| Thursday, September 7
By Bob Harig
Special to ESPN.com |
|
There are 21 grandchildren to spoil, numerous golf courses to enjoy, and a wife who loves traveling the world. But Ann Bowden knows better. Her husband isn't stepping down anytime soon, even if this appears to be the perfect time.
When better for Bobby Bowden to call it a career than
after his 24th Florida State team finally presented him with
an unbeaten season, something he had never accomplished in 34
years as a major college head coach?
|  | | Bobby Bowden has 304 career victories and two national titles. |
When better for him to say goodbye than after his
Seminoles notched their second national championship and
continued an amazing string of 13 straight 10-victory seasons
and top-four national finishes?
When better to call it a career than after running the
NCAA's best bowl record to 17-5-1 and notching his 304th
career victory?
"Bobby wanted this championship very much," said Ann,
his wife of 50 years. "He wants another next year."
In other words, no retirement speeches are imminent. There
is no better time, of course, but Bowden does not look at it
that way.
"I'm not interested in riding off into the sunset," he
said. "Where does a 70-year-old ride off to?"
Bowden still loves the chase. Even after his team's 46-29
victory over Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl, he talked with
eagerness about the coming recruiting season, filling holes
left by stars from the championship team, contending for
another title in 2000.
"You can bet your life we'll be striving to get it
back," he said.
Bowden has his program on cruise control and is enjoying
the view from on top. He takes his cat-naps and delegates
authority to assistant coaches, challenging them but staying
out of their way. He saves his pep talks for the right
moments, knows just what to say to an eager recruit, charms
his constituents along the way.
Many who catch Bowden from afar believe his act is phony.
But it is no act. Bowden is as gracious to an unknown
stranger as he is to the president of the United States. In
fact, when President Clinton called the Florida State locker room on
Tuesday night at the Superdome, Bowden greeted the leader of
the free world with one of his classic quips: "Hey, how come
you're not working tonight?"
No doubt, Bowden has faced his share of controversy over
the years. There have been numerous scrapes with the law
among his players, a highly-publicized agent scandal and
plenty of knocks that Bowden is too soft. In fact, he is the
first to admit that back when he started coaching at South
Georgia College in 1955, he was far more strict than he is
today.
But the mellower Bowden has simply adapted to the times. A
history buff, Bowden knows that the militaristic ways of
previous coaching legends no longer works. He believes in
second chances, because where else is a player to go if he no
longer has a football field to roam? Let the criticism come,
says Bowden, as secure as any man in such a high pressure
profession.
"When I'm not excited anymore, that's when I'll know to
get out," said Bowden in answering a question he's heard for
some 10 years.
He often jokes that "there's just one big event left
after retirement," and that "I've seen too many people
retire and die." Plus, he said. "I like that nice
paycheck."
It is football, however, that keeps him coming back.
Bowden told the story of his first year at South Georgia
College, and how he lay awake the night of the game.
"I was just as excited (Tuesday) night as I was back
then," he said. "I couldn't sleep any better. I don't know
why I'm that way. I still have that fear of losing, that
desire to win, that love for the game."
Bowden will quit when his health or his hunger wanes. He
has nothing left to prove, but doesn't do this to prove
anything. Bowden keeps coaching because that's what he does.
"We'll strut around for a week," he said. "Then get
ready for another season."
Bob Harig, who covers college football for the St. Petersburg Times, writes a weekly college football column for ESPN.com. |  |
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