Spurrier

His name is Stephen Orr Spurrier.

He's the biggest icon in Florida football history. It may seem obvious now, but even before his coaching career he was the biggest icon in Florida athletics. At a school where football historically underachieved, we had few heroes, the greatest was a QB from Johnson City Tennessee. He didn't need a coaching career to make it onto the ring of honor, he's got a bronze trophy to prove it. Actually, he doesn't even have that trophy, upon receiving it he immediately gave to the university. If you went back to 1989 and asked who was the biggest name in school history, It would have been him. He is Florida football. In 1990 the favorite son returned to his alma mater. What transpired next wasn't just storybook, it was epic.

Spurrier changed everything about Florida football. He changed the culture. Florida went from doormat to dominant. He changed the atmosphere. Gator fans went from "wait till next year" to "wait till this year." He changed the way people played football. The "fun and gun" was the most copied playbook in America. He changed the record books. A team that had no titles went on to win 6 and also the big one. He changed the Conference image. SEC football went from smashmouth to dropjaw. He changed the name of the stadium. Yep, he's the one who coined "the Swamp". And the size of the stadium. Two additions were either completed or conceived during his tenure. He changed The Pride. The Gator fans went from lovable loser to the most hated in all the country- and your damn right we're Proud of that. He changed everything.

Steve Spurrier is Florida Football

For those tired of the history lesson, let me get to the point. This transformation of the Gator football program happened at the exact same time as another transformation - Mine. They say your allegiances are formed during your formative years, from age ten to fifteen. For those doing the math thats 1992-1997. I was raised a Florida football fan, but that doesn't completely explain it. It was like a perfect storm of sports and adolescence. While the rest of Gator Nation looks back on those years fondly remembering this win or that loss, I look back and remember everything. Just this past week I recalled the exact location I watched almost every big loss in the past 15 years. While other kids had typical middle school fights and romances, I had Florida football. I didn't cry over girlfriends, I cried after the Nebraska game. Sad I know, but no middle school girlfriend brought anyone the joy of 52-20 either. In short, life's circumstances have made Florida football mean a lot to me, and not just Florida football but Steve Spurrier's Florida Football.


Spurrier abandoned Mother Florida. After years of happiness, his restlessness got the better of him and bailed on the marriage. He left behind everything: the House he built, the Fans he raised, and the school he pulled out of the trailer and took to the Big Dance.


In January 2002 I was on vacation in Colorado. It was our first day, and the entire trip was ruined. Without warning, the beloved father of the Gators had up and left. Gator Nation went through the typical stages of grieving. Denial - quickly disappeared with the constant SportCenter updates. Anger - Some Gators never got past this stage, citing reasons of bad timing and no warnings, they stayed angry at the man who brought so much joy. Bargaining - We thought maybe we could replace him with Stoops and continue on. Depression - oh the Depression of that Spring. Acceptance - around the time they announced Zook as head coach, it all became real. We were moving on, and not necessarily in a good direction. But we were willing to forgive the departing hero. Going to the NFL is a forgivable offense. It was his life, If he wanted to move on - so be it.

In the Fall of 2004 everything changed again. The Gators were languishing through another mediocre season with no signs of improvement. Meanwhile the Ole Ball Coach was enjoying a season off. Having quit after two underachieving seasons in the pros, Spurrier was getting familiar with the more well-known fairways across the country. The firing of Zook couldn't have come at a better time. It appeared to set up for a glorious reunion. The first few weeks had names flying around as to Zook's replacement, but the number one on any Gator fans list was Spurrier. Some will tell you this isn't true, they harbored resentment, said that we wanted someone who would stick around, a younger face to build on. But truthfully, every Gator fan wanted him back, wanted to return to the glory days. It was not to be. The bigwigs never offered him the job, and Spurrier therefor withdrew his name. Weeks later Meyer was our guy and Spurrier was inking a deal with the enemy.


Mother Florida is hurt though. She struggles through a rocky rebound relationship, looking for a provider for the family. Meanwhile Spurrier is quickly tired of city life and that Stripper in Washington. After three years of trying times, both are looking for a fresh start. At this point the children are divided. Some hate father Steve and have serious abandonment issues. Other are willing to forgive and forget. But their relationship was never perfect, and when Spurrier left the cuts were too deep to just forgive let him back in her life.


The views of Gators fans at this juncture were widely varied. He provoked a lot of emotions, which are unfamiliar to the typical college football fan, and led to a lot of unusual reactions. The extremes ranged from pure hatred to completely abandoning the Gators to follow the rabbi. At this point, these reactions can be put into two groups. The Haters - Some fans really never forgave Spurrier for the way he left. It is true: he left with no warning, a vulnerable time in recruiting, with a number of holes in the roster. So that was strike one. Then in 2004 these people openly rooted against re-hiring citing long term goals, and have since been vindicated with our recent success. But what moved this group from annoying few to an understandable contingent was when Spurrier signed with South Carolina. This was viewed as an unforgivable sin, and universally it is viewed as such. This move was strike two three four and five for many people. Carolina was an SEC foe, worse yet, they were in our division - an every year opponent. When these people express their hatred to me, I can understand- He deserves hate for this move. But think about it - Would you expect any less from this guy?

The Second group of fans is the Apologist. Each of Spurrier's moves was an knife in the heart, but each one had its reasoning. When he left we eventually forgave him and even rooted for the unfortunately colored Washington team. Who wouldn't want to try your luck in the pros? When we didn't immediately hire him, He had every right to be pissed. We were pissed too. Who do you think you are not hiring me back? But when he signed with USC that was still a low blow to all of us. Ok, maybe he was pissed about the snub, maybe it was a great situation (in the south, following his buddy Holtz) - But dammit, just dammit. At first, logic dictated we all join the hate group. How could he do this to us? But come opening weekend 2005, The Gamecocks played a Thurday night game vs. Mississippi St. and it wasn't two minutes into the game that all the old feeling came back. Our hate held no real bearing, it was a forced thing. This was our coach, you couldn't help but root for him.


So She moves on, Shes found Meyer and he's adopted the fans and the family traditions. Hes everything Florida needs. But Spurrier can't stay away. When rejected by Florida, he pretends not to care and immediately starts dating Florida's sister. South Carolina, a homely looking woman, has long settled for lesser men with no jobs or terrible lisps. Spurrier buys her a boob job and the two move in to a house on the same street as His ex, Carolina has never been happier. Unfortunately for Mother Florida's children, the whole gang has to get together every holiday and pretend that its OK. Some Kids hate him and make jokes about him being a "cock", they also like to talk loudly about how great "new" dad is. Hes younger and stronger and has won just as many "father of the year" awards. But some of us kids still wonder. Wonder what could have been. What it'd be like to have him back.... I bet it'd be great.