CLEMSON, SC (FOX Carolina) -
When callers tuned into 104.9 FM Tuesday afternoon for the Road Rage sports talk show, they had a lot to say.
One caller, who went by the handle Orange Crush, said he's not a South Carolina fan.
"I was wishing they lost Saturday until I saw him get hurt," he said referring to South Carolina's star running back, Marcus Lattimore.
And when the topic is about the South Carolina and Clemson rivalry or head coaches Dabo Swinney and Steve Spurrier, those calls get heated.
"He made Marcus Lattimore a pawn of the rivalry," said Walt Deptula, the host of the Road Rage show.
"One more Spurrier call," Deptula said.
Fans called in and talked about Spurrier's comments after Lattimore's severe knee injury.
"I think his comments were juvenile," Deptula said.
On Monday, Spurrier spoke to a crowd in Columbia during a rally in support of Lattimore's recovery and to celebrate Lattimore's birthday.
"Usually when that coach up there is talking about South Carolina, it's a bunch of garbage and a bunch of B.S. usually," Spurrier said.
Spurrier started by saying a message of well wishes to Lattimore came from "that school that used to beat us, but not as much anymore."
"But I have to agree with him, Marcus Lattimore stands for what's right about college football," Spurrier said.
A caller named Joanne said she is a South Carolina fan, but didn't agree with Spurrier's comments. She also said she didn't agree with Clemson fans acting "holier than thou."
"Spurrier doesn't have to apologize to nobody but Marcus I think, but what he did was wrong and he shouldn't have said it," she said.
But, Clemson fan Orange Crush said Spurrier should have graciously accepted Swinney's well wishes for Lattimore.
"He's (Lattimore) a classy guy, maybe Spurrier could learn a little bit from Marcus Lattimore," he said.
And Clemson's head football coach, Swinney, responded to Spurrier's comments.
"Look, you know, people just kind of need to back off the ledge," Swinney said. "Personally, I really think he was trying to pay me a compliment. I think, I think. And I know it was kind of a roundabout way of getting there. Kind of like me telling my wife 'I really think you should wear this dress. This dress really looks great on you. You don't look near as fat in that dress.' So it was kind of a roundabout way but I take it as a compliment."
Both coaches will have a chance to back up their comments on the field when Clemson hosts South Carolina at home on Sat. Nov. 24. Kick off time has not yet been set.
Copyright 2012 FOX Carolina (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.
Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney and South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier. (File/FOX Carolina)
