[rmjvol]

A few stories about the Spurrier Fulmer rivalry....

From an AP story:

Spurrier talked Tuesday of how his rivalry with Fulmer is overblown and one-liners such as Spurrier's famous, "You can't spell Citrus without UT," are simply good-natured jokes told by both sides.

"Of course, the winners are the only ones who can tell the jokes, so maybe they weren't telling too many up there," Spurrier said.

It has been that way with Spurrier and Tennessee for nearly two decades, since Spurrier's Duke team went into Neyland Stadium in 1988 and left with a 31-26 victory.

From a Columbia, SC TV station:

The University of South Carolina coach was asked Tuesday at his weekly news conference if Fulmer doesn't get the credit he deserves. Despite winning 77.9 percent of his games in 15 years at Tennessee, Fulmer still has his share of critics for his coaching as well as his well-rounded physique....

"Well, he's lasted 15 years, 16, whatever. You have to be a good coach to last that long anywhere, and certainly he has," Spurrier said. "He's done a good job there. Now, how good you'd have to ask (the Tennessee reporter)."

Fulmer was asked why he thought Spurrier had so much success over the years against the Volunteers.

"He's a great football coach and he's had some great football players. It's not any big secret. He's kicked a whole bunch of butt around this conference, not just ours."

Over the years when he was at Florida, Spurrier and Fulmer have traded barbs, although Spurrier said there was never a lot of back and forth," insisting most of it occurred during off-season booster club meetings.