May 16, 2006

Jim Lamar, The Osceola

Bobby Bowden and Charlie Ward are headed to the College Football Hall of Fame.

The Florida State football icons were selected as part of a 15-man class who will be inducted Dec. 5 in New York. They will be officially enshrined as part of the class of 2007 next summer in a ceremony at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind.

Bowden and Penn State coach Joe Paterno become just the second and third active coaches to be inducted into the Hall.

Bowden and Ward join former FSU players Fred Biletnikoff and Ron Sellers and former coach Darrell Mudra in the Hall.

Ward, former Air Force tight end Chad Hennings and former Virginia Tech defensive end Bruce Smith attended Tuesday's announcement ceremony, held in New York. Smith, who also starred in basketball as a high school senior, said he was impressed with Ward's two-sport accomplishments. Smith joked that he thought about playing college basketball "for about two seconds."

"That's why I have such a great admiration for what Charlie Ward has been able to accomplish," Smith said. "To play two sports in college and graduate at the same time is a phenomenal accomplishment. While I might have had the potential to play college basketball, I don't think time would have allowed that. I wouldn't have been able to keep up with my academics."

Ward said he first called his former quarterbacks coach at FSU, Mark Richt, to inform him of his Hall of Fame induction.

He also took time to talk about how he used to see the FSU team buses as they drove into his hometown of Thomasville the Friday nights before Saturday home games.

"I never thought I would be in that bus one day," Ward said. "It was an honor to have Coach Bowden come in and teach me about being a true leader and being a man of God. It was very encouraging to have a true Christian man running 100 student-athletes. I'm greatful to have that experience to be a part of his team."

Ward also poked a little fun at himself as he reminded people that the official enshrinement ceremony will take place in South Bend, Ind., next summer. The College Football Hall of Fame is in the same town as Notre Dame, where Ward's 1993 FSU team lost the so-called "Game of the Century."

"I'd also like to say that there is a negative experience for me going to South Bend," Ward said. "I'm grateful to say there is something positive to me coming back. For all those listening from South Bend, you don't have to worry about a loss on your record."

National Football Foundation president Steve Hatchell said the time was right to induct both Bowden and Paterno, even though the two coaches are still active. Active coaches are eligible for enshrinement if they are at least 75 years old.

"The feeling was that we induct two coaches every year," Hatchell said. "These coaches have done so much. They represent not only excellence in coaching, but excellence period. Everyone has honored them. Everyone calls them great coaches. The feeling was why not do both of them together because of their contributions to college football. we didn't want to wait until they retired. They met the criteria, so let's honor them."

Bowden, with an assist from his Hall of Fame wit, said he was surprised at Tuesday's announcement.

"I wasn't expecting it because I thought you had to die first -- and I didn't want to volunteer for that," Bowden joked. "But I'm very excited about it."

Bowden and Ward represent a strong showing from the state of Florida. Former Miami defensive back Bennie Blades and former Florida tailback Emmitt Smith were also elected for enshrinement.

"It's always an honor to be in any Hall of Fame," Ward said. "To be able to go in with the class that I'm going in with is indeed a pleasure. Those guys are tremendous football players and tremendous people. I'm honored to be in the class with them."

Another former FSU player was also on the ballot for enshrinement but did not make the cut. Bowden said he thought former noseguard Ron Simmons would have his Hall of Fame moment in the future.

"Ron is very deserving ? one of the greatest players we've ever had here at Florida State," Bowden said. "And I feel sure in time his day will come."

College Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2007

Players
Bobby Anderson, Colorado
Bennie Blades, Miami
Carl Eller, Minnesota
Steve Emtman, Washington
Thomas Everett, Baylor
Chad Hennings, Air Force
Chip Kell, Tennessee
Mike Phipps, Purdue
Mike Rozier, Nebraska
Jeff Siemen, Stanford
Bruce Smith, Virginia Tech
Emmitt Smith, Florida
Charlie Ward, Florida State

Coaches
Bobby Bowden, Florida State
Joe Paterno, Penn State

Charlie Ward's comments from the announcement ceremony
Opening comments

"First, I'd like to thank the National Football Foundation and the College Football Hall of Fame committee for this induction. After listening to how you are supposed to get in, I'm very honored. I just stopped playing this past year and I see the criteria they use and I see a lot of inductees who played a long time ago now just getting in. It really brings to the forefront for me that someone saw fit that I be inducted this year. I'm extremely grateful. I now understand the criteria to get in.

I'd like to thank the staffs for their support for getting me here. I've been getting calls from Commissioner [Gene] Corrigan. It was an honor for me to receive that call. I was very excited. I tried to hold it in, but I had to tell my wife of course. My kids still don't know. I'm grateful to have the opportunity to share this with a lot of people -- my family, my mom and dad who raised me and who did a good job of raising their kids with honor. I'm thankful for the opportunity to play for Coach Bobby Bowden in football and Coach Pat Kennedy in basketball. I'm grateful for that. I'm grateful for all those that helped me graduate from college. Playing two sports is difficult. Playing two sports and getting a degree is extremely difficult.

I'd also like to say that there is a negative experience for me going to South Bend. I'm grateful to say there is something positive to me coming back. For all those listening from South Bend, you don't have to worry about a loss on your record."

Ward on who he called when he found out:
"The guy that I called was Coach Mark Richt, who was my quarterbacks coach at Florida State. He was very instrumental in me growing as a football player -- the knowledge of the game and my growth as a man of God."

Ward on if he thought Bowden should have been inducted sooner:
"He's still going as a coach. I think the timing is always what God would like for us to have. It's always His time. We can debate whether he should have gone in earlier, but the time has come for him to go in. We're all grateful for the opportunity to be in."

Ward on his first memory of Bowden:
"The first memory is when he comes into the house. If you know him, he's very laid back. Once you get to talking to him, he starts going off on all these one-liners, these stories. He has great stories. His accent. It was an honor because I watched Florida State for so long on television being from Thomasville, 30 minutes away. Just having him in our living room was a big honor. It was amazaing. We weren't used to big-timers coming in our home. We used to always see the buses from Florida State coming down before football games. I never thought I would be in that bus one day. It was an honor to have Coach Bowden come in and teach me about being a true leader and being a man of God. It was very encouraging to have a true Christian man running 100 student-athletes. I'm greatful to have that experience to be a part of his team."