a once in a lifetime coach comes in and is successful beyond your wildest dreams

even if the next guy is capable there is a letdown.

what is ironic is that Spurrier is being replaced by his former DC in Ron Zook, while Gibbs was replaced by his former DC Richie Petitbon.

we will have to see how the change from an offensive to a defensive emphasis at the top will affect the team's performance on the field.

[95-Gator]

Yeah, I'm sad to see him go. But us Gators that want to see him make it as the HBC in the NFL are with the Skins all the way. I'm looking forward to him running the show in the NFC East and I think some special things are ahead for the Redskins.

[prophet]

Originally posted by bulldog

Gator fans are going through the same pains now that Redskins' fans did in 1993 when Joe Gibbs unexpectedly called it quits.

you have a great run where a once in a lifetime coach comes in and is successful beyond your wildest dreams

even if the next guy is capable there is a letdown.

what is ironic is that Spurrier is being replaced by his former DC in Ron Zook, while Gibbs was replaced by his former DC Richie Petitbon.

we will have to see how the change from an offensive to a defensive emphasis at the top will affect the team's performance on the field.

You nailed it right no the head!

[danfan]

Its funny. I hated him when he was at Florida because I'm a Canes alum and fan but now that he is the HBC for the Skins, I'm starting to think I might be gay!:shootinth Anyway, I haven't been this excited since the Super Bowl following the '91 season. I've been in Orlando since '89 but now I'm thinking about moving back to VA.:laugh:

[GatorMarc]

Believe it or not... it hasn't been as difficult losing Spurrier as I thought it would be. I mean we all knew that it was coming - sort of. Every year, he said he'd probably coach another 5 years tops and not to expect him to stay at Florida forever. He just finally did it.

Maybe I'd feel a lot more lost if 1) I didn't still have SOS to watch, now on Sundays and 2) I wasn't so confident that Zook at Co will kick total butt.