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SPURRIER, FULMER FRIENDLY FOES
RON MORRIS, Columnist
THIS WAS THE true test of the sincerity of the respect/friendship/mutual admiration between football coaches Steve Spurrier and Phil Fulmer. The USC and Tennessee coaches claim to enjoy each other's company despite their well-documented exchange of barbs through the years.
Whose telephone number shows up on my cell phone during an interview with Fulmer Wednesday afternoon at the State Fairgrounds?
Spurrier's, of course.
Fulmer gestured for me to hand him the phone.
Off the two coaching titans went on a conversation that sounded on one end as if Fulmer was talking to an old college buddy. Fulmer, wearing the shirttail out on his Big Orange-colored shirt, leaned back in his chair. He might as well have been sitting next to the grill on his back deck, chatting as he cooked.
They asked about each other's wives, who share a passion for working out. Fulmer asked about Spurrier's score on a recent round of golf at Augusta National. Spurrier inquired about an old friend, Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt, who recently underwent shoulder surgery.
Fulmer wanted to know if Spurrier had finalized plans to attend a coaches' meeting in Las Vegas. And the two concluded the conversation by saying they looked forward to meeting again at an upcoming Southeastern Conference gathering in Florida.
A year ago, fresh into his new job at USC, Spurrier picked up his verbal exchanges with Fulmer right where he left off during his 12-year run as Florida's head coach.
"This was not a full-blown fight," Spurrier said upon hearing that one of his USC players was involved in an off-the-field skirmish. "If you want to read about some full-blown fights, read about the Tennessee players, not our guys. We've not had any knockdown, drag-out fights amongst our players."
During Spurrier's days at Florida, Fulmer mostly accepted Spurrier's sparring and moved on. That was the case when Spurrier said, "You can't spell citrus without 'UT,'" a reference to Tennessee's repeated appearances in the second-tier Citrus Bowl while Florida was annually playing in the SEC championship game.
But a year ago Fulmer fought back, at least verbally.
"That doesn't bother me one bit," Fulmer said in response to Spurrier's gibe about the fights. "He's got plenty to do, I'm sure. Maybe it rained that day and he didn't get to play golf. I don't know."
Fulmer had positioned himself well to exchange such quips with Spurrier. Before 2005, his Tennessee team had averaged 10 wins per season during a 10-year period. The Vols also won two SEC championships and, in 1998, a national title.
But the fortunes of Fulmer's and Spurrier's teams unexpectedly reversed last season. Tennessee, which finished 5-6, had a losing record and failed to qualify for a bowl game for the first time in 14 years under Fulmer. USC, thought to be in the first season of a major rebuilding job under Spurrier, went 7-5 and played in the Independence Bowl.
Among USC's wins was a stunning 16-15 victory over Tennessee in Knoxville.
During a recent Gamecock Club meeting, Spurrier was asked what he said to Fulmer after that game.
"I didn't have to say too much," Spurrier said. "He had the look on his face as if his wife and children had a car wreck. He wasn't happy, and I understand because we've all been there."
When told of Spurrier's comments Wednesday, Fulmer laughed. He offered no response. Frankly, he has more important things to concern himself with this off-season. He says his Tennessee football team must regain an "attitude" it seemed to lack last year.
In addition to bringing in a new offensive line coach and offensive coordinator, Fulmer said he and his staff have examined every phase of their program, from the way they conduct practice to the philosophical approach of running the offense. He said the self- evaluation process is no different than what CEOs do in the business world.
"Vicky is a great coach's wife, and she says sometimes to really appreciate the peaks that you've had, you have to have a valley," Fulmer said. "We've had our (valley). I appreciate it, and I don't want to do it again.
"We've just got to get ourselves back on our feet, back on track."
Maybe then Fulmer will be more inclined to jab back at Spurrier.
When told that Spurrier was not impressed by the 150-plus showing for the inaugural Columbia stop on Tennessee's Big Orange Caravan, Fulmer just laughed. He really seemed to appreciate Spurrier's sense of humor.
