ShareThisBy RAY McNULTY
Friday, November 03, 2006
Those ungrateful bozos.
How dare they demand that Bobby Bowden go away?
If it weren't for Bowden, who put Florida State University on the college football map and spawned generations of Seminoles fans with a wonderfully unique mix of Southern charm and Hall-of-Fame coaching, these dolts would have none of the memories he has given them across the past three decades.
If it weren't for Bowden, the Seminoles might be playing in some off-Broadway league that boasts none of the prestige _ or profits _ of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Heck, if it weren't for Bowden, FSU might still be derisively referred to as "that women's college over in Tallahassee."
Such is the importance of college football in the state of Florida. Such was the impact of Bowden on the state of college football in Florida.
Simply put: Bowden is the most influential person in the history of FSU.
Yes, Burt Reynolds went there, even played football there. But Bowden is the face of FSU, its most recognizable name and most beloved figure, a living legend who deservedly has been immortalized in bronze and stained glass outside the field that bears his name.
He is the winningest coach in major college football history.
Yet, these yahoos _ a comical collection of disgruntled fans, dissatisfied alumni and disillusioned boosters who have the silly notion that writing checks somehow makes them more knowledgeable about football _ now want to run the 76-year-old coach into retirement.
And why? Because they've become so spoiled by Bowden's success that winning nine or 10 games per season is no longer good enough.
Which is ridiculous.
Nobody stays on top forever.
No team compiles double-digit victories every season _ although Bowden's Seminoles won 10 or more games and finished among the top 10 in the AP poll for 14 consecutive years, a stellar stretch that produced one perfect season (1999), two national championships (1993 and 1999) and two runner-up showings (1987 and 1992).
True, the Seminoles haven't been in the championship chase the past five seasons. They're no longer a dominant force in the ACC. But it's also true that winning keeps getting tougher _ and not only for FSU.
Traditional powers such as Alabama, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Penn State, Southern Cal and Notre Dame all have experienced down years during Bowden's reign. Even once-mighty Miami has fallen into mediocrity. The parity created by NCAA-imposed scholarship limits is one factor. Conference affiliation is another.
The ACC wanted FSU because it knew the Seminoles' presence would improve the conference's visibility and stature in football, which simultaneously forced and helped the rest of the league to get better on the field.
The impact wasn't obvious overnight. Progress came slowly. It took awhile for the challengers to close the gap. Then, the ACC added more muscle by bringing in Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College.
Finally, it has happened: FSU (4-3, 2-3 in the ACC) sits at the bottom of the league's Atlantic Division, unranked and struggling to win with too many freshmen filling in for injured starters.
And that, apparently, is cause enough for some dolt to give birth to www.retirecoachbowden.com and for some of the other dunderheads to call for Bowden's ouster.
The man deserves better.
He deserves support, especially now when he needs it most. He deserves the benefit of every doubt. He deserves cheers, not jeers.
Even during this so-called downturn, his teams have won 46 games over the past five seasons.
The man has earned the right to go out on his own terms - and one bad year doesn't change that.
(Ray McNulty is sports columnist for Scripps Treasure Coast (Fla.) Newspapers, The Stuart News, Fort Pierce Tribune and Vero Beach Press Journal. E-mail him at ray.mcnulty@scripps.com or on the Web at www.tcpalm.com.)
