Spurrier, Richt still disagree over how to tally division standings
DESTIN, Fla. — South Carolina football coach Steve Spurrier continues to pitch his proposal to count only intra-division games in deciding the SEC East and SEC West champions.
That way, Spurrier said, “you’d have a true division champion to play the other division champion” in the SEC title game.
Spurrier raised the idea after his Gamecocks went undefeated against SEC East opponents last season, but finished second behind Georgia in the division because of two losses to SEC West foes.
Spurrier said several SEC coaches support his proposal, which was discussed on the first day of the league’s annual spring meetings here. But the proposal seems an extreme longshot at best.
“I think that will be brought to the table for athletic directors to think about,” SEC commissioner Mike Slive said. But asked his opinion of the proposal, Slive said: “I think it’s hard for me to think about a conference game that doesn’t count.”
Georgia coach Mark Richt good-naturedly rejected Spurrier’s proposal.
“I think every man has a right to his opinion,” Richt said. “If it gets changed, then good for him, I guess, this year. I don’t know if he’d feel that way every year, but [based on last season] he’d probably feel good about it.
“I don’t think it’s going to change. I’ve always said, for me personally, tell me what the rules are at the beginning of the year and let’s go play by them.”
The current system penalizes in the SEC East standings the teams that play the stronger cross-division opponents, Spurrier argued, citing Tennessee’s annual game against Alabama.
LSU coach Les Miles previously has agreed with Spurrier’s position. But Alabama coach Nick Saban said that under Spurrier’s proposal, “then we’re really not an SEC. We’re really just an East and a West. So why would we even play the games?”
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218 comments Add your comment
Neutral
May 30th, 2012
11:48 am
Just a few years ago LSU, Arkansas and Bama feared playing Florida, Tennessee and UGa. This same (spurrier) argument could have been made by those “west” teams in the mid 2000’s. The SEC schedule is cyclic and in 2-3 years Spurrier’s rule change would be to UGa’s advantage and SC’s disadvantage. I vote for Spurrier’s rule change, but let’s wait until 2014 so we can get prepared for the change…and when we are playing the tough teams again!!! My money says that Spurrier would want his proposed change in place this year……and he would vote against his own proposal if the changes took place 2-3 seasons from now.
shankit
May 30th, 2012
11:49 am
If this passed, would it apply to basketball, golf, tennis, gymnastics,
etc.? Or would it just apply to Spurrier coached teams?
Tide Rising
May 30th, 2012
11:50 am
sukkit,
The last 2 years the only regular season losses Ark. has had were 2 losses to Bama, a split with LSU and a split with AU including a loss to AU’s national title team in 2010.. Otherwise they have steamrolled everyone in that time span. Programs ebb and flow but for the past couple of years Ark has been a conference and national power and most certainly superior to anyone in the east. Those are the facts sir.
Q
May 30th, 2012
11:50 am
God, Spurrier is such a little putz………
kingdaddy
May 30th, 2012
11:51 am
Lex
Man up and quit whinning, really, you realize you are refering to the biggest crybaby in the SEC? (NEXT TO J.FRANKLIN!) Crying is part of The Ol Whiners game! Its how WOMEN OVERPOWER MEN, LOL!! All I’m saying is Good Luck getting him to stop blubbering…
Tide Rising
May 30th, 2012
11:56 am
kingdaddy
May 30th, 2012
11:39 am
Tide is going out
“You should be worried about UGA”
kingdaddy,
Now THASS FUNNY!!!!
Hmmm
May 30th, 2012
11:57 am
So what happens one day when the east rises and Florida, Tennessee and Georgia become powerhouses again like Alabama and LSU are now. Does the ole ball coach change his mind? Guess he is thinking about the immediate future and his retirement legacy.
South Carolina & Spurrier
May 30th, 2012
12:04 pm
Spurrier and the chickens just got placed on a 3 year Probation for paying football player to live in a nice hotel which caused SC to loss many scholarships for punishment. Why is Surrpier spending time with things he can not change.
cdpridg
May 30th, 2012
12:05 pm
tide…since you know so much about Arky football….which is funny…i guess you would then know that they have had a soft schedule the past years..playing on rotation KY..Vandy…and a down and out UT team. propping Arky winners of NOTHING and historically since being in the conference about the 8th best program makes you look like the joke….but then again your name is tide rising
PMC
May 30th, 2012
12:05 pm
What’s the point of having divisions if the division record does not matter?
That said, Last year is on South Carolina, all they had to do was win thier games. They didn’t. Pobrecito. Maybe if they weren’t housing players in local hotels they could win those games.
PMC
May 30th, 2012
12:06 pm
Spurrier has a good point though, Division games should count more than conference games, otherwise there is no point of being in a division.
cdpridg
May 30th, 2012
12:08 pm
Spurriers time is about up…he is frustrated with coaching in Columbia and is desperate. Realization has hit that he cannot change 100 yrs of losing. A hair better than average is as good as it gets for Spurrier in Columbia
kingdaddy
May 30th, 2012
12:09 pm
What’s up Dawg Haus & Neutral!
Now,@ EBB TIDE…If you ignore the facts (which you do because you probably aren’t even an Alabama fan) S.C.14—MISS.ST.12, UGA24—MISS.ST.10(SOUNDS LIKE UGA WAS BETTER)…OK, if that didn’t do it for you, how about S.C.13—AUB.—16, UGA45—AUB.—7…(SOUNDS LIKE UGA WAS BETTER AGAIN!) You EBB TIDE aren’t a very smart person if you think UGA didn’t do a better job against the West, than S.C.! PLUS, you’re very immature and don’t need to mess with an Alpha Dawg…
cdpridg
May 30th, 2012
12:10 pm
PMC…yeah it is a good point…until Ole Miss rotates on to schedule
follow the money
May 30th, 2012
12:23 pm
tide rising making partial truths to illustrate his point. If we peel back the onion we will see the whole truth. Truth, the SEC played 2 permanent cross division rivals prior to the 2003 season. Auburn played UGA and UF, LSU played UF and UK, Bama – played UT and Vandy (yes, vandy! how about that home office in birmingham?) How about that? Bama propped up their conference schedule with their annual “rivalry” with Vandy and LSU with Kentucky.
Spike 80DF
May 30th, 2012
12:34 pm
Spurrier lost to Auburn last year and they weren’t one of the supposed “big 3″ from the West.
They didn’t play LSU or Bama either so quit whining. They played Arky and the Dawgs played Ole Miss, get over it.
kingdaddy
May 30th, 2012
12:34 pm
I think i see the problem here, it was right in front of my eyes the whole time! The KEYWORD being tossed around by ALL the Whiners here is “FAIR”. It’s NOT FAIR! It’s ONLY FAIR! Before you know it, everyone will get a TROPHY, because well, it’s FAIR.LOL…Ok people, we’re going to have to make half of every team, made up with women, because well, it’s only FAIR! I could go on but I’m sure this is boring you too! FAIR is a term made up by LIBERALS so they can EMASCULATE MALES IN AMERICA! Man up Spurrier, quit your insessant crying! You’ve got all the S.C. fans crying too…
uscjimi
May 30th, 2012
12:35 pm
This isn’t the idea that was explained to USC fans this offseason. It was that inter-division games would count as 1/2 games and divisional games count as full games. With the entry of two new teams into the conference, the system for conference scheduling is going through change anyway. It makes sense to consider alternative ideas when considering change rather than after change has been made. USC will still play each east division team every year, as will every other. Which teams cycle onto and off of one teams schedule would still effect the standings, just not as much.
bsg3003
May 30th, 2012
12:40 pm
I don’t see Spurrier’s point. No one made this argument when UGA was passed by UT in 2007, No one made this arguement in 2008 when UGA had to play AU, UA, and LSU in the same year. But low and behold the year when Spurrier ends up losing to Aub and Arky it’s a huge problem with the conference -A “Technicality”
Spurrier how bout you just nut up and win ALL of your games. UGA and USC finished with the same record. We beat Aub they didn’t. Conversation over
follow the money
May 30th, 2012
12:41 pm
Since 14 makes everything so difficult, they conference needs to move to 4 – 4 team pods with a conference semifinal and conference champ game. They also need to move to 9 game conf schedules. Then scheduling would be much easier. you play 3 within pod, 3 cross pod permanent and 3 cross pod rotating. This would yield a home/home with every conference team within 6 years. You could balance the pods (and I would do it without regard for location since this will be for football only) so that rivalries are maintained.
BG
May 30th, 2012
12:44 pm
Every SEC game should count. Spurrier is just a sore loser. Spurrier should have beaten Auburn and then he could have played in the SEC championship game.
kingdaddy
May 30th, 2012
12:46 pm
Spike80DF
Thanks for reminding me about Ol Miss. Let’s see, that would make UGA 3-1 against SECw…
@ Low Tide
If UGA got to play LSU TWICE!!!!! I’m positive we would have split the series…Hope to see them again this year, because I doubt Alabama will make the SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AGAIN THIS YEAR! GO DOGGIES…
Vampire Bill
May 30th, 2012
12:52 pm
If non conference games become unimportant then you will see teams resting their starters more and I think the overall quality of football will suffer. But maybe not, as more players will have a chance to play.. who knows?
Paul in NH
May 30th, 2012
12:54 pm
Alphare
May 30th, 2012
9:26 am
I am sure some Pro formats only count division games instead of entire conference games.
—–
You might be sure, but you would be wrong. ALL pro formats in the US count all games (NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, NHL) – they may use division games in the event of tiebreakers, but that is it.
All of the European leagues (EPL, La Liga, Serie A, DL, etc) count all games. Cricket counts all games. Rugby counts all games.
All pro leagues have games that don’t count – they call them pre-season, exhibitions, friendlies, etc.
ummm duh?
May 30th, 2012
12:55 pm
Ok for the genius who keeps posting that since Georgia was only the 5th ranked team in the SEC they shouldnt be able to play in the championship game, you do realize that South Car was just the 4th ranked team right? Think before you type please
Randall "Pink" Floyd
May 30th, 2012
12:56 pm
As much as I enjoy the permanent cross-division rivals, eliminating them would put more teams from the other division on the schedule year in and year out, and eliminate the need for the Spurrier’s of the world to cry for diaper changes.
ummm duh?
May 30th, 2012
1:01 pm
Conference championships dont really matter when deciding a national title. Not all conferences are equal. Sorry thats just a fact. If so then maybe Conference USAs champ deserves a spot in the playoff too? I mean after all, they are the champs of a conference right? Fact is that the 3rd best team in the SEC could be the champion of most other confs out there. Playoff should be based on team rank. Do you really think any of the other conference champs were better then Alabama last year? If so youre dreaming
Paul in NH
May 30th, 2012
1:11 pm
There are some interesting comments about how it’s going to be tough when UGA has to play Alabama and LSU in the same season. The only way that is going to happen is if they play one of them in the SECCG. With an 8 game schedule, 7 in Division and Auburn out of Division there is no room for 2 other cross Division games.
Argentina Blue
May 30th, 2012
1:11 pm
All conference games should count. However, how about just having one fixed inter-divisional game in the SEC and ACC? For Georgia it would be Auburn and for Georgia Tech it would be Clemson. That would free-up the teams to resume some of their old non-conference rivalries on an annual basis. The Jackets could play Auburn every year and the Dawgs could do the same with Clemson. They’re natural rivals anyway and there’s no reason for them not to play.
charliedawg
May 30th, 2012
1:12 pm
Let’s see if the ‘Ole Whiner’ likes the idea so much that he’s willing to implement it when UGA plays Alabama or LSU when they don’t play one of those teams as their rotating West team. I bet the ‘Ole Whiner’ aka ‘King of the Off Season Indefinite Suspension’ would have a different opinion.
Do you know if Gene Chizik has spoken up and said, “Gee Steve, all you had to do was beat my crappy team at home last year and you would’ve gone to the title game. UGA put the water boys in to avoid running up the score for Pete’s sake.”
Alphare
May 30th, 2012
1:21 pm
I agree all conference games should count. That’s why you are in the same conference.
But inner-division games are more important. Otherwise, what’s the point to be in the same division (except scheduling)?
So I say count division game as 1, cross-division as 1/2, with head-to-head as the tie-breaker. Apply this rule to last year, USC should play in SECCG.
7576DAWG
May 30th, 2012
1:32 pm
Spurrier is not wanting a true division winner. The reason you have to count all of your games that you play in the SEC is because a true division winner has got to be decided from the entire seasons conference record. If South Carolina had not had Lattimore playing last year at hos peek, Georgia would have won the game by 3 touchdowns even with Murray’s panic collapse give away demonstration.
If you don’t count all SEC games when deciding the division winners then every good team would be a fool not to schedule their hardest games early in the season just in case their best player tore an ACL and couldn’t play the rest of the year. I agree that the best team in the East was South Carolina last year up until Lattimore got hurt but after that South Carolina was not the best Eastern team and did not deserve to be the Eastern Division winner just because they beat Georgia early in the year.
Beanie
May 30th, 2012
1:42 pm
It doesnt matter beat Auburn USC. UGA did by 4 TD”s!! Reggie Ball vs Georgia 0-4. Aaron Murray vs Georgia tech 2-0!!!
georgiasouthernalum
May 30th, 2012
1:43 pm
When will UGA play Bama, LSU, or Arkanas? and why do they play Vandy every year? Its because they can’t beat a good team 0-5 against top teams! Its the Schedule that saved CMR job not that UGA was any better and not a top twenty team.
mreed14
May 30th, 2012
1:43 pm
A lot of people fail to see that the power balance in the SEC switches back and forth. The West is stronger now but that wasn’t the case a few years ago and a couple of years from now the East will be stronger again. Spurrier loves to make a big stink when things don’t go his way but if the shoe had be on the other foot he would be all for counting games against the west. Saban is right that if only division games count towards a champion then why play those games against the other division.
kingdaddy
May 30th, 2012
1:43 pm
It sounds to me like some posters on this blog ,are AFRAID to play out of conference teams, so they want to change the rules…Why didn’t ALL OF YOU THAT WANT TO CHANGE THE RULES, SAY SOMETHING EARLIER??? Why now? Can’t you losers just come on out and TELL THE TRUTH? This makes y’all look so weak. YOU SISSYS DON’T BELONG IN THE SEC, IT’S A MANS CONFERENCE AND THERE IS NO ROOM FOR SISSYS…HAVE SOME PRIDE MAN! The rotation was in your favor before, be patient and it will come around again. Saban and Richt are right and if you are a crybaby, you don’t matter anyway.LOL…
mreed14
May 30th, 2012
1:48 pm
maybe you should stick to talking about furman and wofford….UGA plays Vandy every year because they’re in the eastern division of the SEC like Georgia is. Don’t talk about things you really don’t have a basic understanding of georgiasouthernalum. Can’t wait to drop 50 plus on the eagles this year.
Jim
May 30th, 2012
1:51 pm
USC was not the better team at the end of the year. They had so many injuries that Spurrier thought about playing his son.
Josh Smith for 3
May 30th, 2012
1:53 pm
SC could have clinched the division against a weak Auburn team, at home, and WITH Marcus Lattimore. Instead they scored 13 total points and lost by a field goal. Sour grapes indeed.
Alphare
May 30th, 2012
1:55 pm
Spurrier’s formula:
1. inner-division games are the most important, count as 1
2. cross-division games are the 2nd important, count as 0
3. out-of-conference games are the least important, count as 0
Current SEC formula:
1. inner-division games are the most important, count as 1
2. cross-division games are the 2nd important, count as 1
3. out-of-conference games are the least important, count as 0
My proposed formula:
1. inner-division games are the most important, count as 1
2. cross-division games are the 2nd important, count as 1/2
3. out-of-conference games are the least important, count as 0
If you feel all games should count for something, here is a new formula:
1. inner-division games are the most important, count as 1
2. cross-division games are the 2nd important, count as 1/2
3. out-of-conference games are the least important, count as 1/4
7576DAWG
May 30th, 2012
2:00 pm
Spurrier would have a legitimate argument if he had not had control of whether his team represented the SEC as the Eastern winners. All he had to do was beat Auburn. When South Carolina beat Georgia that meant that South Carolina had to lose TWO games and Georgia would have to not lose any more SEC games which ended up happening but South Carolina can only blame themselves.
Spurrier’s request will never be approved.
LHarding Dawg
May 30th, 2012
2:04 pm
The bottom line is all conference games should count or you don’t have a conference. Also, one reason for increasing the number of teams in the SEC (TAM & Mo) was to negotiate a better TV deal. That’s is going to be hard to do if all conference games don’t count the same. Personally I think it’s an insane idea.
georgiagirlinsc
May 30th, 2012
2:04 pm
Let’s get one thing straight…. UGA lost one Eastern Division game to USC and they handed them the win with mistakes. But the loss stands as much as we all hated it.
UGA won the Eastern Divison title by winning more games as was the rule, Spurrier is doing what Spurrier does trying to make things better for himself. I don’t blame him but I agree with Saban in that it wouldn’t be the SEC if cross divison games didn’t count.
United the SEC is the best conference in the country. Period, end of story. East or West the SEC is the best.
I love my DAWGS and our Coach. GO DAWGS!
LHarding Dawg
May 30th, 2012
2:09 pm
Every year Spurier has a different rant. Last year he wanted to pay his players out of his own pocket, this year he wants to change how the SEC counts their games. Both suggestions were, of course, voted down. I wonder what next year brings.
the evil genius has done it again
May 30th, 2012
2:16 pm
got everyone all stirred up.
what he did was take another shot at georgia….whom he hates more than anyone……and everyone is all riled up about it.
what richt should have said is “we don’t need these rule changes. if coach spurrier could beat vanderbilt or auburn, he wouldn’t have anything to whine about.”
georgiasouthernalum
May 30th, 2012
2:20 pm
We scored more points on NC than anyone did in the mighty SEC. It was a better game SEC Chumps
truedawg
May 30th, 2012
2:22 pm
are you kidding me? sour grapes turn to WHINE!! Steve’o you should have beat auburn..plain and simple..you lost to the worst auburn team in 5 years. You did what chickens do..laid an egg. You didn’t hear any coaches from the west crying about div games back in the 90’s or early 2000’s did you? Steveo hates UGA, always has becuase he couldn’t play at UGA.., then couldn’t beat UGA as a player. Get ready for a beat down by the hands of the dawgs this year visor boy. If Steve wants to go to the SEC game, buy a ticket cry baby!! GATA!!
GO DAWGS!!
DOGGIE IN NC
May 30th, 2012
2:28 pm
Alphare – those your legs, or are you riding on the back of a chicken! I live in NC and can see the big L on your forehead from here! Folks, the reason the chickens are whinning is not because of last year – it’s because they expect it to happen to them again this year. Couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch of loosers! GO DOGGIES!
Spurrier is in Your Heads
May 30th, 2012
2:29 pm
When you arrive in Columbia the 1st week of October, look out for the fake punt. Melvin Ingram ran over one poor little fella like he was still in the Pee Wee leagues…76 yards for the Halftime lead.
Oh, yeah…Ingram also had the game-clinching TD in the 4th quarter when your QB coughed up the ball thanks to Clowney’s Heimlich maneuver.
AdMan
May 30th, 2012
2:29 pm
Hey Steve…you want some cheese with that whine? Does anyone really think he’d be singing the blues if he thought he could possibly beat Georgia this coming season. Word on the street is Lattimore has healed up after his knee injury last year but is now slow as a turtle….and Spurrier knows it.Carolina might win nine games this year but they WON’T beat Georgia….you can take that to the bank! Spurrier has become an average coach in the SEC and he hates it…..nobody is scared of him anymore……His idea of good coaching is to discredit and put down his rival coaches…he shows absolutely no class when he does this….