  
Spurrier's statement
|
I'm announcing my
retirement today Jan. 4, 2002, as head football coach at the University of
Florida. I simply believe that 12 years as head coach at a major university
in the SEC is long enough.
I thank all the players, assistant coaches, support staff people and the
greatest football fans in the world for the success we have shared the last
12 years.
I also personally thank all the Gators that went to the Orange Bowl to
support our team last Wednesday night in my final game.
I believe Jeremy Foley, who has a reputation of hiring outstanding
coaches, will bring a coach to Florida that will do just as well or better
in the years to come. I believe I'm certainly not the only coach to be able
to win consistently at Florida.
Our football program is in excellent shape and the next coach will
inherit a very talented team, just like I did from Galen Hall's program in
1990.
I've had a wonderful working relationship with all my bosses over the
past 12 years. I thank Bob Bryan for hiring me, and I thank Bill Arnsparger,
Jeremy Foley, President John Lombardi and President Chuck Young for allowing
me to run the football program.
I'm not burned out, stressed out or mentally fatigued from coaching. I
just feel my career as a college head coach after 15 years is complete and
if the opportunity and challenge of coaching a NFL team happens it is
something I would like to pursue.
I believe that the University of Florida is the best place for a high
school football player to get an education and play football in the best
stadium, "The Swamp," before the best football fans in the world.
Again, I thank the "Gator Nation" for the overwhelming support of our
teams for 12 years. The seven SEC championships and the 1996 national
championship are memories of a lifetime that we will all share together.
I'm a Gator and will be for the rest of my life. |
Different Takes:
CNN/SI
Friday,
January 4, 2002
"Call me arrogant, cocky, crybaby, whiner or whatever names you like,"
Spurrier said in a recent interview. "At least they're not calling us losers
anymore. If people like you too much, it's probably because they're beating
you."
Click
here for full story.
ESPN
Friday,
January 4, 2002
Why go to the NFL, where he would be just another coach, on
his way to getting fired someday?
"That's the challenge," he said a few years ago. "If
I ever went to the NFL, I'd do it to try to see if you could do things a little
different there."
Most people agree: If anybody can pull it off, Spurrier's
the man.
Click
here for full story.
Tampa Tribune
Sunday,
January 6, 2002
Spurrier Did It
His Way
By Joey Johnston
Click
here
for full story.
Gainesville Sun
Saturday, January 5, 2002
Exclusive: Spurrier talks resignation
By Pat Dooley
Click
here for full story. NO LONGER AVAILABLE.
Job vacancy... anyone interested?
An ESPN poll, conducted during the recently
concluded bowl season, asked coaches to list, anonymously, their top five dream
jobs in college football. Florida, based largely on its great weather, strong
in-state recruiting base, state-of-the-art facilities and overwhelming fan
support, came out on top.
Click here
for full story.
Who's next?
Click here
for GatorBytes' picks.
Hotline
As a special service to distraught readers during this time of
shock and dismay, Dr. B is accepting questions on the the
emergency GatorBytes' hotline: click g...@webenet.com
Click here for more.
NEWS LINKS
Gainesville Sun Spurrier Special
NO LONGER AVAILABLE.
GatorSports.com
UF Athletic
Association GatorZone
Official Steve
Spurrier Website REMOVED BY UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION.
(skeleton page
click
here)
|
