Spurrier Cracks On Columbia Sports Media

On August 28, 2010, The State's leading sports writer, Ron Morris, wrote Garcia should be starter at QB.

Like many Gamecock fans, I usually avoid reading anything written by Morris. I just don't care for his writing. However, I do like to watch the raw footage of press conference, particularly when I am anxiously awaiting the start of the college football season on Thursday night. After watching the last Pre-Season Press Conference by The Head Ball Coach, Steve Spurrier, today, I decided to go back and read Morris' garbage article to see what he wrote to irritate Spurrier.

The Morris tripe piece is nothing if not surprising for its arrogance:

Garcia is the guy. He gives USC the best chance to win games, perhaps enough to capture the ever-elusive SEC East championship. Shaw should serve as a nice backup who can be worked into the rotation on a game-by-game basis.

USC fans only can hope that is the way Spurrier approaches this season. If not, by midseason, USC again will be saying, “Wait ’til next year.”

I am patting myself on the back for all the years I have avoided Morris.

Morris started off by asking Spurrier his favorite pre-season loaded question. Morris is like a wily Pharisee. He asks questions like setting snares for foolish birds.

"Steve what are the overall expectations from you for this team?"

Spurrier uses the opportunity of Morris' question to address his annoyance.

"From me? I was going to defer that question to you. You know more than I do, don't you?

By the way, I wanted to ask you, who do you want to play at right guard this game? Got any ideas?”

Addressing the other reporters, Spurrier says, “Ron knows more about who should play quarterback than I do, so I wanted to know if he knew about who should play right guard.”

Later in the thirty minute press conference, a reporter asks Spurrier if he intends to rotate quarterbacks Garcia and Shaw. Rotating quarterbacks is an issue that The State has used to criticize Spurrier. (See QBs are rotating to nowhere fast). Spurrier addressed The State's argument that frequently substituting quarterbacks is disruptive and counter-productive to a team.

But getting back to the two quarterbacks. I know that some of you here know a lot more about coaching quarterbacks than I do. You're not supposed to jerk 'em in and out of the game. It hurts their feelings, and all that. But of the eight conference championships that I've been fortunate enough to coach teams, four of those eight we used two quarterbacks.

You know, I sorta watch the quarterbacks. I know some of you don't think so, but I really watch those guys about all day, and the receivers, and the offensive line.