Friday, February 8, 2008

Spurrier won the state’s recruiting war in 2005

It was July 2005 and Steve Spurrier had been the head football coach at the University of South Carolina less than eight months. That’s when word got out that he had sent letters to six players telling them they would lose their scholarships. Those affected included two South Carolina high school products and both were recruited by the staff of former coach Lou Holtz.
In response to Spurrier’s action, the South Carolina High School Coaches Association is called Spurrier unethical.
The SCHCA said Spurrier's actions showed a “lack of commitment to recruited players.”
The SCHCA even requested that the state HS championship games be moved away from Williams-Brice to a location off the SC campus.
But the SCHCA’s group turned out to be big talkers, who balked when called on their bluff. Spurrier alluded to his suspicion that the loud-mouth coaches were put up to their squawking. His indications were that the whiners were minions of an opportunist Clemson program, that had a head coach in Tommy Bowden who would again take a backseat to a man, in Spurrrier, who had achieved much more than Bowden ever will. And that has proven out.
For Spurrier’s part he did not back down, he answered:
“There were some players the former staff had signed that we did not think would ever contribute much. And we had some walk-on players who actually were contributing more. So some of the high schoolers they got mad about it. I don't know what to say, but to me in life, you put people on scholarship who deserve it the most.”
And later in the month this report surfaced:
Spurrier awarded scholarships to two USC walk-ons: senior WR Michael Flint and junior long snapper Ike Crofoot.
Imagine that, giving scholarships to kids who earn them, not to those who are deemed entitled.
With that episode, three years ago, Spurrier sent a message to the establishment that had controlled South Carolina football. He told the powers-that-once-were that he is the one and only football coach at SC.
Not missing the chance to hoist his own opportunities, Bowden, who had been dominated in in-state recruiting by Lou Holtz, wasted no time.
With Holtz’s departure, Bowden was coming off a 6-5 season in which one of his players had punched a pinned S.C. player in the face and ignited a free-for-all that ended up costing Bowden some minor bowl. Considering Bowden’s record of flourishing only in small-time post-season venues, missing the bowl game was hard on Bowden and the story he was peddling to the Clemson faithful. Bowden needed some new hope to sell his ever-grumbling, orange-clad following on. Then he remembered.
On Feb. 19, 2001 the headline screamed:
`We got him baby! - acquisition of player Roscoe Crosby by Clemson University's football team
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_8_225/ai_70926942/pg_1
It took seven years, but Bowden was right. The rank-and-foul IPTAY members had forgotten all about the euphoria they had bought into before. Long forgotten were the promises that Bowden made on the backs of Crosby, Currie, Hall and Zimmerman.
Fast-forward. It’s 2008, and there still have been no championships at Clemson. But The State newspaper is making more promises, but this time it’s about Harper, Allen, Brown and Page. The Associated Press tells us: “The potential star power in Clemson's new class will only increase the pressure for championships on Bowden…..”
But Bowden has been there and he knows to pull out numbers when faced with unpleasant facts. He‘s always one point away or as he said on Wednesday: “The expectations were high when I got here. I've been on the hot seat three times" in nine seasons, Bowden said.
Yep, they’re all smiling and the cupboard is full of can’t-miss-blue-chip big-timers again. It’s got to be so, because the media tells them it is.
While Spurrier sat with a wry smile and said: “I don’t know if they grew up wanting to go to Clemson or what…..We missed on a couple of the guys after the season was over. (But) I think Clemson was going to get most of the guys they got regardless.”
And of course there are a couple good ones in Bowden‘s class, but you’ve got to wonder who he has in there just to make the SCHCA happy.
And remember what Spurrier said about his class: “But we’re really proud of the guys that came and we’re proud of the guys we’ve got.”
They call coach a straight shooter. With that and 2001 in mind, I’m guessing the Tigers will be ready to trade that “can’t-miss” gang at Clemson for the guys who can keep their scholarships for Spurrier.

6 comments:

generalataris said...

You nailed this one.

Tommy Bowden signed ten ESPN 150 recruits, and a top ten class, so he could continue to "fool" Clemson fans.

Spurrier is the ONLY coach in South Carolina...who happens to be 1-2 vs. Bowden.

Bowden turned the High School Coaches against Spurrier singlehandedly....

he was also the second gunman on the grassy knoll and knows where Hoffa is buried.

Jesus Christ, you Cocks are delusional beyond belief. The fact that you even try to feign an educated stance on the issues on this blog is HILARIOUS.

Bowden's last three recruiting classes have been very, very good. The previous years were (typically) very mediocre. The 2001 class was overrated, the 2004 class was underrated. But none of them have matched the 05,06,07 classes.

Will Clemson win championships? We hope so. We have a lot more talent than Bowden has ever had. If we don't, we'll have to find someone new.

But one thing is CERTAIN-

-we will always dominate Carolina. The only thing that has "proven out" (your words) is that Spurrier can't dominate the college game like he once thought.

And the sad thing is...you know it. You're terrified of it. That is why your blog smacks of fear and rationalization. It's ok. Baseball season is near.

generalataris said...

OK, I just went back and re-read about six of your posts and have to ask..

are you mentally ill? Was the "surgery" you speak of a lobotomy?

I have heard a lot of delusional fans before in my lifetime...

but never, EVER, even sitting near the drunken hicks of Williams-Brice stadium, have I heard such biased, out-of-touch-with-reality garbage in my life.

Are you ok man? I really am worried about you.

big t said...

yeah, yeah...we've heard it all before...bowden is 2-1 vs spurrier, yet that is domination to you. and those include a 4 pt win and a 2 pt win...over SC teams that were largely depleted by attrition or w/ vast injuries...

in 08, i think clemson will get a better example of a spurrier squad...and i doubt you'll be happy fans afterwrds...

also: i love it: in the past, all those great recruiting classes you told us about were over-rated...but now they're great...and we're supposed to believe that...

tommy has you people eating out of his filthy paw...yet again...

it is funny to see yall fall for it over and over...

generalataris said...

Not sure why you put quotation marks around "dominate."

There really is no euphamism to use when speaking of the all-time record of the series, or the past decade.

Are some of the games close? Sure. Are the two teams evenly matched on occassion? Certainly. Yet who WINS the games.

And don't give me the injury excuse. The dramatic 06 win for Carolina, which sent the drunken masses of Carolina nation into a state of euphoria was against a team that lost no fewer than four of its best players to injury.

"You got who ya got." We lost that year. You lost the other two years. You'll lose this year.

Also, while there have been plenty of Clemson fans that perpetuate the myth that Clemson has always had superior talent, that simply isn't the case. Bowden's recruiting classes from 1999-2004 averaged (depending on which site you use) somewhere between 40th-60the in the nation.

The past three classes have averaged in the top 15. Surely, even with your blinding, self-perpetuating bias, you can see that there is a significant difference between those talent levels.

My point here is this; You act as if Bowden is selling fool's gold by praising the past three recruiting classes. You say that he has always done this.

That simply isn't the case. Bowden has complained, ad nauseum, about his lack of recruiting resources (facilities, etc). He was playing with mediocre players.

Now, will the new talent help? It better. Am I 100 percen sold on Bowden? Not yet.

But is he somehow scheming Clemson University out of millions of dollars by year after year promising better results with new recruits? No.

If I were you, I'd be a tad more concerned with your own football team, which last won a football game in October.

Unknown said...

Very well written. I don't think anyone could put more spin on South Carolina's recruiting class.

big t said...

too much to get into every point...

but fact is: you play in the weakest BCS conference in college football at a school, that should be able to out-recruit just about anyone you play...

and you're still using facilities as an excuse...

again: i'm not ovely-satisfied w/ what is happening at SC, but it is completely understandable when you look at the number of players SC has lost...still: the 2 losses to clemson by spurrier should be UNACCEPTABLE. clemson is a medocre program and an ambitious SEC squad cannot lose to a team on that level...

but you are right, SC fans need to be cautious...

we'd hate to look like idiots for praising a coach who fails year after year...(sound familiar?)

but of course our coach has beaten Ga. and Fla.....your coach could play those teams 100 times and still get your asses kicked...

your performance vs auburn and ky. this year and last demonstrate that...hahahaha