BAMAPHIN 22
FinHeaven Elite
South Carolina's Steve Spurrier (right) has taken exception to a comment made by Clemson's Tommy Bowden (left).
A quip about Steve Spurrier's recent raise may have woken up South Carolina's ball coach, who sounds more than ready to spar with another member of the Bowden family.
It was well into Clemson's early December gathering about bowl preparations when coach Tommy Bowden, fresh off a 7-5 regular season, was asked about the nearly half-million dollar raise Spurrier received after also going 7-5. "It's amazing how this thing works because I'm at a place where seven gets you fired. He's at a place where seven gets you a raise," Bowden said.
Bowden's line got a chuckle from the room. It also apparently got Spurrier's attention.
Spurrier fired back a couple of weeks later, telling Bowden if he hoped for a similar raise to talk to his bosses and find out if they think he's as good as coach as Spurrier or others.
Now twice in the past week, Spurrier had pointed words for his in-state rival to the delight of Game**** fans and the ire of Tiger supporters.
The latest jab came last Sunday when Spurrier denied he tried to poach assistant Chris Rumph away from the Tigers.
Spurrier's statement followed word that Bowden, through a school spokesman, had said Rumph was called by a South Carolina assistant.
On Wednesday, Spurrier remained unsure how Clemson got the idea he wanted Rumph. "I don't know how they arrived at that," he said. "You'd have to ask them."
Bowden did not want to comment, according to a school spokesman. Rumph did not return phone messages.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/ncaa/02/14/spurrier.bowden.ap/index.html
