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[quietfan 233]

http://www.al.com/sports/mobileregister/pf....xml&coll=3

Sorensen up to his old tricks

Saturday, August 11, 2007

The only surprise is that there is really no surprise.

Once again, Andrew Sorensen -- the president of the University of South Carolina -- has reared his ugly head and is wreaking havoc with a successful, top-notch head football coach.

The man who played a hand in putting Alabama in the dumpster by running Gene Stallings off and then making a series of idiotic decisions with the athletic department now is pushing Steve Spurrier close to the edge in Columbia, S.C.

By now, you have undoubtedly read the news about Spurrier's outburst against the South Carolina administration over its refusal to let two high school recruits into school even after they were cleared by the NCAA to enroll.

"Hopefully, I truly believe this is the last year this is going to happen because I can't operate like that," Spurrier said. "I can't operate misleading young men."

Spurrier probably shouldn't be surprised. Sorensen was the vice president of academic affairs at Florida (while Spurrier was there) before taking the job at Alabama. There were academic clashes in Gainesville as well.

At Alabama, Sorensen had a reputation of talking down to everyone -- whether it be reporters, coaches, their wives or administrators. If there was someone to tick off and treat shabbily, Andy was your man.

Sorensen, who always wore a bowties (shouldn't that say it all?), failed to even show up for the press conference to introduce Mike DuBose as the Tide's head coach. He spoke by speakerphone from New York, where he was scheduled to address an alumni club. He had an infamous tirade in a private box at the Arkansas game that left nearly everyone within earshot mortified with his ranting.

Sorensen was always looking to leave for greener pastures.

This is a man who blistered Logan Young during the NCAA investigation of Alabama, calling him "a rogue booster" while disassociating him from the university.

However, Young told me shortly before his death that Sorensen, even while the NCAA investigation into Alabama was beginning to percolate, approached him at a social function and asked if Young could help him get a job at a more prestigious university. Young, who was an alumnus and major donor of Vanderbilt, said Sorensen incredulously asked for his help when Vandy was looking, as was also the case with the University of North Carolina. Young never said a word while Sorensen was pushing all the blame for Alabama's problems on the Memphian's shoulders.

Again, none of this should have come as a surprise to Spurrier, who was well aware of some of Sorensen's antics at Alabama.

While I knew of Sorensen's arrogance at Alabama, I wondered if the leopard had changed his spots after the move to South Carolina. But last September, I was roaming the sidelines of Williams-Bryce Stadium before the Thursday night game between Auburn and South Carolina. Suddenly, I looked up and there was the little man himself, bowtie snugly in place, looking like the groom on top of the wedding cake. He was strutting along the sidelines and barking out orders to his minions.

It reminded me of a quotation once uttered at a meeting of the Mobile Bar Association by Danny Sheridan.

"When Sorensen was hired (at Alabama), I called a member of the Florida Board of Regents to find out about him," Sheridan said. "He told me Sorensen had applied to a lot schools and was turned down by everyone but Alabama. He said succinctly, 'We owe Alabama big-time for taking that elitist wannabe off our hands.'"

It is a worthwhile debate about where to draw the line between the academic integrity of a university and where athletics fit into the picture. However, it's nearly impossible not to side with Spurrier in this skirmish. If Spurrier or anyone else recruits a player and he qualifies under NCAA guidelines, who is Andrew Sorensen to say no?

Spurrier, the greatest coach in the SEC since Bear Bryant, must find a way to co-exist with Sorensen.

My sense is that for all of Sorensen's grandstanding about making South Carolina the "Harvard of the South," he'll back down against Spurrier, because in reality he's a bitter man who will never win the war against a classy and honest man like Spurrier.

And he shouldn't. But in the end, whatever the outcome, don't blame Sorensen completely or even Spurrier for the fallout. The blame should be put at the feet of the trustees who run this school and who are responsible for this program. If they had done their due diligence, they would have never ended up with Sorensen as their president in the first place.

Sorenson vs. Spurrier? You might want to get those resumes ready, Andrew, 'cause you can't win that fight! On the other hand, Spurrier may just say "F... U" and choose to look for friendlier pastures--he doesn't have to put up with wincrimson from anyone at his age and stature.

[AU alum 2]

I think that Steve is planning to stay at South Carolina, until he gets the football team where he wants to get them (SEC Championship, NC). I think Sorensen might as well leave now. Steve will win in any fight.

[Tiger1992 999]

I've been away from the computer all day until now and just read this.

I almost spit my rum and coke all over the screen when I read the words South Carolina and "Harvard of the South" in the same sentence.

That'll send me to bed with a smile on my face.

[outoftowntiger 0]

I've been away from the computer all day until now and just read this.

I almost spit my rum and coke all over the screen when I read the words South Carolina and "Harvard of the South" in the same sentence.

That'll send me to bed with a smile on my face.

Actually, Ole Miss claims that honor. Established to become the Ivy League of the south they took the red from Harvard and the blue from Yale. Unfortunately they were only able to replicate the arrogance, and not the academics.

[TigerMom 0]

I read all this and wondered - What is it about little men in education with bow ties? Why do they have to be complete jerks? This Sorensen character reminds me of ANOTHER South Carolina educator who is an absolute A.. H... (and wears a bowtie!). BTW - I thought Clemson was trying to be the "Harvard of the South"? I'm all for Spurrier - at USC and as long as AU doesn't have to play them for a while.