Re: Growing up I HATED BOBBY BOWDEN

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Re: I was ambivalent about Bobby Bowden…

Jan 6, 2022, 10:29 PM

We were at the Puntrooskie game, sitting in the south lower stands section G. The Valley was rocking! Nationally televised, # 10 FSU vs # 3 Clemson, score tied 21 - 21, 4th Quarter. On 3rd down the ball got tipped and was nearly intercepted by Clemson. 4th down, 1:33 left in the game, the ball was on FSU's 20 yard line and they had no time outs left. FSU got in punt formation. From our vantage point it appeared the ball was snapped over the punter's head, as he jumped in the air to make it appear so. We were going nuts thinking we would have the ball in field goal range with a potential game winning kick. Next thing we see is Leroy Butler for FSU sprinting down the sideline being chased by two Clemson players. Donnell Woolford had the angle and was able to knock Butler out of bounds on the 1-yard line. Defense stuffs 1st down run for a 2-yard loss, 2nd down FSU scores a touchdown however the 25 second clock was expiring and FSU tried to call a time out with no more left. There was controversy as the game clock should not have stopped, the clock was not restarted when the officials realized the Noles had no time outs, and supposedly a penalty resulted, however was never marked off. The TD was nullified and FSU was forced to kick the winning field goal on 2nd down, as Bowden didn't want to take the chance of the game clock expiring. We drove back to Charleston after the game and it was the longest, quietest car ride I've ever taken. I have been a fan of all sports my whole life and that still ranks as the worse feeling after my team lost any game. Before that game, I had no issues with FSU. After that loss, I came to carry distain for the Noles that still holds to this day. Each of our wins over them since 1988 have come with great sweetness. I respect Bowden for the gutsy call he made, but I hope to enjoy many more Clemson wins over FSU before the bitterness of that game leaves me.

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Coach Bowden was a great Christian man. However, a lot of his success not all of it, can be attributed to FSU being independent for many years and not having to follow conference rules in academic admission of football athletes. Great athletes who academically could not get in conference schools flocked to Florida State. As a result FSU became a power house. When they joined the ACC they dominated for a while but then after having to adhere to conference academic rules in recruiting other teams began to catch up with them. Similarly, the new Nil rules will allow those teams willing to put up millions to become power houses and dominate the others. When the playing field is not level whether then academics or now pay for play the wins these teams amass should have an asterisk by it. This will allow future generations to know the playing field was not level for those victories. Go back to Duke and NC basketball dominance and you find the same thing. Duke and NC rich booster spent a lot of money buying teams to dominate. My friend, this world is not always fair. Thank God for present Clemson U.

Growing up I HATED BOBBY BOWDEN