When it comes to words, neither South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier nor Clemson’s Dabo Swinney are shy about lobbing shots at one another -- especially the Ol’ Ball Coach. Earlier this year, the two coaches tossed jabs at the other program following bowl games in which they didn’t even face each other.
While most consider it good-natured ribbing between the head coaches of the in-state rivals, one Atlanta high school football had a unique, tongue-in-cheek suggestion to work out whatever underlying issues there may be between the two.
Wednesday, both Spurrier and Swinney showed up for recruiting visits to North Gwinnett (Ga.) High School at around the same time. The paths of the two coaches crossed briefly, with Bob Sphire taking full advantage of the situation.
“Dabo was leaving out when Spurrier was coming in, and I stopped them and said, ‘Look, I’ve got a fundraising idea. There’s a 1,000 kids over there in the cafeteria right now for lunch. We’re going to go over and wrestle, and I’m going to charge admission,’” the North Gwinnett coach said according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “They just smiled and laughed. They talked to each other for a little bit. I told Coach Spurrier that I get a kick out of his little digs, the way he stirs everybody up.”
Despite the age difference -- Spurrier’s 68, Swinney’s 44 -- my money would be on The OBC:
Sadly, such a rasslin’ endeavor will likely never take place as the veil has been pulled back to reveal that -- dammit -- the two do actually like and respect each other despite the myriad barbs tossed about.
“Dabo was in here first, and I was telling him how entertaining those two have been with their quotes back and forth, and their banter. You know, the first thing (Swinney) said was ‘I really like him (Spurrier). We’re really good friends,’” Sphire said. “I will be darned if that wasn’t the first thing that Spurrier told me when I tried to stir it up. He said, ‘I really like Dabo. We’re really good friends.’”
Thanks, Coach Sphire. Now I remember what it was like when I first learned that Santa Claus was nothing but a bald-faced lie perpetrated by society in general and my parents specifically...
(Tip O’ the Cap: GoGamecocks.com)
