Bobby Bowden Tour in full swing
Shortly after Florida State wrapped up spring practice earlier this month, head coach Bobby Bowden has been on the road. But his time away from Tallahassee hasn't been spent on the recruiting trail or at a coaching clinic, but for his annual Seminole Booster Golf Tour.
The Tour kicked off last week in Pensacola and is off to a great start thanks primarily to an enthusiastic fanbase that has been a buzz ever since the massive coaching changes that took place last January. On Tuesday, Bowden was in Lake City and once again the turnout was better than expected.
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"They had 132 golfers here in Lake City," said Executive Director of Seminole Boosters Charlie Barnes, who has been accompanying Bowden on his golf tour the last 30 years. "Last night (Orange Park) they were packed, they were completely sold out and in Pensacola they were completely sold out. Not only are they sold out, people are showing up to sit in the seats."
As with the football program's decline the past few years, the interest in Bowden's Golf Tour has waned lately. However, it's been a 180 degree shift so far in 2007.
"The faithful were a little shaken over the last five years," Barnes noted. "Our numbers have been down the last several years because people have been unhappy. The turnaround happened instantaneously. Some reporter asked me if I could sense the enthusiasm building and I said 'no, there ain't no building to it.' It just blew up like a volcano, all the sudden everybody is happy and everybody is thrilled."
In addition to an excited and enthusiastic fanbase, it's been obvious to everybody that Bowden himself is rejuvenated by the recent changes. His renewed optimism and confidence was apparent during spring practice and that has carried over to his golf tour.
"He's very much in control of the face that he presents to the public and he is much more relaxed," Barnes said. "I wouldn't say he is more confident because he's never lacked confidence, but I would say it's the demeanor of a man who knows he's winning rather than a man that questions whether he's going to be able to pull it out."
A few highlights from the early tour stops:
- Question to Bobby Bowden: Who do you want to play for the national championship? / Bowden's answer: "Middle Tennessee State. I've always wanted a piece of them."
- Bowden comment in Ft. Walton: "We've got the best football staff in America and they did not come cheap."
- In Panama City a fan rescheduled her chemotherapy so she should be at the dinner with Bobby Bowden.
- Director of Athletics Dave Hart said that for the fourth year in a row FSU finished second to Duke in the number of players on the ACC honor roll.
- Bowden on Wake Forest going to the ACC Championship Game last year: "I liked to see Wake Forest win not because they are a Baptist school but because I'm a Baptist."
- Question to Bowden: Do you have any control over the sunglasses that Chuck Amato wears? / Bowden's response: "Chuck just likes those silver and green ones."
- At the dinner in Ft. Walton that was also attended by Jimbo Fisher: Bowden looked at Fisher during the dinner and said "Old Jimbo didn't come cheap." Jimbo replied by saying "It's my wife," and Bowden came back with "I got me one just like that."
Some tour stops will get the added bonus of having television and radio personality Terry Bowden in attendance. The former Auburn head coach and son of Bobby Bowden will offer his unique perspective on Florida State and share his experiences coaching with Jimbo Fisher at the following locations:
Polk County (lunch speaker)
Atlanta (lunch speaker, radio show, dinner speaker with Bobby Bowden)
Miami (golfing, radio show, attending dinner)
Tampa (golfing, lunch speaker, radio show, attending dinner)
Orlando (golfing, lunch speaker, attending dinner)
Jacksonville (lunch speaker, radio show, attending dinner)
Ocala (golfing, lunch speaker, radio show, attending dinner)
Ft. Lauderdale (lunch speaker with Bobby Bowden, radio show)
Gene Williams is the founder and administrator of Warchant.com and writes stories and features covering all of FSU's sports with an emphasis on football and football recruiting. During football season, he hosts a weekly sports radio show in Tallahassee on NewsRadio 1270 WFLA, and appears as a weekly guest on 1460 ESPN Radio in Jacksonville and on 1420 Sportsradio in St Augustine. Williams is also a former ACC correspondent for College Football News (weekly national newspaper), and contributes to The Osceola. Story about Gene Williams & Warchant.comClick Palm Beach (golfing, lunch speaker, attending dinner)Here to view this Link..
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