One of the greatest College Football coaches of all time appears to be retiring tomorrow. The Florida State great Bobby Bowden will enter the retirement community tomorrow according to most sources.
Bowden is currently second in College Football history with 388 wins only trailing the legendary Joe Paterno of Penn State. In my opinion, it is a shame that they are pushing this guy out like this. I realize that 6 and 6 does not cut it at Florida State. But does 2 National Titles and 14 consecutive top 5 finishes cut it?
I realize that Bowden at the age of 80 is probably not as involved with everything as he once was and serves as a figurehead similar to Joe Paterno. Remember when there was talk about pushing Paterno out a few years ago. All the sudden the program was revitalized into a Big 10 powerhouse. Now maybe this had nothing to do with Paterno and more to do with the Big 10 getting soft, but still they did not push the man out.
The way I look at, Bowden should have been given one more year to say goodbye. Sort of like a farewell tour type year. I understand that the Seminoles want to win now and next year is too late in their eyes. This is the mentality that was instilled in the program because of Bobby Bowden. But it is just a simple matter of respect. The man built them into a football haven, and after a few down years people have forgotten what wonderful things he has done.
Well Bobby, it was a great run and best of luck to you in your future endeavors. You will definitely go down as one of the greatest College Football coaches ever and nobody can take that away from you. Go relax on the beach now and spend some time with your family. 34 seasons of greatness at Florida State was a job well done.
Best of luck to Jimbo Fisher in revitalizing the program. It will not be easy in that Florida is a juggernaut, and Miami and South Florida are both getting strong. It may take a couple of years before the Seminoles can compete with the rival Gators again.
Stay tuned for the next edition of the Sportskraze.
-Kraze
TheSportsKraze 
This is certainly a huge story, but no mention of the firing of Weiss? I guess you already did dedicate a post to that in the past, but what are your predictions?
For Matt..I did already put a post towards the inevitable firing of Weis. He is a joke of a head coach and really blew it this year with an extremely talented team.
Cya Brian Kelly supposedly some kids on my team said they talked to Kyle Rudolph and he told them that Kelly has already been to campus and agreed to be the next Irish head coach..
Deez,
I have been hearing rumors such as the one you just said for about a month now. I feel like he has already made up his mind on whether he is going or not and I would say it is 50/50 on whether he goes or stays. In the meantime, nothing will come out until after the Pitt game on Saturday, the biggest game in school history. I would not belame BK for leaving in that Notre Dame is Notre Dame, but he could be the messiah of Cincinnati football if he stays with what he is building..It is a very tough decision and I am really 50/50 on what he is going to do.
These coaches and pro athletes all live in a different world from the rest of us anyway. Poor Charley Weiss is only getting $14 million to leave ND. I feel for him. And he has already been offered 6 Offensive Coordinator jobs in the NFL. The same guys get recycled. If someone gave me $14 million to leave my job somehow I do not think I would be too dismayed.
As for Bowden, sure it would have been nice not too have forced him out. However, I think he has done alright financially. We won’t have to throw him a benefit. He has had a great and privileged life. He is just moving on to another chapter.
BTW, you don’t think Joe Paterno really coaches Penn State, do you?
Gooch,
The coaches do live in different worlds from us. But its a shame that a guy like Charlie Weis can do so bad at his job, get that kind of payout and already have jobs waiting for him. He really has dissapointed me and shown to be a much worse coach than I thought he was. Maybe he will be a good offensive coordinator back in the League.
Finally, no Joe Paterno does not coach at all. He is strictly a figurehead. He did coach at one time though.
Kraze,
About your post referring to the appeal for Kelly to stay and be the messiah of Cincinnati football, as a homer I get where you’re coming from. But after watching the press conference (in which he danced around the question but in no way denied it) he kept repeating that UC’s only focus right now is to win championships. The fact is, that is the very reason he will leave. He can’t win them in Cincinnati. His team could go undefeated and still won’t make the title game. At ND he doesn’t have to worry about that. Not to mention how much better his recruiting will be. ND is a dream job and there is no reason to stay in a weak Big East where a season without a loss isn’t enough to make the title. He is too good of a coach to waste away in a situation like that. South Bend is the answer for Kelly and he knows it. It is every college coach’s dream.
Matt,
Those are all very valid points. I believe Kelly’s decision has been made on what he is going to do and we will know for sure after the Pitt game. I am still 50/50 on whether he stays.
I see your points about playing in the Big East and going undefeated and not making the National Title game. But realize this team started out unranked. The way Kelly has been going, the Cats could start out as a top 10 or 15 team next season. Therefore the rise to the top of the rankings could be much swifter and quicker than it was this year. This would make it much easier to be in the National Title talk and give us a better shot. Starting out unranked makes it near impossible to rise up high enough in the rankings.
But you are right in ND being a dream job and how he danced around the questions unlike Stoops and Meyer. Should be interesting to see what happens. I am hoping he stays, but I am not counting on it and will understand if he departs.
Money and legacies behind, I really believe that FSU didn’t want it to end the way it did with Bobby B. I don’t think that they have been happy with him for about 5 years, but they were planning on letting him ride into the sunset whenever he saw fitted.
The tough situation arose when they went to hire a new defensive coordinator and Bobby B persisted that he should make the choice. FSU didn’t want to pay one of Bobby’s guy to have him retire in 2 years and have to stick Jimbo with one of Bobby’s guy. This must have happened because the two disagreed on who the best candidate was.
So, I understand FSU’s actions and place most of the blame on Bobby B for not understanding what was truly best for FSU…
Also, Kelly is gone… No looking back… Just hope that UC doesn’t setlle for Kerry Combs.
B Dulls,
You are right about the Bowden situation. But when you are a legend, you should not get forced out like that in my eyes almost no matter what. Bowden made the Seminoles a program. But I do see your points and who knows what actually happened behind the scenes the past few years to make this situation occur. It probably was not as rash of a decision as the media has made it out to be.
Then on BK, I am still 50/50 on whether he stays or goes. And if he does go, it is Kerry’s job. So be ready, and all bias aside, Combs is a winner who will consistently help us bring in the best recruits from the tri state area. Kerry is no BK, but maybe his style could be a good thing. I will tell you this much, the coaching tactics will be a lot different than Kelly’s. No way to know if these tactics will prove beneficial for the program or not though. I just hope that we aren’t a strictly option offense next year if Kerry is in charge.
When I first saw the title of this piece, it gave me a flashback of a huge 80s fad called Garbage Pail Kids. They were a series of trading cards that depicted cabbage patch kids in gross situations. One of them was called “Bye Bye Bobby” that showed a cabbage patch kid going down a bathtub drain.
Miguel,
Never heard of the Garbage Pail Kids but I am glad this edition brought back some memories for you.
Kraze