COMMENTS AT “MARCUS LATTIMORE DAY” BEING BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION
University of South Carolina head football coach Steve Spurrier has had a pretty good war of words going with Clemson University head coach Dabo Swinney … but the latest chapter really shouldn’t be considered as part of that ongoing tradition.
Spurrier is catching flak for comments made at a rally celebrating star Gamecock running back Marcus Lattimore – who suffered a gruesome injury to his right knee during the Gamecocks’ 38-35 win over SEC East rival Tennessee on Saturday. Lattimore’s injury was initially feared to be career-ending, although it now appears he could return to the football field in 2014.
Anyway, while speaking at the Lattimore tribute event Spurrier noted that there had been an outpouring of support for the fallen Gamecock star – including positive comments from Swinney.
“A lot of quotes came across the country and I read one today from the head coach at our upstate school,” Spurrier said. “You know, that school that used to beat us a lot that doesn’t beat us much anymore, that one. Usually when that coach up there talks about South Carolina it’s a bunch of garbage and a bunch of B.S. usually. But I have to agree with him – I have to agree with him on what he said the other day – he said, ‘Marcus Lattimore stands for what’s right about college football.'”
Obviously these two coaches’ talking trash is nothing new – but many questioned Spurrier’s comments owing not only to the occasion, but also to the fact that Swinney had handled questions about Lattimore’s injury with such class.
“It took my breath away,” Swinney said when asked whether he had seen the gut-wrenching video of Lattimore’s knee nearly coming off. “I was watching it and it just breaks my heart. I mean I just hurt for him and his family and his teammates. This is a guy that to me represents all the good things that college football should be about. He’s a guy I know personally, he’s a class young man and so is his family. I know how hard he has worked.”
Swinney continued, “if there is anybody I would bet on it is Marcus Lattimore. I know it will be a long process, but I tell you what, I would put my money on Marcus Lattimore in a heartbeat. When he comes to terms with this, he will do everything he can to come back. My prayers go out to him and his family. I have been heavy-hearted for him. He is a winner in every regard. Hopefully we haven’t seen the last of him from a football standpoint. He has been a great representative for his family and his university. I will lift him up in my prayers.”
Pretty solid, huh?
According Dan Wetzel of Yahoo! Sports, Spurrier’s response to Swinney “took it to the worst of the political game, where the other guy is never anything but a terrible person and even his good ideas are to be held in contempt.”
Wetzel added that Spurrier “acted like the worst of the fans, obsessed with not just wins and losses but humiliations and insults, focused on slight differences rather than massive commonalities.”
Hmmmm-kay.
Watching the video of Spurrier’s comments, though, it seems pretty clear that his remarks weren’t intended to be incendiary. In fact Spurrier’s mild trash talk appears to have been a prelude to praising Swinney – and getting the Gamecock faithful who attended the rally to show the Clemson coach some love.
(Point of clarification: True Gamecock fans already LOVE Swinney given his 1-3 record against USC).
This website has criticized both Spurrier and Swinney in the past for saying and doing stupid things. In this case, however, Swinney showed a lot of class in remarking on Lattimore’s injury – while allegations that Spurrier acted condescendingly in response appear to be greatly overstated.
Verdict? The whole thing is one big nontroversy.
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77 comments
Good post. I agree that the comment was intended to compliment Dabo. And today Dabo agreed and said that he thought Spurrier was trying to pay him a compliment.
Perhaps it was worded inartfully, but the intent was to say “even Dabo (our enemy) thinks highly of Lattimore.”
I don’t understand the negative reaction to Spurrier’s comments.
Clemson fans, in general, are the most hypersensitive people you’ll ever meet. They perceive almost constant slights and are convinced that referees, sports networks, and nearly everyone else are out to get them.
Boy, you ain’t a face in the crowd. You the ass in the crowd. Ain’t hard to ID you.
Pots are hard to distinguish from kettles where I come from in S. Alabama.
Frank rub my rock
Bullshit….I’m Carolina fan all my life. And Spurrier is best coach we’ve ever had. He is a winner. But he is also a huge ego and smartass. Always has been.
His comment at some other event like Gamecock Club, or postgame, or real pep rally, or whatever would be ok.
But the event was NOT a pep rally. Oh, it may have looked like one. But it was hastily put together after Lattimore’s injury because of the injury and his 21st birthday. The day and rally was about Lattimore.
Time and place Spurrier, time and place. But he will blow off the controversy.
And I’m no Clemson fan….but Swinney took the high road.
Give me a break. It was something said off the cuff, and done while giving Dabo some credit. Heck, even Dabo took it that way according to his press report from today.
The only thing that marred the celebration was the over-reaction to Spurrier’s comments.
Robert you are seing this wrong it was done to lift 21 Spirit
Interesting that everyone on the planet who is not a Carolina fan thinks he was way out of line. Way to go out on a limb, homer.
you are one of the whinny ones then huh? get over it crybaby.
Spurrier has a lage ego and that’s what makes him Spurrier — like it or not. Most highly successful people do have inflated egos. I have know world class surgeons, super high profile attorneys and CEO’s as well — and all were obnoxious to a degree. Best of the best in their field.
Like Babe Ruth pointing to the back fence before he homered, Spurrier just tossed in a few left handed comments before he actually complimented Dabo, in his own way. Such is life on the high wire. Some want to see you fly, others want to see you fall.
Let me tell you what, the BEST people NEVER act like that. If you think all the people on the top act like that as you mentioned, they ain’t on top of God’s given life.. just phoney & “cocky,” didn’t mean to say Cocky toput Steve down.. its just a matter of speech.. God Bless USA!
When will Folks criticize himself for saying stupid things every day?
When Spurrier said Dabo’s comments are garbage and BS, what can he say after that to turn it into a compliment? Nothing.
You an Alabama man like me, are you? I can tell.
In Barlow Bend, we used to laugh at those who tried to make chicken salad out of chicken shiite.
In Walker Springs, we were fortunate enough to not have to go down to Barlow Bend frequently
Frank you are from Selma where shit goes to die
Dabo Sweeney’s comments, while nice, were completely self serving. With Dabo, it is always about Dabo. So, he decides to gush on and on about Lattimore.
He does this to opposing coaches when he loses. He gets in their ear and talks on and on after games. The other coaches, wish he’d say, “good game” and move on. But NOOOO. Dabo has to make it about him.
With Lattimore, Dabo’s overly effusive attempt was to make it about Dabo. Make himself look good.
HE could have shortened his comments by 60% and we’d have gotten the message.
HE could have shortened his comments by 60% and we’d have gotten the message.
*Clears throat*
Well said Mike Traynor. I think you nailed it. At least Spurrier was Spurrier.
Lot of negative publicity around the country thanks to your POS Old Ball Sack. LMAO!!
Not sure which is worse, Spurrier being the dick head he is or Nikki Haley trying to suck up to the dirtpeckers with ‘Marcus Lattimore Day’ bullshit because she, shit canned Darla Moore.
In either case, unless USuCk honors all their students on their birthday like it did for Lattiless, looks like an impermissible benefit and another NCAA violation!!
LMAO!!
What a dumbass you are. An impermissible benefit? They didn’t give him blow and hookers.
That “negative publicity” consists of a couple of two-bit sports writers that nobody had ever heard of before today. If you want to talk about “negative publicity,” let’s talk about Dabo’s rant, his speeding ticket, the 70 points versus WVU, and his three straight beatdowns (the fourth is coming) at the hands of “dick head” Spurrier.
OGOB,
UF just scored again.
cnSTD so did WVU
CNSYD. If you can’t beat them, might as well pull for a team that can, eh?
you went there with florida scoring? ok so did FSU.
Regardless of affiliation, any right-thinking person would surely agree that “The Ole Ball Coach” is a ginormous asshole.
takes one to know one
Spurrier is not religious at all. Dabo surpass him in everything now. Spurrier and USC has yet to say there praying for him at all. Let’s you know what kind of organization they are. They now discuss me. He got mad at what Dabo said my prayers will lift him up. You look and see his face when he say that. It’s awful. The most important thing they care about is football and winning. Just like Penn State. Look how God handle them. It’s just sad
wash your face so they will not know you are fasting
“Dabo surpasses him in everything now,” except head-to-head wins of course.
And who gives a shit if your coach is religious.
Prayers, BTW, will not help Marcus Lattimore, but modern medicine will.
God? Are you serious? The only reason I can think of that God would give two shits about college football is the fact that, from what I hear, Jesus was a male cheerleader at Kent State.
The same year Nick Sabanator took them to their only bowl game no less. His nickname was “Fruity McChrist”, and word is he threw one hell of a toga party from what I hear, even Jerry Sandusky made a few appearances!
First of all no one “discusses” you as you say. Second of all I dont know where “there” is. Go back and read your post, get a teacher, then come back and try again. Sounds like a Clemson student to me. I guess you prayed for no brain.
How come everyone wants to give high prase to swinny after he made that comment about his wife lookimg fatter in another dress. as much as that lady;s has been thur. very Disrespectful!!!!
Clempson nation is like the Democratic party. When their cheerleader/coach says things, they get fired up and think it’s great (ala Dumbo’s rant last year about the “real” USC). When Spurrier (or anyone else) does anything other than praise the Taters, they go into full meltdown mode, crying like little bitches.
They’re too stupid to realize that Spurrier won this battle long ago. He can talk all the shit he wants when he’s kicking ass on the field. Meantime, the Taters can stay in full MSNBC mode and fantasize about everything other than the reality that is their second-rate program.
So why has a consultant been higher by USCe to come up with something to to distinguish USCe from the REAL Carolina and the REAL USC?
Bercause the lawsuit over the logo. Get a clue
Before our run of dominance over Clemson, I never recall hearing this “real USC” talk. I think it’s amusing now that they can no longer beat us on the field, they resort to playground insults to try to get at us.
Fake or real USC, we keep kicking that Tiger ass.
OGOB,
Think we will live long enough to see the series tilt in USCe’s favor?
a real history buff u are cnSTD
Dabo is the model of a real man is supposed to be like. He brings class and civilized to our school along with his hype and fire that have made us so good. Spurier brings man tits and embrasing losses to the coots like all other coaches who failed their.
yabba dabba doodoo dabo gunna luz 2 dem coots
Your english is broken.
Who gives a shit?
Stupid comment from a guy who is supposed to know what he is doing. The bigger problem is that he continually loses focus and it costs him and his team. He made this about Clemson/Carolina. It was about Lattimore. 3 weeks ago he made it about Clemson/Carolina and he lost the next 2 games. The biggest 2 weeks in the history of Gamecock football and he lost focus. That is why it’s a legit story.
Jack take your azz to pete’s and suck on the grease trap
Hey Jim, Dabo never takes responsibility for his team’s crappy play, choosing to fire a coordinator each year. He loses three in a row to Spurrier and has a reporter tee up a question so he can rundown USC in an extended, childish rant. He also acted like a true child when pulled over for doing 20 mph over the speed limit, refusing to take responsibility – refusing to return to his car, complaining that it was shameful to give him ticket. He also tells recruits that Lattimore was injured last year because Spurrier ran him in the ground.
Yeah, he’s the archetype of “class” and being a real man. That’s almost as ironic as you saying Spurrier, the guy that thumps Dabo relentlessly and ended last year in top ten and is currently ranked in the top ten in the BCS is a “loser.”
Man, you’re a moron.
“has a reporter tee up a question so he can rundown USC”, “He also tells recruits that Lattimore was injured last year because Spurrier ran him in the ground.”
You, of course, have proof of the truthfulness of your statements, correct? What you heard some guy say in a 5 points bar does not count. I await your proof.
CNSYD, the part about about handing the question to a reporter is not in dispute. He did the exact same thing with the Death Valley dust-up. You can watch the video and reporter makes a reference to Dabo handing him the question. It was also a response to a mis-attributed quote by Spurrier.
The part about running ML into the ground came from Mike Davis, whose recruitment was another instance of Dabo’s lack of maturity. It was interesting that Bowers took to tweeter to say the exact same thing after the injury.
mph,
Link to alleged videos?
On the second point. The source is Mike Davis. A USCe football player. That correct? And Dabo’s alleged “lack of maturity” in recruiting him was?
Not sure what Bowers saying or not saying has to do with Dabo. Is it because Bowers is a former Clemson player? Then based on that “logic”, SOS is responsible for every word or deed of all of his former players for the rest of their lives, correct?
If you want to shut him up, beat him. Until then, all the whiny crybabies need to shut their cock holsters. Get over it.
Dan Wetzel clearly did not watch the video. Neither did anyone else on FB or in the media who immediately went off on Spurrier.
Yahoo sports is about like the sports coverage on here…..NOT TO GOOD
when i think man i need to catch the latest sports news or the big game oh yea let me go to Yahoo Sports thats it yea YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
the only thing yahoo sports is good for is free fantasy football. even its fantasy baseball sucks.
Alleged videos? Try youtube. It’s not hard, hombre.
The reporter that provided the question in one instance was David Hood with tigernet. He then wrote the next day about how the rant was pure genius. And if you can watch that rant and conclude it wasn’t rehearsed, you’re willfully blind. He was armed with statistics.
The death valley question was asked by Mark Dopher of WYFF, who laughingly admitted that Dabo handed him the question.
As for Mike Davis, his brother was a player at Clemson you might remember. Look at his comments on his brother’s recruitment. Also easily found on the innerwebs. I think the upshot is Dabo is an arrogant jerk.
And I said Bowers comments were “interesting.” Maybe he’s just a jerk.
mph,
James Davis was angry because Clemson was not all that interested in his brother. Clemson placed some requirements on Mile Davis that were not materially different from those placed on others. Mike did not observe them, therefore Clemson basically stopped recruiting him. I have difficulty with hearsay “testimony” from family members.
The ONLY credible news source on Clemson athletics is Tiger Illustrated. David Hood works for a chat line that gives away its content and it is definitely worth the price. The local TV stations, such as the one Dopher works for, are “rip and read” talking heads.
IRT planting questions, Bob Fulton used to tell a hilarious tale of a question that Dietzel planted on his highlights TV show. It had Joe Petty (the off camera producer) falling off his stool with laughter.
For a team that “was not all that interested” in Mike Davis, they sure did recruit him hard. They only stopped when it was obvious he wasn’t coming there.
And if they truly didn’t want him, which is BS revisionist history, then they are fools.
OGOB,
I did not say they did not want him. What I said was that some guidelines were not followed by Mr. Davis. Big difference.
Fact is Spurrier handled it wrong. He is an a**hole; always was, always will be. Same a**hole that used to score 50 on the gamecocks while at Fla and ya’ll called him out for the a**hole that he is. Now, gamecocks think he hung the moon. Pitiful!
go play 8 man football you dam spot on the map.
Dabo is a rube. Spurrier is an ass. Both talk too much.
If you’re honest with yourself, you can’t argue with that statement. It’s true.
That being said, it’s goddamn entertainment people!!! If the Jersey Shore dumbasses just went about their business following orders and being polite do you think anyone would watch?!?! Of course not! These coaches have to stay in the media by hook or by crook, it’s how you stay interesting and keep people talking.
I’d say it worked….
I think the “garbage” and “BS” Spurrier spoke of was in reference to Dabo’s rambling about “USC is in California” and “Carolina is NORTH Carolina.”
Well, isn’t that true?
WOOOOO PIG! SOOOOIEE!!
goes well with Maurces sauce
In the years to come Dabo and Steve will be fondly remembered as the ‘old windbag’ and the ‘old ballbag’ respectfully.
I am a Clemson fan but happened to catch Spurrier’s comments live. I honestly think he was trying to be funny and not mean-spirited and it just came off wrong; seemed his heart was in the right place. I also think he was wearing his sunglasses so no one could see him tear up. Giving the Old Ballcoach a pass on this one.
You and Dabo seem to be some of the few Clemson people who get it.
so what people that are upset or offended by what Spurrier said are saying is Spurrier should have just said “Marcus is done, and so is the rest of the year for us”? He should just say, “I guess we shouldnt even try to show up for the rest of the games”. No, Lattimore is a baller, the leader, the captian, and great teammate. Im sure he wants the team to move on from this and not give up, and Spurrier was using a platform with the team, the fans, and media to motivate, inspire, and in a way challenege the rest of Marcus’ team by trying to liven up in what was a celebration of the player, not memeorial for him. The best way to do that is take a jab at the last real contest/competition you have scheduled and that happens to be Clemson. Who is the coach? Dabo. He took a jab at Dabo, who is the same coach that took a jab at him last year. Didnt Dabo whine not too long ago about something he thought Spurrier said, that he never even did, and then not even say “oops my bad Spurrier”? Of course he didnt. What came out his mouth was all BS with that, and Spurrier was saying “I remember that crap you talked so here you go youngen”. He said in that statement to Dabo that “sure, you are being nice here, but you normally say a bunch of crap”. He said he thought he was being sincere, but thats not normally like him. What the Clemson fans seem to be upset with mostly is Spurrier said the truth. Yes they were a team that used to beat the Gamecocks, but havent in a while, and that the coach usually says nothing but BS when it comes to saying things about the Gamecocks. Get over it people. Im surprised he didnt take a joke further and ask how many cops out there are worried dabo might get them fired? If he were trying to be classless he would have. He didnt say it so he wasnt being classless. Its just something else to worry yourselves about that in no real way has anything to do with you.
WELL SAID!!!
I think Sid is Spurrier’s nephew or something.
What if USC loses to Clemson this year? What will USC do?
Its sliding downhill academically faster than football is rising.
Up until this last week, I didn’t think USC losing was possible. But now, Lattimore is lost, Spurrier is running his mouth, and the defense was porous at best against UT.
this folks is why woman should stick to being seen and not heard
What if the Mayan prophesy is really true and we are all doomed on December 21?
I agree the d was not great against UT but was mostly hurt. 4 starters were either out completely or suffering from injuries that they played through. 1 other went out in the game. I hate to make an excuse but a bye week will help plus 2 other games at home vs lesser teams will too. As for Lattimore, I love him and losing him is hurtful, but he was out last year too and They still easily beat Clemson. This year there is even more talent behind him with Davis and Miles. Spurrier always runs his mouth so those really arent issues. The fact is Clemson is good and its going to be a good game. Plus USC hasnt looked good away. thats what will decide this game
There’s always baseball season:Go Cocks!
and the funniest part of that comment is Clemson cant even say the same thing