Who you for, UGA fans? The Evil Genius or Nick UnFairley?
"Good luck, Stevie boy. We're all counting on you." (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
Three years ago yours truly paid a midweek visit to Columbia, S.C., for Steve Spurrier’s weekly briefing. Toward the end, I mentioned that a brand new AJC.com poll had just reconfirmed that the Ol’ Ball Coach was — ahead of even Urban Meyer, who was coming off a BCS title — the man Georgia fans most loved to hate.
“Glad they haven’t forgotten me,” said Spurrier, who seemed pleased.
Postscript: Four days later, Spurrier and South Carolina came to Sanford Stadium and beat Georgia 16-12.
The Bulldogs have nothing to do with this year’s SEC championship game, which will be staged Saturday at the Georgia Dome. (Fun fact: Seven different SEC schools have qualified for the title game since last Georgia did in 2005.) But Spurrier will be here, and he might actually be the sentimental favorite. Because here are your choices:
• In one corner, the Evil Genius and his Gamecock minions, who are new to this championship thing.
• In the other, RoboCoach Gene Chizik and Nick UnFairley and, lest we forget, Cam Newton.
Loading ...Auburn fans love their team. Almost nobody else does. Let’s state for the record that Newton is the nation’s best player and Fairley its best defender, but we also must concede that the Tigers lead the world in irrational exuberance.
This isn’t to say South Carolina has been without sin. Tight end Weslye Sanders was kicked off the team without playing a down this season, and several Gamecocks apparently got the William Shatner rate at Columbia’s Whitney Hotel over the summer. And that “2001″ introduction at Williams-Brice Stadium was pretty tired back in … well, 2001.
But Auburn, as we know, has become the new standard in raised eyebrows, what with Fairley’s repeated slams of Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray (see YouTube video below) to the series of revelations/allegations that led to Newton being declared ineligible by Auburn. (He was re-instated, after a timeout of one day, by the NCAA.)
Viewed alongside strutting Auburn, the Gamecocks seem rather gentlemanly. So now I’m asking a question I never thought I’d ask: Georgia fans, are you rooting for Spurrier?
Or, put another way, is there really a cold front bearing down on Hades?
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
935 comments Add your comment
get real
December 3rd, 2010
10:09 am
actually, i’m pulling for mother nature. a massive snow or ice storm this weekend cancelling the game would be great. if both teams were on an airplane with a bad engine i’d pull for gravity.
Florida Dawg
December 3rd, 2010
10:09 am
I’m pulling for South Carolina….Auburn’s coach and some of the Auburn players are thugs.
SECWasteManagement
December 3rd, 2010
10:09 am
Agree with get real haha.
Ugaben81
December 3rd, 2010
10:10 am
Just watching the end again got me fired up. I am cheering completely for Evil Genius. FAirly is just a fat thug. And Gene Chizik is a total clown.
What What
December 3rd, 2010
10:10 am
RX Dawg.. Yes every player that does well should be checked for roids.. you are so right. Might not have anything to do with the fact that he was a sophmore last year coming out of Juco and had a year to learn under Tracy Rocker. No phyiscal ability and coaching have nothing to do with it so must be roids. If he was on UGA you would love him.
Stinkray
December 3rd, 2010
10:11 am
The AU family recognizes that the UGA family is going thru a tough time right now with self worth and self esteem issues and would like to have a friendly rivalry again. Therefore AU pledges the following:
1. We promise to play nicer versus the bulldogs,
2. We will not tackle so hard,
3. We will not use mean players and
4. We will not try and win the game.
Hopefully with a little love and understanding we can be friends again.
USC GAMEC0CK
December 3rd, 2010
10:11 am
I would not put it past the Scam Newton to fake he is hurt…lay on field for a couple minutes, then be helped from the field, then return jumping up and down so the Auburn folks will cheer him…If he pulls this slow get up crap the refs should FLAG him for it…but he does have a nice smile.
Kyle
December 3rd, 2010
10:11 am
The SEC Championship has turned into a barnyard Dance…two chickens cut from different molds…..Carolina chicken has morals, a great coach and good players. The clucks from the barn off 85, have a QB on payroll, a moron that tries to injure and a coach with no class.
What What
December 3rd, 2010
10:12 am
These boards are hilarious. All the hate spewing from the thugga fans makes me smile. One question: Jealous Much?
Jim Pierce
December 3rd, 2010
10:12 am
Hiya Jeff: Yeah, I did use a broad stroke brush. Personally I think most of the bitterness is coming from a losing season by Ga, and the fact that AU beat them.
I was raised believing “innocent until proven guilty”….. These people posting here believe “guilty until proven innocent”. I pray that none of them ever serve on a jury. Pitiful.
Buying a Tiger
December 3rd, 2010
10:12 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkQ1f85kiME
Urban Meyer
December 3rd, 2010
10:13 am
Buckeye fan, it seems to me that South Carolina beat you 2 years in a row in the Outback Bowl. Go back up north to the Big Slow Conference.
What What
December 3rd, 2010
10:13 am
USC Gamecock
You ever think that he might be waiting to get up to make sure his hands dont get stepped on. If you notice he always puts his hands under his body in the pile.
Good Point
December 3rd, 2010
10:14 am
Irrational exuberance? So people shouldnt be excited about a 12-0 football team (or being part of a 12-0 football team)?
I know its hard for a UGA fan to grasp, being that hasnt happened on that campus in 2 generations.
Good luck with the dream team, does that mean less that 12 arrests next year?
UGA brings out the worst in everyone, which is why just about everyone hates them.
So keep throwing stones hypocrites; I think Auburn fans (since no one of any real importance on the field reads this garbage) have demonstrated that they can take the hits and still support their team, just like any serious college football fan should. To do otherwise would make them merely Braves fans.
What What
December 3rd, 2010
10:14 am
USC Gamecock
Have you ever thought that he might be laying there to keep his hands from getting stepped on in the pile. If you notice he always puts his hands under his body.
Terry Shirey, Sr
December 3rd, 2010
10:15 am
How long will it take readers of Bradley and Schlutz (sounds like a cheap law firm) to realize that the only reason they write columns like this one is to assure that they receive the maximum number of comments. Newspaper are dying. Subscriptions and advertising revenue are in the toilet. I receive the AJC online free (and its worth exactly what I pay for it). At one time they had what I consider the best sports coverage of football in the South. To prove my point, exactly what is the value of UGA fans support or non-support of Auburn in this week’s championship game? Why are they not writing about game prep, what is going on at the two schools involved in the game? Two reasons (1) reporters are lazy and don’t want to have to work too hard to get a story and (2) a story exclusively devoted to Auburn and/or South Carolina would not command the number of responses they want so they can prove to the publisher that they are revelant. If the AJC believed in responsible journalism (is that an oxymoron?) they would require all responses to include “actual names” just as letters to the editor do. I look forward to the day when Bradley and Schlutz join Terrence Moore.
Hershel Walker
December 3rd, 2010
10:15 am
Cam’s daddy is not as smart as my daddy Vince was. I was smarter than Scam, I took the money and ran to New York to play for the Donald.
John Galt
December 3rd, 2010
10:15 am
The SEC and NCAA clearing Newton and Fairley is like the KKK declaring me not to be a bigot.
wake up
December 3rd, 2010
10:16 am
Some dawg fans want Cam and Father to pay…but Senator Charlie Rangel was Censured for not paying taxes in 19 years. Took the money and will not spend one day in jail..and a couple of Georgia elected officials voted against Censure. How many on blog give a damn about that..its sick!
BaseballBuff
December 3rd, 2010
10:16 am
What Bulldog in the world could be rooting for Auburn? From throwing a drink on Larry Munson to hosing down celebrating Georgia fans to tying off the rope on the UGA bell tower after an Auburn loss, these fans are unmatched in classless behavior.
Tosh.No
December 3rd, 2010
10:16 am
LOL, a bunch of trashy people acting trashy in the interweb. Nothing new here, move along people.
USC GAMEC0CK
December 3rd, 2010
10:18 am
There is nothing but JOY in the Gamecock Nation this weekend…gonna be a great game with USC winning!
This is some fear in UGa land…as they contemplate how USC will roll into Athens next September and show them again that Grantham is not the answer….and Bozo isn’t either.
Cam-Can we ride in your new Mercedes to the game?
December 3rd, 2010
10:18 am
Go Carolina!
icallbs
December 3rd, 2010
10:19 am
By the way, its not just UGA that is dying to see Auburn get their asses kicked. Its pretty much everybody. And don’t think for a minute it is because Auburn is some kind of perennial power, like say, ALABAMA.
Cam-Can we ride in your new Mercedes to the game?
December 3rd, 2010
10:19 am
What-What
1-9 against the Dawgs-Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Spew on that!
WDE
December 3rd, 2010
10:20 am
RxDawg-
You are one of the names that doesn’t change on these blogs, and I’ve come to recognize your posts.
““Think they aught to check that kid for “…roids” ”
I’ve actually thought the same thing. The way he came out of nowhere AND they way he won’t let up even when he’s supposed to. He doesn’t care that the ball is gone and he was sufficiently blocked. In his mind it’s like this “I worked to hard not to get my hit in on him. I’m going to hit.” . It will probably never be proven, but I highly suspect it. Besides, with everything else going on at Auburn why shouldn’t they stoop to steroids too?”
But that comment just about blows all of your credibility out of the water. In loser-fashion, why not consider every infraction possible? If it helps you sleep at night to go ahead and believe the games are fixed, go ahead and post that too.
Worthless.
Pat Dye
December 3rd, 2010
10:20 am
Go Cocks!!!
Jim Pierce
December 3rd, 2010
10:20 am
icallbs: you mean the ALABAMA that Auburn just beat? lol
Jack
December 3rd, 2010
10:21 am
“Auburn fans love their team. Almost nobody else does” – except CBS, ESPN and television viewers.
UGA fans: Good luck in Memphis. I hear it’s lovely in late December.
Jerry
December 3rd, 2010
10:21 am
Don’t care, will not watch……………
badDoG
December 3rd, 2010
10:22 am
SOS and the Chickens,Baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!
gadawgs
December 3rd, 2010
10:22 am
Nice Mark!!!!! LMAO!
NERDS!!! 42-34!!!
December 3rd, 2010
10:22 am
NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!! NERDS!!! 42-34!!!
tvwatcher
December 3rd, 2010
10:23 am
You Auburn “fans” and your inferiority complexes! You get so defensive and want to call one school out-but this isn’t just GA fans. Everybody in the nation knows that this season is totally illegitimate-you are cheaters! You are the most despised team in the nation right now. Nobody is pulling against Oregon, TCU, etc. It’s AUBURN you bunch of bandwagon jumping cheats!
wake up
December 3rd, 2010
10:23 am
Kyle is so smart..he just cracks me up. @10:11….a chicken with morals and a tiger with no morals…get it!
Hey Bradley
December 3rd, 2010
10:23 am
Do you get some kind of bonus based on the number of comments you get, something that incentivizes you to rile folks up? If so congrats, youve found your calling, albeit a pretty worthless one.
Jim Pierce
December 3rd, 2010
10:24 am
Tvwatcher: Perhaps you don’t read. Auburn has been CLEARED of any wrong doing. The focus is now on Rogers, and MSU.
tvwatcher
December 3rd, 2010
10:27 am
Jim, you’ve got your head in the sand. Cecil cheated-Scam knew it. You can deny it all you want.
oakwood dawg
December 3rd, 2010
10:27 am
I can’t believe how many of you true(?) dawg fans are pulling for a$$hole Spurrier. He hates UGA with a passion–just look at the $hitty remarks he has made about us over the years. He has never forgotten how we whipped him when he was the gaytors QB. When he became the head coach at UF he said he had 2 goals and in this order I. beat UGA and 2. win the SEC. Just ask Bill Stanfill who he is pulling for. Even to this day he hates Spurrier and even to this day Stevie still gets the shakes when Stanfill”s name is mentioned. Yes, Auburn has a dirty player that took dirty shots at our QB and the Cam Scan may play out bad for the war eagles but come on guys–imho, you are not true dawg fans if you pull for the ole (a$$hole) ball coach.
Aubarn bought a Tiger
December 3rd, 2010
10:28 am
Great Song Bama! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkQ1f85kiME
O-me
December 3rd, 2010
10:28 am
looks like somebody else likes Kyle’s funny jokes.
emmysmom
December 3rd, 2010
10:28 am
“Auburn fans love their team. Almost nobody else does.” “Almost nobody else” loves anybody else’s team.
tvwatcher
December 3rd, 2010
10:30 am
Scam is innocent!! So is OJ!!
peter hanna
December 3rd, 2010
10:30 am
After going after a QBs knee like Fairley did, he deserves to be punched in the face. If I was Ben Jones I would be doin the same thing for the QB I blocked for all year. Just dirty. I have a feeling Fairley will find a way to get into trouble at the next level.
Andy
December 3rd, 2010
10:31 am
We know roughly what the going rate was for Newton; I wonder how much AU paid for Fairley? At any rate, they are certainly getting their money’s worth.
SoCal Dawg
December 3rd, 2010
10:32 am
Over the longer term, three bigger words were tucked into this statement from the NCAA’s Kevin Lennon.
Jim Pierce- Perhaps you don’t read.
“Based on the information available to the reinstatement staff at this time, we do not have sufficient evidence that Cam Newton or anyone from Auburn was aware of this activity.”
The three massive words: “At this time.”
“At this time” they find nothing to stop him from playing, but they are still looking along with the FBI.
Dirty Dawg
December 3rd, 2010
10:35 am
First, and in no particular order, I’ve always had a lot of respect for Auburn’s program – even with Pat Dye’s antics, after all he was a Georgia guy – but this year…this obvious, ham-handed, casino-funded, pay-for-play fiasco – combined with the ‘exuberance’ Bradley mentioned, has ended it for me. As if any of you cared.
Next, Bradley, you ought to know that even while we were getting our a$$es handed to us by Spurriier while he was at Florida, the thing that pi$$ed us off was that he couldn’t resist making sarcastic, denigrating, comments about Georgia’s program, our coaches, players and fans – hell Mark even you would have a problem with that (just think how you feel about my comments). Point being, that without the smart-a$$edness, Spurrier comes across as a delightful, obviously skilled, football genius and you have to admire the job he’s done at South Carolina – plus his QB coach and play-sender-inner, is a friend of a friend.
Now for the answer to your question, I’d love to see SC beat Auburn Saturday…but given the attitude displayed by Auburn fans, coaches and administration, what I want is to see more is for them to win it all – SEC, NC, Cam the Heisman – then have to relinquish every bit of it when the truth, finally, comes out and they all have to admit that ‘they knew it all along, but decided that maybe they could bribe, blackmail or ‘luck’ their way out…and couldn’t.’ Auburn, your attitude about this thing, given the obvious cess-pool of deceit that you find yourself in the middle of, is not going to win you any friends or buy you any favors from the NCAA once they finally decide that ‘enough is enough’. I mean, you don’t honestly believe that you guys can get away with this crap, do you?
Final finally…maybe I’ve missed it but nowhere in all the back and forth on this have I witnessed an Auburn fan that has, in effect, said” ‘I genuinely hope, and believe, that our people and our program has not done what we’re being accused of doing – or at least it’s being inferred. But if in the end it should be ‘proven’ that we were solicited and we actually paid money to the Newtons – and perhaps others – to come to Auburn, then we deserve every harsh measure that the NCAA and the SEC decides is appropriate. I would personally be ashamed for myself and my school and don’t know how I could ever, fully, recover, but any program that would so blatantly cheat to win, deserves what it gets….Go War Eagle!’
Some tiny display of even being capable of contriteness would make all the difference guys. Try it. After all, sooner or later you’re gonna have to face it.
Cheaters
December 3rd, 2010
10:35 am
So the SEC, NCAA and FBI have found nothing that even remotely points to Auburn doing anything wrong?
Someone hire Magnum PI, he’ll get to the bottom of this, they had to cheat there is no way they could be this good legitimately.
Time to suck it up and realize, this season is gonna count, forever.
Auburn didnt cheat 12-0.
UGA 6-6, very Kentucky-esque.
You may be better served getting Magnum to do some digging on UGA, he can find the misconduct there and the NCAA will make them vacate this season. Wouldnt it be far better for you if it never really happened, that it was just a nightmare?
Bradley's momma
December 3rd, 2010
10:35 am
Bradley – you’re sad and pathetic.
You’ve hated Auburn for years and take it out in your “columns.” No journalism from you, just opinions.
Did Auburn refuse to let you in or something and your little ego keeps crying? waaaaaaaa waaaaaaaa waaaaaaaa
Seriously
December 3rd, 2010
10:36 am
Such jealousy.
If Cam or Fairley played for your team, you’d love them.
GROW UP.
GROW UP.
GROW UP.
GROW UP.
GROW UP.