Bobby Bowden: A Class Act

I don't know a lot about the history of Florida State football, but I know this—Florida State will be forever linked to Bobby Bowden.

And while I don't want to be a downer on Doak Campbell, if FSU's stadium isn't re-named "Bobby Bowden Stadium" (shorted to "The Bowd," or "The Bob" by ESPN , or "The Bow," and finally "The B"), it'll be a crime against college football.

Why?

Because in Seminole country, Bobby Bowden has a legacy that stretches beyond football and into the classrooms.

How many kids went to Florida State because they loved watching winning football? How many kids went to Florida State because of the chance to see a legend on the sidelines or seeing one speak at one of FSU's Fellowship of Christian Athletes meetings? How many people fought to keep Bowden almost as much as those who fought to kick him out?

Bobby Bowden is more than a decent man. He is an icon. He is a champion of his faith, he is a champion of longevity at one school, and more's the case, he is a darned good football coach

He turned around a program that was nothing and it became something. He went to 27 straight bowl games. Heck, Joe Paterno might have the Division I record for the most wins, but Bobby Bowden and 27 straight bowl appearances? That's pretty impressive by anyone's standards. And you know what, even Joe Paterno didn't manage that.

Paterno said in a statement , "Bobby has been a tough competitor. He has meant an awful lot to the universities he coached and to the game of football overall. He and his wife, Ann, have dedicated their lives with untold hours to better the teams and universities they cared so much about. They will be missed by the coaching profession and college football. Sue [Paterno's wife] and I wish them well."

If you want "tough competitor", then check out the 2006 Orange Bowl between Penn State and Florida State. The game lasted through three overtimes in a battle for the ages. And both coaches—friends to the end—hugged it out after the game.

If it's a class act you want in college football, I dare you to look somewhere else other than Bobby Bowden.

"Faith is the most important thing in the world to me," Bowden said (reported by ESPN ). "It's the greatest strength I've had. It's helped me get through the hard times. You're not going to win every one of your football games. I've always said I'm not going to make football my god. A lot of coaches put so much into coaching football games that they have nothing left. I've never made football my priority. My priorities are my faith and my dependence on God."

Some of you might scoff at that statement, thinking that the only person who would say such a thing would be Tim Tebow or Colt McCoy. But Bowden is a captain of faith as much as he is a captain of football, and that's a good thing.

I could sit here and try and darken Bobby Bowden's past by pointing out the failings of the 2009 team, the off-the-field problems in the past years, and the cheating scandal that lost both Bowden and the school a bunch of credibility (although—and it's a personal opinion here—I don't think Bowden was involved), but you know what? I'll shut up.

Sadly, it wasn't a surprise when Florida State asked Bowden to retire. We don't know if Bowden walked or if he was asked to step down. But we do know this—the kings of Seminole country were fed up with looking stupid, and certainly weren't happy about being the state of Florida's third team this year in the face of possible National Champion Florida and a re-ignited Miami team.

The defense was an embarrassment this year as well. Ultimately, Bowden and his long-time defensive coordinator and assistant Mickey Andrews paid the price for the shocking lack of tackling ability.

Bobby Bowden, you're a class act.

Thank you for your years of service and all the memories.

We only wish we could have 'said goodbye' on a higher note than the 2009 season.