My story from FloridaGators.com https://floridagators.com/news/2025/4/20/football-hbc-turns-80-april-20-2025.aspx
Happy Birthday to the best coach that will ever be a Gator. The King of all Gators forever! The Head Ball Coach, Steve Spurrier. SOS!
This one struck me the most "Like Vince Lombardi said, 'Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, losing is a habit, too.' That Alabama game, I really believe, broke some bad habits." Napier needs to soak this one in.
I read every quote, really took me back to a great time in Gator football history. I was a kid during the 90s, but I remember about half the quotes my dad would tell me over the years. If you ever have a moment when you don't hate FSU enough, just revisit these SOS quotes and you will regain the hate you are looking for.
I'm smiling from ear to ear!!! Dec. 10, 1996 After Wuerffel took the high road when asked about Spurrier's remarks about FSU's so-called dirty tactics. "Danny doesn't have a nasty temper at all. He's kind of a New Testament person. He gets slapped upside the face and turns the other cheek. He says Lord forgive them. They know not what they are doing. I'm probably more of an Old Testament guy. You spear our guy in the ear hole, we think we're supposed to spear their guy in the ear hole. That's how we're a little different." God Bless Him for what he did for this program, he's the greatest Gator
My favorite Steve Spurrier quote was actually a gaffe on his part (which he immediately corrected). It was the day it was announced that he had won the Heisman Trophy. (There was no TV extraganza back in those days, just a press release.) He was interviewed on the radio that afternoon, and said, "This is an honor I'll never remember. I mean forget!"
I think it is safe to say he is the best coach ever. Saban and Meyer took over great programs that had gotten a little off course. LSU, OSU, UF(when Meyer came) and Alabama all had the pedigree, athletes, money, and fan support. Spurrier won the ACC with Duke, turned Florida into a premier program and had three 11 win seasons at South Carolina. When you consider what they all did with what they started with, I don’t think it’s close. PS. I intentionally left Bowden off the list.
Thank you for a trip down memory lane! His accomplishments are only rivals by his quips! Great article!
He is the best coach. He may not have compiled the same amount of talent that Saban, Meyer, Bowden, and even Fulmer did (because he didn’t cheat); but if you had to pick one coach to lead your team for one game and it’s the biggest game in your team’s history, you’re gonna pick Spurrier.
I cherish the up-close-and-personal memories I have of Steve and Jeri. I'll share one. I was in the Dallas Gator Club in 1991 and we flew Steve and Jeri out for our Spring gathering. I was on the committee that organized the event, held at Dick's Last Resort in the West End. I was there just after noon setting up tables , etc. Steve and Jeri's limo was scheduled to pick them up at DFW around 4:00. We were putting out tablecloths in the upstairs party room when we heard, in Spurrier's twang - "Hey, where's a Gator and his gal get a drink around here?" It was just 2:00 or so. We all dropped what we were doing and got them settled. Jeri said "Well we caught an earlier flight so we just took a cab from the airport." We all got a drink and some food and stopped our set up to just sit and visit for a while. There were maybe four of us Gator Club members with the two Spurriers. I called the Club President and told him what had happened. He was aghast but calmed down when I noted how affable the Spurriers were. Here is what I remember most of that day, and it made such an impression: Steve and Jeri BOTH asked us way more questions than we asked them. They wanted to know all about each of us, why we ended up at Florida, where did we live, what did we do for a living, etc. As we told our stories, they listened and then they told theirs. It was apparent that, in Jeri, Steve was admirably well-met in a spouse. Amazing hearing of them, married and living in Flavet Village married housing, while playing at UF, describing their days on campus as compared to ours. Jeri was so impressive. She is one tough but tender cookie, and sure knows how to sit next to larger-than-life guy like Steve and not fade into the background. It was obvious that after all those years, they were a great couple. In contrast to his big-ego rep (and no doubt he has one), Steve was as good a listener as he was a speaker. I had him autograph my SEC championship beer stein, which I have displayed proudly on my bar. Eventually we went back to setting up and, naturally, they both pitched in to assist. A memory to last a lifetime that day.
