Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Florida State plays UCLA in the Emerald Bowl in the Giants' ballpark.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Although Bobby Bowden is the winningest coach in college football history, he never attempted to conquer this part of the country.
For most of his first 30 seasons at Florida State, his Seminoles were on bigger stages in warmer climates when the holidays rolled around.
Bowden's postseason resume might be the most impressive aspect of his tenure: two NCAA championships, five national title games, eight Orange Bowls, six Sugar Bowls, two Fiesta Bowls, one Cotton Bowl and a heaping helping of second-tier games as well.
Yet the 77-year-old mastermind was his usual irrepressible self this week -- even while preparing his Seminoles (6-6) to finish their season well before New Year's Day in the Emerald Bowl, facing similarly inconsistent UCLA (7-5) in a chilly baseball stadium more than 2,600 miles from Tallahassee.
"I love it out here," Bowden said. "Doesn't matter if it's raining on Wednesday night. We're still going to have a great time. It's a new experience. ... We have so many bowls in Florida. I'd hate to go 250 miles down the road again."
Just as he's done for decades back home, Bowden captivated audiences at news conferences and publicity events in San Francisco.
Early thrill
Bowden said he was thrilled when bowl director Gary Cavalli said the Seminoles would face UCLA, which got an early invitation over several other potential Pac-10 schools -- until the Bruins knocked off USC, that is.
"So then I called him back and said, 'What were the names of those other teams again?' " Bowden said.
After a season he described as the most trying of his career, the Florida State program could use a victory over the Bruins -- but the possibility of a losing campaign doesn't scare Bowden. After all, he was in Tallahassee for the Seminoles' last one in 1976, his first season in charge.
"I'm a little bit awe-struck being here, in terms of what he's done and where he's been," said UCLA coach Karl Dorrell, who recalled fine treatment from Bowden and former offensive coordinator Mark Richt when he traveled to Florida State to soak up knowledge while he was a young assistant at Colorado. "I've done nothing compared to him. Not many guys have."
Unusual turmoil
But Florida State's losses and the accompanying turmoil -- most notably the resignation of Bowden's son, offensive coordinator Jeff Bowden, under six years of withering criticism from fans and alumni -- landed the Seminoles are in a mid-tier bowl game for the first time since most of the players were in elementary school.
Bowden's players say he handled it all with grace, providing steady leadership through every disappointment. They've remained focused on a winning season during a series of strong practices at nearby Laney College in Oakland.
"He's already been through everything you can throw at him," said running back Lorenzo Booker, who left southern California to play for Bowden five years ago. "He's been to the top, and now he's going through some of the lows, but he's been there before. That's what's great about coach Bowden. He's always focused on what's going to help us win."
Though injuries played a large role in the Seminoles' unimpressive season, Bowden and his staff still got Florida State to its 25th straight bowl game -- the second-longest streak in the nation behind Michigan's 32. Most recently, Bowden chose quarterback Drew Weatherford to get the start over Xavier Lee, though both passers have struggled this year.
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