When the news came out that some coach in the SEC had left Tim Tebow off the preseason All-Sec team, everyone knew who it had to be. Lane Kiffin was immediately branded as the prime suspect. If the sports-books would have set a line on it they would’ve made a killing. It became The Story at SEC Media days this past week, Tebowgate was the first thing on every one’s brain. One by one each coach came out and declared, I’m not the idiot. Public enemy #1 Lane Kiffin even brought his filled out ballot with him because he knew no one would believe what his lying mouth had to say. I still didn’t believe him as the first thought that came to mind was that the ballot is a fake. I wasn’t and I don’t think anyone was prepared for who the real culprit was.

The culprit it turns out was not that bumbling fool up in Knoxville, or that power mad psychotic in Athens, but rather Gator legend Steve Spurrier. Say it ain’t so Steve, say it ain’t so the people cried. Spurrier looking like a shell of his former swaggering self was left to meekly apologize left and right. It didn’t even seem like the same guy. I don’t remember Steve Spurrier ever apologizing for anything he did or said while at Florida, even if he was wrong.

It brings to mind the question, has Steve Spurrier lost his fire? Steve was never built for losing and perhaps maybe just being average is not something he can live with. I think South Carolina’s a whole lot better know than before he got there. South Carolina was a miraculous blocked FG by Jarvis Moss away from taking away Tim Tebow’s first National Championship.For Spurrier though this is just not good enough. Coupled with his disastrous stint with the Washington Redskins, it seems that fun and gun is gone from Spurrier’s personality.

Spurrier was always a guy to take all the responsibility and shoulder the load, come at me with whatever you got he used to sneer at media and other coaches. Now he immediately went and threw his director of football operations Jaime Speronis under the bus. He blamed him right away for picking the team saying that he just glanced at a few of the positions and signed off on it. Now were expected to believe that one of the few positions that he glanced at wasn’t quarterback. This from the former quarterback himself who micromanages that position like its going out of style. I’m not really buying it. Go sell crazy someplace else Steve.

I do buy that he didn’t fill out the preseason poll himself, as Spurrier has never been big on that sort of thing. He’s also always taken plenty of time for golf, but now he’s getting the heat for those things. Now people are questioning whether he has lost his drive. Its fine and dandy to leave early to go play some golf when your ripping through the SEC like a wrecking ball, but when your just an average coach that’s not good enough. Spurrier even admits that he’s just this average coach. He seems defeated when he whispers about his 7-6 record. He seems like the guy who hates his job and just goes there everyday like a zombie.

This is not the Steve Spurrier I know, and not the Steve Spurrier I want to remember or even chose to remember. I just wish this whole past week could be washed from my brain. I’m the proud owner of a Steve Spurrier Gators throwback jersey and always used to have a bit of a swagger and confidence when I put it on. I just hope I can trick myself into still feeling that way.