Bittersweet Bowdens

By BJ Bennett
SouthernPigskin.com

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For now for the Bowdens, the sentiment is not one of celebration. It's an outlook rooted in perspective instead.

The impact of the athletic sanctions levied against Penn State will be felt for years to come. One of the penalties specifically, the vacating of Joe Paterno's wins from 1998-2011, has knocked the long-time head coach's name from the top of major college football's all-time wins list. Replacing Paterno as the game's new king is another legendary figure, a former chart-topper, who was long identified with and measured alongside the leader of the Nittany Lions: Florida State's Bobby Bowden.

In the days following the news, Bowden was quick to talk of how his move to the top was no cause for celebration -- citing the obvious circumstances at hand. He was interviewed on multiple occasions by national media members, strongly maintaining that theme. It's a difficult situation, one sports has never really seen before. College football's first family has taken it all in stride.

"He's an older guy and he has a lot of wisdom. I don't think he has had a problem dealing with it, he says he hasn't," explained former Clemson and Tulane head football coach Tommy Bowden, one of Bobby's three sons who has coached. "Because of the severity of the crime, the family really can't enjoy what has transpired with him taking over the all-time wins list. It pales in comparison to what it'a all about. It's a shame."

Bowden and Paterno competed indirectly against each throughout their careers. Twice, they met on the field with both carrying Hall of Fame credentials into those bouts. Bowden won the first meeting, a 1990 Blockbuster Bowl showdown where the Seminoles claimed a 24-17 triumph. Paterno got the victory the second time around, a memorable 26-23 three overtime classic in the 2006 Orange Bowl. Bowden, a few years later, was forced to vacate 12 wins in his career and thus has some familiarity with the premise of re-writing the record books.

"Most coaches, about all of us, are ex-athletes and are very competitive. The last thing you want to do is back into a win. You like to win it on the field. But again rules are rules and it's happened in several other sports," Tommy reflected.

For now for the Bowdens, the sentiment is not one of celebration. It's an outlook rooted in perspective instead.

"It's something you really can't enjoy or appreciate because of the young people involved, there's never going to be closure for them. It's a lifetime experience for them, what has happened," Tommy continued. "It's tough to enjoy, maybe sometime in the distant future you might can."

Penn State must now try to move forward. Former New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien has incredible challenges in front of him as he becomes the first head coach outside of Paterno since 1965 to guide the Nittany Lions. Having coached collegiately at Georgia Tech, Maryland and Duke, O'Brien has considerable east coast ties. He actually began his coaching career at Brown, where Paterno played quarterback and cornerback in the late 1940s. The obstacles facing the start of O'Brien's new tenure are simply overwhelming.

"The penalties are devastating from an athletic standpoint. I don't want to minimize what happened to the young people but talking in an athletic environment, the penalties are going to be devastating to the program. There is just no way you can get around it," Tommy acknowledged.

Having been out of college coaching since 2008, Tommy Bowden recently posted the following on his Twitter account, @tommy_bowden: "Never before has there been a greater need for coaches with character, accountability, responsibility, discipline and sacrifice!".

"I don't think there is a huge issue in college athletics. It's a very important part of the college experience. In some places, yes it has gotten a little bit bigger than it should be. It is getting more difficult, the pressures are demanding, the salaries are increasing for coaches which puts more pressure on. Patience is getting thinner," he explained. "Guys that are quality guys, you just have a hard time making the right decision 100% of the time. A quality guy just made a bad decision. I think that even when coach Paterno was alive he was the first to say 'I should have done more'."

Just as a new college football wins leader has been decided, a new precedent has been set.

"I think the NCAA, by doing this, has sent a pretty strong message. You better be careful with how you handle internal situations and go through the proper protocol as far as the board of trustees, president and those things," Tommy concluded.

Bowden and Paterno mirrored each other at times during their coaching careers. For two veterans who used to talk about chasing the famed record, there's now not much desire to discuss who or, most specifically, why.