DESTIN, Fla. — SEC commissioner Mike Slive's reminder at the spring business meetings Wednesday to football coaches to stop the public verbal sparring came after another public exchange Tuesday involving Tennessee first-year coach Lane Kiffin.
South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier confronted Kiffin in front of the media after being told that Kiffin said that he has never received an apology from Spurrier after the Gamecocks coach publicly questioned whether he had passed the NCAA recruiting test before calling prospects.
Spurrier turned and saw Kiffin, who was waiting to board an elevator after a meeting of all the coaches.
“I didn’t accuse you of cheating,” Spurrier said, while pointing at Kiffin. “I said, 'Is it permissible to call recruits before he’s announced as head coach, before you take the test?” ’
Spurrier turned back to the reporters and added, “He took the test online, and I didn’t know you could do that. I thought you had to take the test on campus, then get announced.”
Kiffin, clearly embarrassed, mumbled something inaudible. When the elevator finally arrived, Kiffin, Kentucky’s Rich Brooks, Auburn’s Gene Chizik and Arkansas’ Bobby Petrino got in along with Spurrier.
Spurrier again said as the doors closed, “I didn’t say he broke the rules. I just said, ’Is it permissible to make calls?' ”
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Comments » 273
TSNSD4UT writes:
Spurrier = ahole
rockytopatl writes:
I hate to take the Evil Genius' side on anything, but it seems to me he is right. But he got taken to task by Slive for confronting Kiffin on it.
Interesting meeting so far. What happens next? Saban makes a pass at Layla?
FLVol writes:
This story is phooey. Spurrier did accuse Kiffin of cheating in his own way and for him to now deny his intent is a load bull. I can't wait to slap the gamecocks in the mouth come October.
nmbr1vol writes:
spurrier is the original cry baby. he has proven to be human, as everyone suspected, given that he hasn't won anywhere since leaving the state of florida -- where he never had to recruit and even i could win with their talent.
he is done, washed up, over the hill, without his coveted augusta national membership and now stuck in south carolina. poor old (self named an proclaimed)'ball coach' just desperate to be relevant again. ...sad
CoachFulmer writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
bobmcreynolds#663132 writes:
Kiffin needs to grow up, lose some pride, and learn how to let his team's play on the field do the talking. It is gonna be real embarrasing when Florida, Alabama, and others rub Tennessee's noses in the turf by running the score up on us. Just think, Urban Meyer beat Phat Phil by 39 points just because CPF had a scout quarterback wear a superman suit. What do you think he's gonna do to Lame Kiffin for running his mouth? Beat him by 59 points? It's gonna get embarrasing for Tennessee.
CoverOrange writes:
Overlooked in this is that Spurrier didn't know the rules. Hmmm.
Further, if Spurrier didn't think it might be breaking the rules he wouldn't have asked the question.
Pandering media misplacing their thinking caps again.
SWAVol writes:
I too wish we could get to gamedays so all of this trash talking could be over. I will promise you that FLA,ALA or anyone else puts up 59 on the VOLS. This is not your old Fulmer team that laid down and played dead. If someone dogs it on the field they will have a nice seat to rest on while they think. This team may not be able to knock out the big dogs yet but you better believe they will know they have been hit. Remember, the object in your mirror is closer than you think!
OrangePride writes:
Vintage Spurrier. He cannot resist the opportunity to needle. But LK is not Fulmer. Fulmer took that baloney and rarely ever said much. LK is different and giving as good as he gets. Looks like a good SC/Vol game this year....GO VOLS.
txvolsfan writes:
I love it that Spurrier talks about Urbie Cryer and no one cared and now that he is sparring with Stones Kiffin it is big news!!!
Does anyone else sense a changing of the guard in the SEC.
Spurrier is trying to remain COOL by hanging with Stones!!!
Man has this guy got us on the front page all the time or what?
Every team is making UT their biggest must win game this year and every SEC fan has now made UT public enemy number ONE!!!
and the GENIUS of it?
He has not even coached a game at UT yet,
Wait till we start the upset train this year and we will be front page everywhere.
A true Genius at work
STONES KIFFIN
GO VOLS
TXVOLSFAN
txvolsfan writes:
It is also amazing that when Fulmer was our coach we had NO interlopers and now they are everywhere!!!
It's funny that they come on here to trash UT when the bottom line is, IF THEY WERE NOT SCARED THEY WOULD NOT BE HERE!!!!!!!
GO VOLS
TXVOLSFAN
Proud member of the GVOLSXTRA ELITE team!!!!
UTandETSUfan writes:
Hey guys, just thought I'd drop this link off for yall. memphis is in BIG trouble (possibly having to throw out their final four appearance in the 07-08 season) due to coach Cal and a recruit.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebaske...
rockytopatl writes:
Spurrier knew the rules. He knew Kiffin had to take the test before he could contact recruits. What he did not know was that Kiffin took it online before he got to Knoxville. Should he have apologized? Let me answer that this way: Kiffin wouldn't have apologized to Meyer without the commissioner prodding him to do it. Nobody thought Spurrier's comments rose to that level, and even in retrospect I don't think they did. Calling somebody a cheater, despite the context, despite not knowing reporters were listening, stepped over the line. Granted, many UT fans loved it and you can make a case it paid off in recruiting.
Is Spurrier arrogant? Of course he is. It comes with the package. We have a similar package of our own without the W-L record and the championships. Hopefully we'll get that part of the package, too.
Colliervol writes:
Spurrier will be gone after this year anyway and I remain uninterested in his opinion. He's been a non-factor since he left Florida.
VolMoment writes:
You idoit . You are so anti UT you didn't even read that it was cry baby Steve who made a feeble attempt on play of words to defend his accusations of Lane before Lane ever said anything. Why wouldn't Lane have assumed that it was ok in the SEC since our weak commissioner didn't call Spurrier on the carpet. Man get a life and you will see the real world. Oh you can't because your mother hasn't changed you dipers.
Lean_and_Hungry writes:
like most bullies, spurrier is the type of b---- who likes to dish it out but who cannot take it...but he'll be taking it in October...lube up, steve
Seriouslyorange writes:
This whole debacle in Destin, Flahduh is so funny it make me pee my pants! Kiffin is the greatest 'gigger' in all football. He can make the sweat pop on most all the sec crowd. They simply can't take it. If we don't win a damn game this year it will be worth it to me to see the smart azzes not just take off on us and not get a reply.
Let the battles begin.
dvols writes:
hmmmm.... dont penalize memphis....who was their coach?
UTandETSUfan writes:
Eh, the way the rules are written, the Coaches pretty much always get off scott-free (with the exception of Sampson), while the programs get the penalties.
Hounddog writes:
Could we just move on? Good grief!
behuman13 writes:
Exactly what I was saying in another post...
littleorange writes:
You might want to check the all time records , but I guess that would be asking too much. The lizzards are Johnny Come Lately 's in the SEC.
panties4tebow writes:
I must say I am really impressed with Lane Kiffin and Staff! It's great to be the boxer again instead of the boxing bag!!!
GO VOLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
rockytopatl writes:
It was well established that Kiffin took the test. Factual knowledge clearly isn't your strong suit.
rbatten9#231828 writes:
Oh gators, for a team that's won so much you show the insecurity of that of Washington State.
teampenny#658108 writes:
I rather us win games an not run our mouth. That is just me though. Go Vols
panties4tebow writes:
A boxing bag is LIL-meyer's face!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAAAA
panties4tebow writes:
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tums writes:
Kiffin had made the lack of apology comment as a joke which was pressured by a reporter. Spurrier certainly insinuated that he cheated. Wow, the media really hates Kiffin, just look at all the articles written on him. It's funny because what has Lane said negative to the media? Just because he wont perform on Cryer the media hates him.
rockytopatl writes:
Math isn't your strong suit, either.
Weatherman writes:
LMAO;)
PaulTheVol writes:
Spurrier remains one of the most overrated coaches of all time. All that talent at Florida and only one NC. Ironically, for all of his offensive "genius", it took Bob Stoops directing the defense before he finally got his NC. It's no wonder he wishes Meyer would go to Notre Dame, with each year that passes it just shows how much he underachieved at Florida. What a joke.
dvhill100 writes:
I think they have pretty much beat this subject to death.
one4black writes:
Is it really 8 secondary infractions? I thought it was less. And not to be beat an old issue here, but don't most schools report dozens of secondary infractions each year. Yes, that includes Meyer at Florida (who also did some strange things to say the least with the recruitment of Tebow when he promised the current Ole Miss QB he would not ... not to mention the whole scholarship to the girlfriend of a pursued player in the recent past), as well as many by Saban at that *%$&^*& school in Tuscaloosa.
And I agree that Kiffin is a bit of a media target right now ... and much of that rests on him and his mouth. Hey - if it works and we win too ... so be it. If he does not win, his mouth will not be the issue. To think that Alabama and Florida would not score a 100 every year if they could is ridiculous.
And on the issue of Spurrier, I remember being at the Sugar Bowl the year UF beat FSU for the national championship. For several weeks before the game Spurrier had been crying about FSU hitting his QB. And I remember well how many UF fans were even turned off by it, but most said, in the end, if he wins, he can cry all he wants.
So to Kiffin ... if you win, you can be as cocky as you want. If you lose, see you later. But overall, I must agree that this is much better than taking abuse like Fulmer did for so many years.
Slystone writes:
We should be more concerned Kiffin wasn't quick too respond, but was quoted as mumbling in response to Spurriers comments. I'm not a Spurrier fan, but it sounds like Kiffin may have bit off more than he can chew. I think most Vol fans just want the drama to stop and let's focus on the team being prepared to play in a few months.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Clap-clap-clap.
tennrich1 writes:
To quote "My cousin Vinny"
"ARE YOU SURE BOUT DAT" .."ARE YOU SURE BOUT DAT"...I GOT NO MORE USE FOR THIS GUYS"
sameolvolalum writes:
Each time you respond to that hermaphrodite, you've also reposted his idiocy. DON'T RESPOND TO THE TROLLS!
sameolvolalum writes:
Okay, Bro. You've acknowledged it's existence. You're Troll bait. Cut it out!
normdia writes:
You really are an idiot aren't you...how can you say that UT doesn't have a winning tradition when the lifetime series is tied 19 to 19? Yes FL has won the last four, but in the history of the series, Florida's longest streak is 5 while Tennessee's longest streak is 10 - I really think you should get your facts straight before you flap your Richard beaters. Don't get me wrong, I'm not denying that FL has a winning tradition, but to say that Tennessee has any less of one is complete and utter stupidity. FL may well beat us this year, and I'm prepared for that, but the tide (no pun intended) is definitely turning and I'd love to be sitting next to you when it does...I truly believe it will be sooner than you think, and I'll wager any amount you would like that it will be long before your streak comes anywhere close to 10.
I've been to the last 8 games at Neyland when UT has played FL, and everytime I always end up partying and having a good time w/ the FL fans, but it's dumb arses like you that make me want to punch the next FL fan I see in the face, but I won't, cause then I would be no better than you, well, maybe I'd still be a little better, but you get the point...
GO VOLS!
sameolvolalum writes:
I live in the center of white trash country, South Carolina, and all day I've been listening to 107.5 "the game" sports talk radio out of Columbia. Their entire day was comprised of over-and-over audio bits of Spurrier "giving Lane what he deserved." Caller after caller (in their beligerent bubba gibberish) bashed Kiffin and embellished on their "bad guy" fantasies. There's no reasoning here and I, for one, can't wait for the ol' ball fart to have his arse handed to him in Neyland this fall. Anybody who can't appreciate what Kiff's doing and what he's accomplished in such a short amount of time just may fall off that parade float and, while wincing from their brused egos, watch the big orange parade pick up some "upsets" before many predict. I, for one, am with you Coach Kiff!
normdia writes:
Again, another assinine comment...
History will never rank him above 'The General'
swampbuggy writes:
It's funny. Spurrier in essence accused kiffin of being a liar and all kiffin could do was turn red and mutter. The press was laughing at the guy. How humiliating to get spanked, and sent to your room. Spurrier must have been right or kiffin would have taken up for himself instead of cowering.
swampbuggy writes:
The general was "okay" in his day, today he would probably be a war protester.
798orange writes:
Reading your numerous ignorant and often childish rants day after day does get a little tiresome, but then again I guess your goal is to irritate.
Your statement here is off the mark again. The man our stadium is named after was clearly a superior coach.
Bigger_Al writes:
Spurrier is playing semantics by saying he "questioned" vs. "accused". Saying to a bunch of reporters what Spurrier said is worse than saying to a bunch of fans what Lane said. I think the ol' ball coach is full of it on this one.
rubbervol writes:
Well said.
normdia writes:
Yeah, you keep telling yourself that - whatever it takes to make you feel better about yourself...I completely understand.
rubbervol writes:
Spurrier is a mental midget.
rubbervol writes:
Tweet---lol
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