COLUMBIA, S.C. — It has been almost five full seasons since Steve Spurrier took over as South Carolina’s coach, but as I watched his post-game press conference on the video screen at Williams-Brice Stadium, it still felt unnatural.
Spurrier was his usual self (of Justin Trattou’s game-changing interception off a deflection, Spurrier deadpanned: “That’s not what we were trying to do”), it’s just that my first thought upon seeing him is that he’s at Florida.
Obviously, I know better, but that split-second of confusion is something that will never really go away, no matter how many wins Urban Meyer puts up in Gainesville.
Spurrier was one of the best players in school history, then took the Gators to new heights and established the program as a national power.
Meyer resurrected the team from mediocrity and is on his way to making it the country’s premier football school.
Those are two different accomplishments, and there’s no comparison for their places in UF history.
As far as wins go, national titles trump all in my book, meaning Meyer is the top dog.
But there’s more to this discussion. It’s really about the places these two hold in the hearts of Florida fans.
I can’t judge that, but I get the sense that most of the Gators faithful like seeing Spurrier win, even though he coaches a team in the same division.
If Meyer winds up at Kentucky one day (ha!) or Notre Dame or even succeeding Bill Belichick with the New England Patriots, I don’t consider it a lock for that to happen.
There’s a lot to say for the person who establishes a team or even a business as successful, and that can never be taken away.
It’s why Alabama coach Nick Saban can’t be upset that replicas of Alabama coaching great Paul “Bear” Bryant’s hat are worn during Crimson Tide games and sold in grocery stores.
Saban isn’t competing with Bryant, just like Meyer isn’t competing with Spurrier’s legend at UF.
He can’t.
Spurrier gave Florida its place in the landscape of sports, getting it there as much with his wit and persona as with his winning record.
Meyer can’t duplicate or better that.
He was faced with a different challenge and began with a different set of resources than Spurrier.
It’s like arguing over the best president of all time. Is it George Washington because he was first?
Abraham Lincoln because he kept the nation from tearing in two?
FDR for serving 12 years through economic crisis and World War II?
There’s no real way to decide, and each of them should be remembered for their unique set of hardships and triumphs.
It’s the same way with Spurrier and Meyer.
They represent different things to different people, and while it’s perfectly fine to have a favorite, there can’t be a broad, quasi-objective champ.
Everyone should be able to agree on one thing though: They both beat the pants off Ron Zook.
