Steve Spurrier hurt his credibility as a football coach in South Carolina's home loss to Auburn.
He hurt his credibility as a leader and a man Tuesday when he walked out of a news conference because of the presence of a columnist he doesn't like and, an hour later, cut quarterback Stephen Garcia, who leads the SEC in suspensions.
Spurrier has suspended Garcia, a fifth-year senior quarterback, five times. But Spurrier allowed him to return this summer in time for practice. Garcia didn't miss a snap. Although Garcia didn't start in South Carolina's opener in Charlotte against East Carolina, he was integral in helping the Gamecocks overcome an early deficit and beat the Pirates.
But Garcia has played poorly lately. He's been as likely to throw an interception as he is to get suspended. Spurrier replaced him in the starting lineup with Connor Shaw. The better Shaw has played well, the more expendible Garcia has become.
According to ESPN.com, Garcia tested posititively for alcohol and marijuana, and after five suspensions he's not supposed to do those things. So he's finally off the team.
Spurrier prefaced his weekly news conference Tuesday by telling the media "that as all of you know we've got a negative guy over there."
The negative guy, says Spurrier, is The Columbia State columnist Ron Morris.
Spurrier said he was upset about a column Morris wrote in March about Bruce Ellington, a South Carolina basketball player. Morris alleged that Spurrier poached Ellington from the basketball program to the football team.
Spurrier said Tuesday that Morris made the story up.
So are we to believe that for six months Spurrier has silently suffered and chose Tuesday to come out of his shell and address the Ellington story?
Or do you think Spurrier might have been angry a column in which Morris ripped Spurrier after the Auburn loss?
Spurrier said Tuesday he doesn't care if writers criticize him. He's making this up.
He's called me twice to complain about columns I've wrtten, once when he was at Duke and once last season. He cares desperately how he's perceived.
Spurrier said as head coach at South Carolina, a public taxpayer supported institution, he didn't have to talk to Morris. He left the news conference to adjoin to another room, and invited broadcasters to join him. They were going to talk one-on-one. The way he said it, they would all get a special treat.
As bad as the Auburn loss was, Tuesday was worse. Spurrier came undone.
What's that saying?
Ah. I remember.
When the going gets tough, the tough leave the room.
I'll agree with you that the timing was a bit off, but the thing is Morris is and has been a negative influence for journalism with The State for years, and finally--call it the Auburn article or Ellington article--Spurrier had enough. He spoke with the TV news reporters separately and would have with journalists, but refused to speak to anyone else until Morris left the room. Morris chose to call his bluff, but Spurrier wasn't bluffing. All the other reporters lost out because of it. Morris is a jerk. Say what you want about Spurrier, but he was defending himself and his team against false stories published by journalists. For that, I applaud him. He may have called you to complain about what you wrote Tom, but at least he never told you to stay away. Morris used his freedom of speech and pushed him too far. Spurrier used his freedom of speech (or in this case, the right not to speak) and Morris got what he deserved.
I have the right to go into a bar and get a drink. But if I cause a disruption, pick a fight, throw bottles at people, the management has the right to kick me out and refuse my business if they see me again.
Posted by: Brandon | October 12, 2011 at 08:47 AM
"He hurt his credibility as a leader and a man Tuesday when he walked out of a news conference because of the presence of a columnist he doesn't like and, an hour later, cut quarterback Stephen Garcia, who leads the SEC in suspensions."
-Get the facts straight... Spurrier didnt cut him, but I guess that doesnt matter anymore. Maybe you were one of the people in that presser yesterday, right?
Posted by: Jason | October 12, 2011 at 09:41 AM
Tom - hopefully Spurrier want speak to you either due to your lack on knowledge around the situation. First, Spurrier didnt cut Garcia and secondly, the news already broke prior to the press conferencein regards to Garcia being SUSPENDED AND KICKED OFF THE TEAM (not cut). Get your facts straight.
Posted by: Tom | October 12, 2011 at 10:22 AM
The universal reaction by the reporters to Spurrier being wrong in what he did...seems prejudicial and biased to their profession. Net.."We can do whatever we want and you have to let us have access". Given the timing, I think this was a planned maneuver by Steve to take the heat on himself and distract all of you guys from digging into Garcia's situation relentlessly. Time will tell, but all you guys need to get off the "oh my, I can't believe what he did.." comments. Those comments are just to justify your own paychecks!
Posted by: Usually a Tom Fan, but... | October 12, 2011 at 10:53 AM
Join the crowd, Tom. Within the last 24 hours, both Larry Guest and Mark Bradeley stated that they have received profane, handwritten letters from Spurrier in response to perceived negative comments about him. Funny, I thought Spurrier said yesterday that it's ok to criticize him. Apparently, he's what I have always thought he is, a serial liar.
Posted by: Jack | October 12, 2011 at 12:22 PM
Jack,
I would really like to see those "handwritten letters". I am sure that is true since Spurrier doesn't have better things to do with his time than write to local newspaper reporters.
Posted by: Tom | October 12, 2011 at 12:52 PM
Tom, check with Mark Bradley, and maybe he will share it with you.
http://blogs.ajc.com/mark-bradley-blog/2011/10/11/whoa-the-evil-genius-rips-a-columnist-and-not-yours-truly/
Posted by: Jack | October 12, 2011 at 01:26 PM
Gotta love you delusional gamecocks. Spurrier could break into your house and steal your TV and you would be talking about what a brilliant job he did picking your lock. You guys are sooooo desperate for any relevance whatsoever that you will buy whatever Steve's selling. He's running your program deeper underground than it already was and it's hilarious that you don't even see it.
Posted by: Parnell Burnside | October 12, 2011 at 02:15 PM
Tuesday was not the first time Spurrier had publicly addressed the Morris column on Ellington. Ellington himself made a statement about it at the beginning of the football season. And Ellington's comments directly contradict Morris' claims.
Posted by: Sam Dunham | October 12, 2011 at 04:03 PM
Also, Spurrier knew BEFORE the presser on Tuesday that Gacria had been dismissed by AD Eric Hyman. Your blog is also inaccurate. Seems to be a running theme with yokel journalists.
Posted by: Rod | October 12, 2011 at 04:20 PM
The media spokespersons including Sorenson have missed the most important point- is what Morris wrote true? If true he was vilified unfairly;if false he deserved his public lashing.Sorenson also omitted he has the same owner as Morris.
Posted by: George Patrick | October 14, 2011 at 11:29 AM