Why do Tennessee fans hate Steve Spurrier so much?
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BigPapaVol
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It has something to do with him being from Johnson City, TN, and going to play at UF when he got out of high school. I think he's had bad feelings towards TN for a long time. I don't know if TN did not recruit him out of high school, or if he just didn't want to come here, and went to UF. Not to mention that he's a big pain in the a$$ with a big mouth. At least he was in the 90's when he was at UF, but not soo much anymore. He's at least tolerable now.
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I knew Steve when he QB'd for Science Hill, it's like he forgot all about his Tennessee roots when he went "down there"........ anybody but florida.. He and my cousin still hang out and play golf- and I am not by any means bragging or flaunting- and from what I've been told he's still the same ole nSteve but I don't buy that...
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Neyland Law Vol
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Here is probably more than you ever wanted to know - from 2007 Charleston News Paper article.
Success against Tennessee can make love hard to come by for Spurrier
Provided by Science Hill High School
Steve Spurrier during his high school years at Science Hill High School in Johnson City, TN.
Provided byScience Hill High School
Steve Spurrier during his high school years at Science Hill High School in Johnson City, TN.
JOHNSON CITY, TENN. — Just because you don't make it back much doesn't mean you've forgotten. Just because you don't make it back much doesn't mean you're forgotten.
That's the relationship between Steve Spurrier and the East Tennessee city he calls his hometown. And the whole third of the state, really.
The folks here watched Spurrier grow up and excel as a three-sport star at Science Hill High. They kept up with his years as a quarterback at Florida and in the NFL. And they've had an eye on a coaching career that's bordered on the brink of legendary.
But, over the years, the region has become conflicted. This University of Tennessee stronghold has watched its Volunteers lose to Spurrier in each of his college stops: Duke, Florida and, now, South Carolina.
The Gamecocks' victory in Knoxville two years ago was the program's first road win in the series. The teams play at Neyland Stadium again tonight.
Because of his success against UT, Spurrier doesn't expect to have many fans around here.
"If they're Tennessee fans, they pull for Tennessee," he said this week. "I'm sure my old coaches and teammates pull for me. ... Or maybe they don't. I don't know."
The last remaining member of the Spurrier family in town clarified that a bit.
"The way I've got it figured, there's three groups when it comes to Steve," said Graham Spurrier, Steve's older brother, who's lived in Johnson City for nearly 50 years. "There's a handful of people like me that like him no matter what. There's a group of folks that pull for him when he's playing anyone but Tennessee.
"And then there's some that hate his a-- no matter what."
But, perhaps, that category is shrinking.
The watering hole
Graham Spurrier has been coming to the Cottage, a small bar near downtown Johnson City, for 30 or so years.
A picture of his brother was above the beer taps until a framed photo of the bar's deceased owner replaced him in recent years.
Graham says he's never seen the Cottage's patrons so captivated as one night in the late 1990s.
Spurrier, was in the midst of his run of dominance at Florida when he made a surprise trip to Johnson City that included a stop at the Cottage.
He slid in and sat at the booth closest to the door. Didn't take long for those inside to recognize the town's most famous native.
Soon, a group surrounded the table. They asked for autographs. Asked football questions. Asked where he'd been.
By the end of a two-hour stint on the impromptu stage, everyone felt like they knew Spurrier.
They realized he was more down to earth than they'd ever realized. They figured out he was one of them.
"It shocked them," Graham said. "He came in and had a beer with them. I think that really meant a lot to people."
The unknown hometown
Rob Preston thought landing Spurrier to speak at his youth benefit in Athens, Tenn., was a long shot.
But Preston, president of the area chamber of commerce, knew something that a lot of people in town didn't. Something that virtually no one in South Carolina is aware of.
The Spurriers first lived in Athens, a city with 13,000 residents that's situated 60 miles south of Knoxville and 160 miles south and west of Johnson City.
When contacted, Spurrier expressed excitement about returning to the town where he lived from ages 3-8. Where he and Graham discovered football, watching their "heroes" practice for the Tennessee Wesleyan College team.
There's even a picture floating around Athens of the small college's quarterback throwing a pass to a little boy. And the boy happens to be Steve Spurrier.
Spurrier was so enthused to revisit his roots that he significantly reduced his speaking rate to accommodate the chamber's budget.
Still, there was another problem.
"Well, being in the heart of Tennessee country," said Preston, from Chattanooga, "I didn't know how well received it would be to have Steve Spurrier coming to town."
But 400 people, including a couple of those old football players, showed up at Tennessee Wesleyan to hear Spurrier.
He entered the room to a standing ovation. Except for one man in the front row. Ostensibly a UT fan, he refused to stand for Spurrier.
After a 45-minute speech in which Spurrier humbly described his failures in the NFL and his pride about his home area, things had changed.
In addition to those around him offering another standing ovation, the man who wouldn't stand was on his feet applauding.
"He made an impression," Preston said. "I think he won a lot of people that night."
The living link
There's a living link between Steve Spurrier and East Tennessee. Someone that keeps the memories and legacy alive by navigating the area with a smile and a story.
It's Graham.
When contacted to talk about the family, Graham makes arrangements to meet in 90 minutes at the Cottage.
"How will I know you?" the reporter asks.
"I'll be the one wearing a Carolina hat," he says. "Not too many of those around."
Fair enough.
Actually, Graham, who recently retired from the city's parks and recreation department, is sitting at the bar wearing a USC hat and T-shirt.
His license plate says "USC CKS." He thinks that's the reason he got a $402 speeding ticket recently in Knoxville.
"I hope we beat them for that," he jokes, referring to tonight's game. "That'll be a little revenge."
When brother Steve was with Duke, Graham wore Duke attire. The Florida years, Graham was a Gator. He had Redskins gear when Spurrier dabbled in the NFL. He's all Gamecock now.
Graham and family friend Steve Grills have been driving to games together since Spurrier started coaching at Florida. They don't miss many games, even making hauls to Arkansas and LSU in Grills' Jeep. (He recently had to upgrade vehicles after passing 250,000 miles.)
"Graham is the most supportive brother I've ever seen," says Liz Biosca, who went to high school with the Spurrier brothers and still teaches at Science Hill. "He's always right there behind Steve, out of the spotlight."
When Steve committed to the Gators, the Spurriers left for Florida. Not Graham. He loved this area, this town. And it's easy to see why on a breezy October day with the shades of fall greeting you as you descend from the neighboring Appalachians.
"It's not bad, is it?" Graham says.
The Hilltoppers
Diane Marable was a part of Science Hill's recently formed Hall of Fame committee. As a part of its first class, Steve was an obvious selection.
Marable and the committee worked with his schedule and Spurrier returned in January of this year to accept his nomination.
Spurrier was an all-state selection in baseball, basketball and football. Even though the Hilltoppers play football at Steve Spurrier Field, everyone's convinced that he was a better basketball player. Steve was a two-time all-state pick in hoops, once in football. Science Hill won two state baseball titles with Steve as its ace pitcher.
Spurrier's athletic accomplishments are chronicled in the foyer to the school's gym, which remains essentially the same as when Spurrier roamed the halls.
A life-size picture of Spurrier is adjacent to his decorated history. A maroon and gold No. 11 jersey is to the left of the picture.
When it came time for speeches in January, everyone looked at Spurrier, who came dressed in a maroon blazer with a gold tie.
He delivered with a smile on his face.
"He seemed to be proud of it," said Marable, the school's business manager, who went to Science Hill decades later. "He was glad to be back, to be here."
With the induction ceremony as an example, Marable thinks people have been more welcoming to Spurrier since he traded in blue for the garnet of Washington and then USC.
"They don't seem to hate him as much since he left Florida," she said, laughing. "I don't hear as much."
The next move?
Later, Graham realizes that perhaps there's a fourth group in Johnson City related to his brother. Actually, it's special only to this year's edition of the Tennessee-South Carolina game.
Graham said a man — an old guard Tennessee fan — walked into his fitness center Thursday morning wearing a South Carolina hat he'd given him.
Graham was floored.
The man told him he was rooting for Spurrier tonight because a growing number of Tennessee fans, himself included, want to see Phillip Fulmer's tenure as coach end.
"And he's not the only one," Graham said. "I've heard that a lot lately. People have had enough. They want a change."
The 1998 national championship has lost its sheen. Tennessee hasn't been in a BCS game since 1999.
There's been some rumbling that maybe — somehow, some way — Spurrier would return to East Tennessee and coach the Vols.
Graham says there's no way. But, still, there are some who want him back.
Maybe they're included in those who once hated his, um, rear regardless.
"If Phil Fulmer got fired tomorrow, and Spurrier got hired, they'd be all over it," Preston said. "To tell you the truth, I wish they would hire him."
Steve Spurrier is back in East Tennessee today.
He hasn't forgotten. He isn't forgotten.
Spurrier's hometown conflicted The Post and Courier - Charleston SC newspaper
Success against Tennessee can make love hard to come by for Spurrier
Provided by Science Hill High School
Steve Spurrier during his high school years at Science Hill High School in Johnson City, TN.
Provided byScience Hill High School
Steve Spurrier during his high school years at Science Hill High School in Johnson City, TN.
JOHNSON CITY, TENN. — Just because you don't make it back much doesn't mean you've forgotten. Just because you don't make it back much doesn't mean you're forgotten.
That's the relationship between Steve Spurrier and the East Tennessee city he calls his hometown. And the whole third of the state, really.
The folks here watched Spurrier grow up and excel as a three-sport star at Science Hill High. They kept up with his years as a quarterback at Florida and in the NFL. And they've had an eye on a coaching career that's bordered on the brink of legendary.
But, over the years, the region has become conflicted. This University of Tennessee stronghold has watched its Volunteers lose to Spurrier in each of his college stops: Duke, Florida and, now, South Carolina.
The Gamecocks' victory in Knoxville two years ago was the program's first road win in the series. The teams play at Neyland Stadium again tonight.
Because of his success against UT, Spurrier doesn't expect to have many fans around here.
"If they're Tennessee fans, they pull for Tennessee," he said this week. "I'm sure my old coaches and teammates pull for me. ... Or maybe they don't. I don't know."
The last remaining member of the Spurrier family in town clarified that a bit.
"The way I've got it figured, there's three groups when it comes to Steve," said Graham Spurrier, Steve's older brother, who's lived in Johnson City for nearly 50 years. "There's a handful of people like me that like him no matter what. There's a group of folks that pull for him when he's playing anyone but Tennessee.
"And then there's some that hate his a-- no matter what."
But, perhaps, that category is shrinking.
The watering hole
Graham Spurrier has been coming to the Cottage, a small bar near downtown Johnson City, for 30 or so years.
A picture of his brother was above the beer taps until a framed photo of the bar's deceased owner replaced him in recent years.
Graham says he's never seen the Cottage's patrons so captivated as one night in the late 1990s.
Spurrier, was in the midst of his run of dominance at Florida when he made a surprise trip to Johnson City that included a stop at the Cottage.
He slid in and sat at the booth closest to the door. Didn't take long for those inside to recognize the town's most famous native.
Soon, a group surrounded the table. They asked for autographs. Asked football questions. Asked where he'd been.
By the end of a two-hour stint on the impromptu stage, everyone felt like they knew Spurrier.
They realized he was more down to earth than they'd ever realized. They figured out he was one of them.
"It shocked them," Graham said. "He came in and had a beer with them. I think that really meant a lot to people."
The unknown hometown
Rob Preston thought landing Spurrier to speak at his youth benefit in Athens, Tenn., was a long shot.
But Preston, president of the area chamber of commerce, knew something that a lot of people in town didn't. Something that virtually no one in South Carolina is aware of.
The Spurriers first lived in Athens, a city with 13,000 residents that's situated 60 miles south of Knoxville and 160 miles south and west of Johnson City.
When contacted, Spurrier expressed excitement about returning to the town where he lived from ages 3-8. Where he and Graham discovered football, watching their "heroes" practice for the Tennessee Wesleyan College team.
There's even a picture floating around Athens of the small college's quarterback throwing a pass to a little boy. And the boy happens to be Steve Spurrier.
Spurrier was so enthused to revisit his roots that he significantly reduced his speaking rate to accommodate the chamber's budget.
Still, there was another problem.
"Well, being in the heart of Tennessee country," said Preston, from Chattanooga, "I didn't know how well received it would be to have Steve Spurrier coming to town."
But 400 people, including a couple of those old football players, showed up at Tennessee Wesleyan to hear Spurrier.
He entered the room to a standing ovation. Except for one man in the front row. Ostensibly a UT fan, he refused to stand for Spurrier.
After a 45-minute speech in which Spurrier humbly described his failures in the NFL and his pride about his home area, things had changed.
In addition to those around him offering another standing ovation, the man who wouldn't stand was on his feet applauding.
"He made an impression," Preston said. "I think he won a lot of people that night."
The living link
There's a living link between Steve Spurrier and East Tennessee. Someone that keeps the memories and legacy alive by navigating the area with a smile and a story.
It's Graham.
When contacted to talk about the family, Graham makes arrangements to meet in 90 minutes at the Cottage.
"How will I know you?" the reporter asks.
"I'll be the one wearing a Carolina hat," he says. "Not too many of those around."
Fair enough.
Actually, Graham, who recently retired from the city's parks and recreation department, is sitting at the bar wearing a USC hat and T-shirt.
His license plate says "USC CKS." He thinks that's the reason he got a $402 speeding ticket recently in Knoxville.
"I hope we beat them for that," he jokes, referring to tonight's game. "That'll be a little revenge."
When brother Steve was with Duke, Graham wore Duke attire. The Florida years, Graham was a Gator. He had Redskins gear when Spurrier dabbled in the NFL. He's all Gamecock now.
Graham and family friend Steve Grills have been driving to games together since Spurrier started coaching at Florida. They don't miss many games, even making hauls to Arkansas and LSU in Grills' Jeep. (He recently had to upgrade vehicles after passing 250,000 miles.)
"Graham is the most supportive brother I've ever seen," says Liz Biosca, who went to high school with the Spurrier brothers and still teaches at Science Hill. "He's always right there behind Steve, out of the spotlight."
When Steve committed to the Gators, the Spurriers left for Florida. Not Graham. He loved this area, this town. And it's easy to see why on a breezy October day with the shades of fall greeting you as you descend from the neighboring Appalachians.
"It's not bad, is it?" Graham says.
The Hilltoppers
Diane Marable was a part of Science Hill's recently formed Hall of Fame committee. As a part of its first class, Steve was an obvious selection.
Marable and the committee worked with his schedule and Spurrier returned in January of this year to accept his nomination.
Spurrier was an all-state selection in baseball, basketball and football. Even though the Hilltoppers play football at Steve Spurrier Field, everyone's convinced that he was a better basketball player. Steve was a two-time all-state pick in hoops, once in football. Science Hill won two state baseball titles with Steve as its ace pitcher.
Spurrier's athletic accomplishments are chronicled in the foyer to the school's gym, which remains essentially the same as when Spurrier roamed the halls.
A life-size picture of Spurrier is adjacent to his decorated history. A maroon and gold No. 11 jersey is to the left of the picture.
When it came time for speeches in January, everyone looked at Spurrier, who came dressed in a maroon blazer with a gold tie.
He delivered with a smile on his face.
"He seemed to be proud of it," said Marable, the school's business manager, who went to Science Hill decades later. "He was glad to be back, to be here."
With the induction ceremony as an example, Marable thinks people have been more welcoming to Spurrier since he traded in blue for the garnet of Washington and then USC.
"They don't seem to hate him as much since he left Florida," she said, laughing. "I don't hear as much."
The next move?
Later, Graham realizes that perhaps there's a fourth group in Johnson City related to his brother. Actually, it's special only to this year's edition of the Tennessee-South Carolina game.
Graham said a man — an old guard Tennessee fan — walked into his fitness center Thursday morning wearing a South Carolina hat he'd given him.
Graham was floored.
The man told him he was rooting for Spurrier tonight because a growing number of Tennessee fans, himself included, want to see Phillip Fulmer's tenure as coach end.
"And he's not the only one," Graham said. "I've heard that a lot lately. People have had enough. They want a change."
The 1998 national championship has lost its sheen. Tennessee hasn't been in a BCS game since 1999.
There's been some rumbling that maybe — somehow, some way — Spurrier would return to East Tennessee and coach the Vols.
Graham says there's no way. But, still, there are some who want him back.
Maybe they're included in those who once hated his, um, rear regardless.
"If Phil Fulmer got fired tomorrow, and Spurrier got hired, they'd be all over it," Preston said. "To tell you the truth, I wish they would hire him."
Steve Spurrier is back in East Tennessee today.
He hasn't forgotten. He isn't forgotten.
Spurrier's hometown conflicted The Post and Courier - Charleston SC newspaper
dono
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At the time Spurrier came out of High School...................Tennessee was still running the old T offense and single wing, spurrier was a modern day QB and Tennessee had not caught up. UT only came into the modern QB era when Dewey Warren came on board with Coach Dickey. Right or wrong that is why Spurrier went to Florida..... by the way I still hate him because all these years he still holds a grudge and loves to beat Tennessee more than anyone , I think just to rub it in our face, He will have a few of those Spurrier comments if SCjr wins Saturdaynight you can rest assured
voltnh
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Because he grew up in TN and went to High School here:
Then he left the state and went to UF.
being a science hill alumnus always seemed to prevent me from fully despising spurrier, but was always a little irked to see his huge picture in the gym and to be on a football field named after him...
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bigorange#1
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