Former South Caolina football coach Steve Spurrier, a native of Johnson City, Tenn., was presented with the Robert Neyland Award by the Knoxville Quarterback Club during the Tennessee Volunteers' spring game on Friday.
Despite tormenting Tennessee fans for years, he wasn't completely booed of the field, and received a large amount of applause.
The "Head Ball Coach" known for his jabs at Florida State -- "Free Shoes University," and especially at Tennessee -- "You can't spell Citrus without UT" -- revealed his favorite one-liner while speaking with the media ahead of the Orange and White game.
"They were asking me about all those things I said, the Citrus Bowl jokes and Free Shoes U stuff," Spurrier told ESPN. "I told them I always thought the best one didn't have anything to do with Tennessee or FSU. It's the one I said about preferring to play Georgia the second week of the season because you could always count on them having two or three good players suspended every year. Everybody said, 'Did you really say that?' and I said, 'Yes, because it's true.'"
When asked Friday if he was nervous about appearing in front of thousands of potentially hostile Tennessee fans, he was quick to make a jab at himself.
"Oh, I think I'll be all right," Spurrier said. "I haven't had a win in about three years now and certainly haven't beaten Tennessee, so they'll probably take it easy on me."
Treated like Kings
Ever wish you could jump the line at the airport?
According to Yahoo Sportswriter Greg Wyshynski, that fantasy is now a reality, at least for Los Angeles Kings fans flying on Delta Air Lines out of Los Angeles International Airport.
Delta, the official airline of the Kings, will provide priority boarding to any fan that shows up at the gate wearing Kings gear at LAX. That's any Delta flight leaving the airport -- presumably not just for the Kings' two playoff trips to San Jose -- throughout their playoff run.
So throw on that Drew Doughty jersey or that black hat and travel with privilege.
"We suggest you don't try this at, like, United," Wyshynski wrote. "And especially not at TSA. 'I don't need a security screening, I'm a Kings fan!' will definitely get you cavity searched."
Mound motivation
As he continues to work his way back from Tommy John surgery in his right elbow in March of last year, Texas Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish decided to have a little fun during a pitching session last week against a couple minor-leaguers.
"I told the hitters, if you hit a home run, I'll give you $1,000," Darvish told Fox Sports' Brett Smiley through an interpreter. "So that's what I was thinking on when I was throwing. That was about it."
It was the first time Darvish, 29, had faced live hitters since the surgery but he didn't finish any lighter in the wallet.
"I didn't give them a strike," Darvish said. Neither batter -- Joe Jackson and Isiah Kiner-Falefa of the Class AA Frisco RoughRiders -- took him deep.
"Next up for Darvish is a minor league assignment," Smiley wrote, "where he may want to lay off the wagering, even if it's on himself.
Not gonna do it
Washington Nationals ace Stephen Strasburg was scratched from the lineup last week after suffering an illness, but stepped up to start the next day.
Manager Dusty Baker said it was a tough day for Strasburg, who went 7 2/3 innings, allowing 4 hits, 2 runs and 2 walks with 7 strikeouts in a 6-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves.
"He was on guts," Baker told NLB Network correspondent Dan Kolko. That was a gutsy performance."
Just how sick was he?
"He looked like he was close to needing mouth-to-mouth," Baker said. "I wasn't gonna give it to him."
Sports quiz
What was Steve Spurrier's career record vs. Tennessee?
Answer
14-10. Spurrier was 5-5 against Tennessee at South Carolina, 8-4 at Florida, and 1-1 at Duke.
Sports on 04/18/2016