Q & A: Bobby Bowden- Part 2

As part of Sunday's Media Day, Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden sat down with the print media for approximately 30 minutes. In part II of the interview, the 76-year-old coaching legend talks about being elected to the Hall of Fame, his battle with Joe Paterno for the most wins, why Myron Rolle is a "Cant' Miss" player, whether he would be comfortable if the Miami game came down to a kick and more.

Q: Drew said it was the Boston College game where he started feeling comfortable running the offense. Did you feel the same way or was there another game where you said, 'Okay, I think he's got it' last year?

Bobby Bowden: Well, that was the game that had he not come through we would have lost. He had a good game throwing the ball and he had to because they were killing our running game. They couldn't stop the running game and him. That happened several games last year and then there were some where they shut us down anyway.

Q: Tommy put a pretty good lickin' on you last year. Was he banned from the family thing this year? Do you have something for him this year?

Bobby Bowden: Yeah, a touchdown. [Bowden laughs.] I don't think he's seen one of those from us lately. Now, Tommy could be the team to beat. He whipped us about as good as anybody beat us last year and he's got most of them coming back. If that quarterback comes through, he's going to be hard to beat.

Q: You mentioned Buster's leadership. Apparently he's a history teacher as well. He said you're like George Washington on his high horse. What do you think he meant?

Bobby Bowden: He said I was like George Washington on a high horse? [Bowden laughs.] Gosh, only Buster knows the answer to that. [The room of reporters erupts in laughter.] I don't think he even knows what war that was. [More laughter.]

Q: He said you can coach 10 or 20 more years.

Bobby Bowden: I'm going to have to win more ballgames, I know that. That's what my intentions are. My desire to coach is the same. It doesn't change. It doesn't matter how old you get. I've said this before -- as long as you are healthy, it makes no difference how old you are. Makes no difference. You may be sitting out there 28 years of age and in worse health than me and don't feel as good as I feel. But you're not likely.

Q: Going back to the Orange Bowl with you and Joe and then both of you are elected to the Hall of Fame, it seems like both of you are building momentum into this season. Joe said his doctors said he can go 10 more years. Buster said you can go another 10 or 20 years.

Bobby Bowden: Did I say that? I wish my doctor would tell me that. [Laughs.] Joe and I are alike in several ways. Number one, when you've coached as long as we have -- and whether you agree with me or not -- we can help kids. You might not agree with me, but we can help kids. I've been through enough things in my life that I can tell these kids what's best for you if you will listen. You know? Now, these young coaches can't do it because they haven't been through it yet. Joe and I both think that we can help these kids with their lives and it's important to us. We know we're running out of years, but it's a shame when you think about throwing away 50 years of experience if you don't have to. That's the way life is nowadays.

Q: Has this Hall of Fame thing sunk in yet?

Bobby Bowden: Hall of Fame? That is good. But it's one of those things you knew would happen one of these days. If I live another four months, I'll get to see it. But I'm not one of those guys -- I am not one of those guys who says, 'This is all I ever lived for. I'm in the Hall of Fame. That's all I've ever lived for.' It doesn't affect me like that. There's something else that's more important to me than that.

Q: It seems like college football fans are saying, 'One of them is not going to give up until the other one quits.'

Bobby Bowden: It looks like that, doesn't it? I look in the obituary section every day to see if he's still out there. [The room erupts in laughter again.]

Q: Does he do that to you?

Bobby Bowden: He might. I don't know. That's a good question. Joe's in good health.

Q: What does it say that both of you got to a major bowl last year? What did it do for you guys?

Bobby Bowden: It's good. Of course, Joe really had a great year. He had a fantastic year. I know that did his heart good. We nearly did, but not quite. Again, it just keeps you in there. I don't know what would have happened to me if we hadn't gotten in there. They probably would have run me off. [Bowden chuckles.]

Q: Earlier today, Myron Rolle said that a lot of coaches used the age factor when they were recruiting him and said that you might not be here when it was time for him to graduate. He said especially the coaches in this state used that.

Bobby Bowden: They've been saying it for 20 years. Once you get to be 60, you are too old. You ain't going to be there but for another year. Man, I heard that when Terry was back at Auburn. [Laughs.] All those guys are gone. I just keep hanging in there. Me and Joe.

Q: You talked about playing on Labor Day and Monday night. Teams are playing just about every day of the week this year. You'll see games on Sunday night. What do you think about that? Is it too much?

Bobby Bowden: That will be up to the fans if it's too much. I don't know. People seem to love it. I used to not be able to wait until I got home from practice on Monday nights so I could watch Monday Night Football. I'd catch a little bit of it. I don't know, but for some reason it doesn't seem like fans are not tired of it yet.

Q: Would you play on Sunday nights?

Bobby Bowden: I wouldn't vote for it.

Q: Is that something you would fight?

Bobby Bowden: I just wouldn't vote for it. I hope I never have to fight it.

Q: Some of the younger coaches coming up today don't have the clout you have to vote against that. Has the competitive environment changed so much today that they look for whatever edge they can get -- even if it means playing on Tuesday nights for exposure?

Bobby Bowden: I don't think there's a one of them that isn't looking for an edge. It's such a competitive business. It's all built around success. You've got to be successful. There's not a doggone one of them who is not looking for an edge.

Q: You've had a lot of recruits over the years who have been labeled as 'can't-miss' prospects. What have you seen of Myron Rolle so far to lead you to believe he can be another Deion Sanders, Derrick Brooks down the road?

Bobby Bowden: He has all of the tools to be an outstanding college football player. The one thing Deion Sanders had is a 4.19 40-yard dash, which Myron doesn't have and which most players don't have. As far as all the rest, he seems to have. He's got enough of everything to -- if he stays healthy -- can't miss. Well, now, you might say, 'How do you know he's going to do this or that?' Because he's smart. He's smart. If he was dumb, I'd say he might dumb himself out of it. But this kid is too smart. He's too smart. He competes so good, he learns so good, tries so hard. Again, if he can just stay healthy. That's the whole thing -- just stay healthy.

Q: What's the health of the kicking game right now?

Bobby Bowden: We've got a battle going on at punter. We've got a battle going on with the kickers. We're working with a lot of kids at kickoff returns and punt returns and we haven't decided on that yet. They get reps at practice.

Q: As far as field goal kicking goes, no one has taken the lead yet?

Bobby Bowden: Not yet. Not yet.

Q: You talk about yourself and Joe Paterno placing an emphasis on helping these kids. How important is it to have guys like Derrick Brooks and Warrick Dunn, who have both won NFL Man of the Year awards, to come back and talk to your kids and say you can be successful and still be a good guy?

Bobby Bowden: No doubt about it. That's what we need nowadays. That's what young people need -- good role models. Those guys are excellent role models. I bring them every chance I get. Every time they do come back to time and we have time with them, I'll have them address my football team. Because they need role models, they need good role models like that. Those are two of the best in the world.

Q: With the rules changes out there to speed the game up and start the game clock faster between possessions, how do you think that will affect the way you guys go about your business?

Bobby Bowden: Well, our coaches are going to have to be aware of what's happening and how much time you have left. You've got to get them off the sideline and on the field. We'll just have to be more conscious of what that clock is doing.

Q: Does that give the offense an advantage or the defense an advantage?

Bobby Bowden: It looks like you will see less of the offense because of it. Everything is done to cut down on time, which means your offense won't have as many at-bats. That's the way it looks to me right now.

Q: Does it help an underdog team?

Bobby Bowden: It depends on how tough they are defensively. If they've got a great defense, it would. I would think.

Q: Coach, Beitia never recovered from the Miami game in terms of his success afterwards --

Bobby Bowden: I didn't either. [Room erupts again.]

Q: I say that in terms of Cismesia had a rough game against Penn State.

Bobby Bowden: Yeah, that's just the nature of a poor kicker. You see it happening in pro football all the doggone time. Those guys are professionals and get paid a lot of money and you see them miss it, too. That's just the nature of the job. It's amazing. I don't know the answer to it. We practice it hard.

Q: Did you get a chance to talk to him after the game?

Bobby Bowden: Cismesia? A little bit. I've never talked to a specialist too much about what he's done wrong. Look at what you did wrong. We could have won if you had done this. I just don't talk to them about that. I think they are broken-hearted anyway, you know? I don't know of anything tougher than walking off that doggone field after missing a kick that would have won the game and facing your teammates. Wow. I'm glad my sons don't have to go through that.

Q: Would you be comfortable if Labor Day comes down to a kick?

Bobby Bowden: Would I be comfortable? [Laughs. The room laughs with him.] There are two ways to look at it. Number one, you are in the game all the way. You're in the game with them. You're playing just as good as them. Now, who's kicking -- us or them? [Room erupts one more time.]

Us? Yeah, I probably would. Now if they were, I wouldn't. They blew it last year. They ain't likely to blow two.