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[Talon]

I have always respected Spurrier for his hatred of Tennessee. As Florida's coach, he hated UT more than he hated Georgia.

I'm sure going 11-1 against Georgia had something to do with it.

 

[bachikarn]

I have always respected Spurrier for his hatred of Tennessee. As Florida's coach, he hated UT more than he hated Georgia.

I'm not sure about that. He routinely ran up the score against Georgia for no reason. I think he is the only coach to score 50+ in Athens. He fucking hates Georgia.

 

[Enron]

Not sure if anybody in Georgia or southeast will be going to the Twilight Criterium in Athens this weekend but there's a new brewery named Creature Comforts that's opening then and is the official beer this year. Of course there's still Terrapin as well but good to see more craft breweries opening there.

I think 2003 was the last Twilight I went to. Used to go every year when I was a student. Sheesh getting old sucks

 

[truly101]

Duke's red zone QB Brandon Connette is going to be a Bulldog.



Yep, Fresno State.

https://twitter.com/BCon_18/status/459498964186714112

I'ma miss Brandom more than Parker or Hood. Guess its Sirk's turn to be the running RZ QB

 

[andycapps]

I have always respected Spurrier for his hatred of Tennessee. As Florida's coach, he hated UT more than he hated Georgia.

I'm not sure about that. He routinely ran up the score against Georgia for no reason. I think he is the only coach to score 50+ in Athens. He fucking hates Georgia.

There's a reason why.

Ever since Steve Spurrier left the head coaching position at Duke University to return to his alma mater, the University of Florida, in a similar capacity, he has taken every opportunity to needle and take cheap shots at the Georgia Bulldogs. And, he was unbelievably successful with his superior coaching in what many longtime Georgia fans refer to as Georgia’s “down years” — when the Bulldogs were coached by Ray Goff and Jim Donnan. But Spurrier’s real hatred for Georgia began when he was a sophomore starting quarterback for the Gators (freshmen could not play varsity in those days).

It was 1964, Vince Dooley’s first year at Georgia, and everyone was amazed at the turnaround Dooley was directing in Athens. So, the Georgia aggregation rolled into Jacksonville, underdogs but proud dogs nevertheless. Spurrier was held in check and the score stood 7-7 in the fourth with Georgia lined up to try a field goal. The snap was fumbled, but kicker Bobby Etter, who weighed a whopping 120 if he had rocks in his uniform, had been a high school quarterback and he scooped up the ball, cocked his arm once, then took off for the goal line and scored. 13-7. Then, Etter kicked the PAT and Georgia had its first win over “Stevie Baby,” as the Florida swampers liked to call him.

The next year, Spurrier did manage to pull out a 14-10 win. But it was the following year, on Saturday, Nov. 5, 1966, that literally rocked ole Spurrier’s world — and it hasn’t stopped rocking since. We didn’t know then how big that EGO was. Florida was undefeated, heading (they thought) for their first SEC title and Spurrier had the inside track on the Heisman Trophy race. The Gators were lying in wait for the upstart Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs rolled into Jacksonville with only a 7-6 Friday night loss to Miami marring an otherwise perfect record. (In those days Miami played teams, especially the stronger teams on its schedule, on Friday, thus cutting down the preparation time for the visiting team.) And of course, for this game in Jacksonville, Spurrier and the Gators were favored.
Spurrier in his quarterbacking days for the Gators. (University of Florida)

Spurrier in his quarterbacking days for the Gators. (University of Florida)

The morning of the game there was the Georgia-Florida breakfast with died-hard fans from both sides, the coaches and a couple of bleary-eyed, hungover pep bands (I was a Georgia band member). I remember well Coach Dooley’s mournful speech: “The Bulldogs will be limping today but we’ll do our best.” Talk was that All-American defensive tackle Bill Stanfill had a pinched nerve in his neck (I personally think it just irritated him and made him meaner). But there was still All-American defensive tackle George Patton, ready to go.

There was also the rumor that Spurrier was to be the primary subject of a Sports Illustrated cover story; the game was merely a backdrop as he was the odds-on Heisman favorite. The magazine had dispatched a legion of photographers to cover his every move — and they did. Both bands were on the field for the pregame national anthem, so we got a close-up look at the preacher’s boy and his strutting — now sportswriters call it swagger.

For two quarters, Spurrier looked pretty good — nothing spectacular — and his team did have a 10-3 lead when they broke for halftime.

Now, I do not know what Dooley and his stalwart defensive coach Erk Russell told the Dogs at half, but when they returned to the Gator Bowl field, they owned it — and Spurrier, too. He would drop back and Stanfill and Patton would be there with him. They literally mopped the field with him and the grass stains on Spurrier’s butt attested to that fact. Stanfill has very long arms and here he would come, waving one arm in the air and grabbing for ole Stevie with the other. In short, they ripped Spurrier a new one and shut out the previously high-scoring Florida offense. It was humiliating for a Heisman Trophy winner who had visions of an SEC title and maybe a national crown.

On offense, Dooley had another All-American tackle named Edgar Chandler, who along with a line that included the likes of Don “Heavy” Hayes and John Kasey, shredded the Florida defense and let speedy Kent Lawrence scoot through holes big enough for the team bus to drive through. And Georgia quarterback Kirby Moore was in total control.

When the clock ran out, it was Georgia 27, Florida 10! The Gators’ undefeated season was gone and so were any title hopes. And Spurrier was not featured on the Sports Illustrated cover!

Florida did manage an Orange Bowl bid against Georgia Tech, another undefeated team until the Yellow Jackets visited Sanford Stadium in Bobby Dodd’s final season, and Georgia easily won 23-14. Georgia went on to the Cotton Bowl and a 24-9 win over SMU. Florida and Tech played in what Georgia fans called the Lemon Bowl, and Spurrier has never been able to get the sour taste out of his mouth.

Sure, he did beat Georgia later on — with other players. But he wasn’t able to hang on to the brass ring himself. He had to stand on the sideline, throwing visors and watching other players do what he could not.

That four hours on a Saturday in 1966 is why he hates Georgia.

The best comment that November afternoon in Jacksonville came from Florida coach Ray Graves, who said he was sure glad Stanfill was not at full strength that day. He knew it could have been worse. And I imagine Spurrier did, too.

I think 2003 was the last Twilight I went to. Used to go every year when I was a student. Sheesh getting old sucks

I haven't been in even longer than that. You should go and represent for both of us. I'd just like to try some new beer.

 

[Lonestar]

Truck overturned on a highway and dumped its full load of little Debbie snacks. Today is the first time since his birth, that Nick Saban has cried.

http://www.wsbtv.com/videos/news/raw-video-thousands-of-little-debbies-dumped-after/vCYZNG/?nmredir=true

 

[andycapps]

Truck overturned on a highway and dumped its full load of little Debbie snacks. Today is the first time since his birth, that Nick Saban has cried.

http://m.wsbtv.com/videos/news/raw-video-thousands-of-little-debbies-dumped-after/vCYZNG/

I picture him like this very American eagle, shedding a single tear.

 

[Monroeski]

Truck overturned on a highway and dumped its full load of little Debbie snacks. Today is the first time since his birth, that Nick Saban has cried.

http://www.wsbtv.com/videos/news/raw-video-thousands-of-little-debbies-dumped-after/vCYZNG/?nmredir=true

When I think about Little Debbie I think about Dennis Franchione actually snacking on some on the sidelines when he was still with A&M. IIRC they were having some trouble with Texas State or a similar team at the time.

 

[andycapps]

When I think about Little Debbie I think about Dennis Franchione actually snacking on some on the sidelines when he was still with A&M. IIRC they were having some trouble with Texas State or a similar team at the time.

That's incredible.

 

[Randolph Freelander]

When I think about Little Debbie I think about Dennis Franchione actually snacking on some on the sidelines when he was still with A&M. IIRC they were having some trouble with Texas State or a similar team at the time.

In his defense, prior to having the snack, he was telling the players to hit anything with an O and win one for Mother Russia.

 

[cdyhybrid]

NCAA Board Endorses More Power For Big Schools

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA's board of directors took the first step toward shifting power to the five largest football conferences on Thursday, endorsing a 57-page plan that calls for giving 65 of the nation's biggest schools more autonomy in how to fund scholarships, handle health care and decide other increasingly hot-button issues involving their athletes.

If approved later this year, schools in the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC could implement some rules on their own and would get more voting power over legislation that would affect every NCAA member school.

A formal vote on the recommendations is tentatively scheduled for the board's August meeting, and if it passes then, the transition could begin this fall.

It's happening!

 

[ag-my001]

When I think about Little Debbie I think about Dennis Franchione actually snacking on some on the sidelines when he was still with A&M. IIRC they were having some trouble with Texas State or a similar team at the time.

I was at that game. Entirely too close, though I do recall enjoying the Texas State halftime show.

 

[perfectchaos007]

I was at that game. Entirely too close, though I do recall enjoying the Texas State halftime show.

Was that the game moved to a Thursday in order to give the fans/students from the Houston area time to evacuate from hurricane Rita? The hurricane ultimately barely touched Houston and was an evacuation nightmare for all of SE Texas. Beaumont was pounded but it was mostly a western Louisiana event.

 

[cashman]

Roll tide

 

[mre]

Roll tide

Oh, hey. A texas fan who's still upset a certain coach didn't move to Austin. Must be a day ending in "Y".

 

[GoldenEye 007]

NCAA Board Endorses More Power For Big Schools



It's happening!

Well more like big schools and a few small ones that got lucky as hell sucking on the teat of their big school siblings.

 

[Tamanon]

Some asshole stole the ECU pirate statue again. Flickers.

 

[jjasper]

SEC just mandated that all teams must play another team from either the big 10, ACC, big 12, or PAC 12 each year. I wish they would take it one step further and prohibit 1-AA teams because I am pretty sure all the schools already play one of these conferences each year.

 

[cdyhybrid]

SEC just mandated that all teams must play another team from either the big 10, ACC, big 12, or PAC 12 each year. I wish they would take it one step further and prohibit 1-AA teams because I am pretty sure all the schools already play one of these conferences each year.

The SEC had a good run.

 

[andycapps]

SEC just mandated that all teams must play another team from either the big 10, ACC, big 12, or PAC 12 each year. I wish they would take it one step further and prohibit 1-AA teams because I am pretty sure all the schools already play one of these conferences each year.

In bigger news, they kept the cross divisional rivalries intact and stayed at 8 games. Figured as much.

 

[Randolph Freelander]

Perhaps coincidentally, Northwestern saw its popularity spike today.

 

[Draxal]

SEC just mandated that all teams must play another team from either the big 10, ACC, big 12, or PAC 12 each year. I wish they would take it one step further and prohibit 1-AA teams because I am pretty sure all the schools already play one of these conferences each year.

Eh, can't blame them for not doing it, as that 1-AA game makes so much cash.

 

[Guileless]

Perhaps coincidentally, Northwestern saw its popularity spike today.

They drubbed Miss. St. in a bowl and I think Vandy too recently.

 

[Lonestar]

Pays for those 1-AA teams athletic budgets.

Basically, not much changes. Few teams already have the permanent games, the rest have been on the "1 large team" a year schedule for awhile (and for the near future)

Of course, no one else wanted a 9 game conference schedule, but then turn around and whine about keeping the 6-1-1 schedule.

@DellengerAdv 9m
#LSU AD Joe Alleva: "Very disappointed leaders of the SEC disregard competitive advantage that permanent partners award to certain schools."

?@DellengerAdv 8m
Joe Alleva continued: "It is definitely an advantage that should not exist in such a great league." #LSU

?@DellengerAdv 7m
More Alleva: "We share all the revenue and expenses yet we cannot have a balanced, fair, equitable schedule." #LSU

@DellengerAdv 7m
More LSU AD Alleva: "LSU has played Florida and Georgia 19 times since 2000 and Bama has played them 8 times. Is that fair ?" #LSU

hell, try adding in the 90's, you know, when that one guy named Peyton was around, and is Florida from the last 4 years really a scary team?

 

[jjasper]

Glad LSU has decided there is a competive advantage yet when we were good and had a to play good Bama teams and UF got to beat up on shitty LSU teams no tears were shed.

Amyway I just bought FFXIV. I should use Ultros right?

 

[mre]

Pays for those 1-AA teams athletic budgets.

Basically, not much changes. Few teams already have the permanent games, the rest have been on the "1 large team" a year schedule for awhile (and for the near future)

Of course, no one else wanted a 9 game conference schedule, but then turn around and whine about keeping the 6-1-1 schedule.



hell, try adding in the 90's, you know, when that one guy named Peyton was around, and is Florida from the last 4 years really a scary team?

Jesus, Cyan. Get control of your women-folk.

 

[Lonestar]

Glad LSU has decided there is a competive advantage yet when we were good and had a to play good Bama teams and UF got to beat up on shitty LSU teams no tears were shed.

Amyway I just bought FFXIV. I should use Ultros right?

yes and yes.

Be warned, Ultros must be pretty full, so at times character creation for it might be down. Just try again later (or REALLY late at night ;P)



Really, why is LSU using the year 2000 as a starting point? 14 seasons is a strange number. It's almost as if they feel Football didn't exist before then.

 

[chaosblade]

That whining really seems embarrassing to me. Especially coming from the AD.

 

[jjasper]

yes and yes.

Be warned, Ultros must be pretty full, so at times character creation for it might be down. Just try again later (or REALLY late at night ;P)



Really, why is LSU using the year 2000 as a starting point? 14 seasons is a strange number. It's almost as if they feel Football didn't exist before then.

Yeah it wouldn't let me join. And yeah pre 2000 is B.S. (Before Saban) Not really important where their greatest play in history was a punt return in like the 50s or something.

 

[andycapps]

yes and yes.

Be warned, Ultros must be pretty full, so at times character creation for it might be down. Just try again later (or REALLY late at night ;P)



Really, why is LSU using the year 2000 as a starting point? 14 seasons is a strange number. It's almost as if they feel Football didn't exist before then.

Same reason the average Florida fan's football memory only goes back to 1990.

 

[Guileless]

When I was in school ole miss beat lsu 4 out of 5 including a complete asskicking in Tiger Stadium I attended. It was glorious.

 

[Lonestar]

What's funny is, I'm seeing Auburn fans melting down because they fixed the bug of having Alabama and Georgia being both home games (or both Away games) every year. Now they'll be split like most everyone else (UGA away, Bama home, next year UGA Home, Bama Away).

Nevermind that it was Georgia getting screwed by playing at Auburn the last 2 years.

 

[andycapps]

What's funny is, I'm seeing Auburn fans melting down because they fixed the bug of having Alabama and Georgia being both home games (or both Away games) every year. Now they'll be split like most everyone else (UGA away, Bama home, next year UGA Home, Bama Away).

Nevermind that it was Georgia getting screwed by playing at Auburn the last 2 years.

Yeah they missed that part. But I mean, they're Auburn fans. You have to speak slowly and use small words.

 

[andycapps]

Indiana's schedule is about to get real full.

Not from us, we already have Georgia Tech on our schedule.

 

[Lonestar]

I've seen people say that Florida needs to keep LSU on the schedule, as it gives Florida a chance to play a potential powerhouse team physically outside the state of Florida, every other year.

 

[Tamanon]

It's alright guys, you can relax.

The PeeDee the Pirate statue for ECU has been found. Culprit(s) still at large. I suspect it was a Senior Prank done by assholes.

 

[Lonestar]

The only acceptable location of this statue being found, is that it was found inside the Dean's Office.

 

[andycapps]

I've seen people say that Florida needs to keep LSU on the schedule, as it gives Florida a chance to play a potential powerhouse team physically outside the state of Florida, every other year.

Love this

 

[Randolph Freelander]

One proposal I've seen in ACC circles is a "3 by 5" format without divisions. Here's such a proposal, as advanced by a sports writer. http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/04/25/3811203/new-rotation-no-divisions-would.html#

Basically, the idea is that in a 4 year cycle, you have 3 partners you play every year. In a 14 team league such as the ACC, SEC, and Big Ten, that leaves 10 other opponents you play twice over the four years. (This assumes an 8 game schedule.) In essence, you could have a home and home with 5 of them the first two years, then the next 5 over the next two years. At the end of the four years, they could re-partner all the teams, so that the 3 aren't necessarily considered permanent partners. This gives you an out to make adjustments to accomodate for budding rivalries, competitiveness, travel, etc.

The advantage here is that under the current ACC, and to use Florida State, the Seminoles have 6 division opponents and they have a yearly game with Miami from the other division. They only have 1 more league game, and there are 6 additional non-division opponents. Do the math, and they'll host the other division teams once in 12 years, and will only visit those teams once in 12 years. Under the "3 by 5" format, they'll be in every non-paired team's stadium once every 4 year peiod, and vice versa. And to really drive the point home, northern teams like Syracuse and Boston College will be guaranteed trips to all of the southern teams' stadiums (and recruiting hotbeds) every 4 years.

The caveat here is that there are no divisions, which leads you to just taking the top 2 teams to play the CCG. So this year instead of Duke and Florida State, it would have been a Florida State/Clemson rematch.

 

[cdyhybrid]

http://espn.go.com/blog/pac12/post/_/id/71688/debating-the-secs-future-schedule-model

Even we fall for it. Our ESPN.com headline says, "Schedule strength is SEC priority," when the opposite is actually the truth.

It's irrelevant outside of the SEC whether the conference retained its "longstanding non-divisional rivalries." It's also irrelevant that the SEC insists it will continue to upgrade its nonconference schedule.

The only thing that matters is the SEC's massive con that games the system as we move toward the College Football Playoff: The SEC will maintain its eight-game conference schedule when other major conferences are -- or are planning to -- play nine conference games.

That is the only thing that matters, and this is nothing more than the SEC giving itself an annual advantage by deciding that it will eliminate seven losses from its standings.

This is not regional bias, folks. This is not SEC jealousy. This is something called "math."

With an eight-game SEC schedule, 5-7 teams become 6-6 teams. And 8-4 teams become 9-3 teams. And that 11-1 team that beat the 9-3 team that should really be 8-4 will look better than the 11-1 team in the Big 12, Pac-12 or Big Ten that beat an 8-4 team who would be 9-3 in the SEC.

...

This SEC chest-puffing about the requirement to schedule one nonleague game against an opponent from a power conference is the most laughable part of Sunday's announcement. SEC teams already do this, just like those from the Big Ten, Pac-12 and so on. What really changes here? Can I still see SEC teams playing FCS teams in November? OK, cool, just checking. Rejoice, SEC fans.

Now fast-forward to December 2016, and the selection committee is choosing between a two-loss Pac-12 or Big Ten champion, which has played nine league games plus a championship game, and a one-loss, second-place SEC team with eight league games and no championship game. If the SEC team is chosen, it invalidates the whole system. Here's hoping the committee makes the right call.

 

[andycapps]

http://espn.go.com/blog/pac12/post/_/id/71688/debating-the-secs-future-schedule-model

Bitter tears, etc. I agree that a 9 game conference slate is going to be necessary eventually, but the league will be just fine come playoff time with the status quo.

 

[cdyhybrid]

Bitter tears, etc. I agree that a 9 game conference slate is going to be necessary eventually, but the league will be just fine come playoff time with the status quo.

I dunno, I don't think you can fall back on the SEC > all argument when your conference champ just lost to an ACC team in the title game.

 

[jjasper]

The caveat here is that there are no divisions, which leads you to just taking the top 2 teams to play the CCG. So this year instead of Duke and Florida State, it would have been a Florida State/Clemson rematch.

Under NCAA rules you can't have a championship game without divisions. Something like that will have to happen after the breakaway.

 

[Schmitty]

yes and yes.

Be warned, Ultros must be pretty full, so at times character creation for it might be down. Just try again later (or REALLY late at night ;P)



Really, why is LSU using the year 2000 as a starting point? 14 seasons is a strange number. It's almost as if they feel Football didn't exist before then.

Sorry for OT: does XIV have a sub fee?

 

[Randolph Freelander]

Under NCAA rules you can't have a championship game without divisions. Something like that will have to happen after the breakaway.

There was already talk months ago about the ACC considering petitioning the NCAA to do away with the division requirement. The current reality for the ACC, and it doesn't seem unique to this conference, is that keeping 14 members happy is hard to do, and scheduling is part of that. When Syracuse, Pitt, et. al, can't get to fertile recruiting grounds that often, or when they can't host the power programs (and sell more tickets) that often, then they might start to grumble. Of course, these schools joined the ACC of their own accord, but I'm sure scheduling was a topic likely promised to be addressed.

Of course, they could do something simpler within the confines of the division requirement and simply redo division compositions on a regular basis (made easier by never adopting a "north/south" or "east/west" split in the first place). But if you're going to be a conference, and you're going to have balance, it seems reasonable to face your fellow members more often than once every six years.

 

[perfectchaos007]

Shoulda thought of that shit before going to 14.

This "three groups of 5" thing sounds a lot like the bizarre "pod system" the WAC used when they were huge.

Conference USA has strength in numbers. They lose and gain interchangeable members every year, and I think next year they'll have 16. 4 pods of 4 would work there

 

[Randolph Freelander]

Shoulda thought of that before going to 14.

This "three groups of 5" thing sounds a lot like the bizarre "pod system" the WAC used when they were huge.

The "3 by 5" is sort of confusing, but I was using the terms used in the article. It's not actually 3 groups of 5 (or, conversely, 5 groups of 3). It's just 3 partners and 5 rotating slots. "3 plus 5" probably would have been better to use.

Edit: Although, if it were up to me, the ACC would still be a 9 team or potentially 10 team conference and everybody would play everybody.

 

[andycapps]

I dunno, I don't think you can fall back on the SEC > all argument when your conference champ just lost to an ACC team in the title game.

I know I'm getting trolled here, but I'm not saying the SEC is greater than all, but just that I don't doubt the SEC will get at least one team into the 4 team playoff every year. What happens from there, who knows?

Plus FSU was a damn good team this last year. I'm no SEC homer, fuck the other teams.

 

[cdyhybrid]

I know I'm getting trolled here, but I'm not saying the SEC is greater than all, but just that I don't doubt the SEC will get at least one team into the 4 team playoff every year. What happens from there, who knows?

Plus FSU was a damn good team this last year. I'm no SEC homer, fuck the other teams.

Oh yeah, I'm sure they'll have no problem getting one. The problem is when a second one gets in over the champion of a Big 5 conference, or a 2nd place team in a Big 5 conference that played a harder schedule.

 

[andycapps]

Oh yeah, I'm sure they'll have no problem getting one. The problem is when a second one gets in over the champion of a Big 5 conference, or a 2nd place team in a Big 5 conference that played a harder schedule.

Well we can't all schedule MAC schools to fill our other slots like the B1G.