The father of Second Chance

Bobby Bowden’s lettin’ it all hang out these days.

“Back in those days, when a boy gets into too much trouble it starts as a felony. If a boy has a felony, he can’t play, nothing I can do,” Bowden said. “So you try to get it reduced down to a misdemeanor, and unless it’s a terrible thing you usually can. I think (the movie) shows how I’d give them second chances if I can. Some boys would get in trouble so bad I couldn’t do nothing. I’d lose ‘em. But the worst thing is I didn’t want to kick them back out on the street. They don’t need to be out on the street. I’d try to save ‘em.”

Amen, Reverend Bobby.

The man is an inspiration to countless head coaches who have followed in his wake.  What a legacy!

21 Comments

Filed under Bobby Bowden: Over His Dead Body, Crime and Punishment

21 responses to “The father of Second Chance

  1. I remember a legacy of playing thieves and cheats. If they could catch a ball or block Bobby would play anyone on the FBI’s ten most wanted. The got the name ” CrimeaNoles ” the old fashioned way. They earned it.

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  2. gastr1

    I do think some coaches really do believe they’re trying to mentor kids into maturity and that being in their lives is the best way to do that.

    Then there’s Meyer and Saban, and I have a hard time believing coaches like that give a damn about anything other than the final score.

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    • W Cobb Dawg

      No, corch is in a different league with Paterno, and perhaps Briles. Saban fucked up bad with Jonathan Taylor, but it doesn’t appear he ever put up with the likes of Hernandez or Sandusky.

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      • gastr1

        Do you think he views what he does as, in part, being a mentor to young men? I can’t see that. Everything we here about him is that he’s as mercenary as anyone out there. As much of an ass as Harbaugh is, for example, I think he’s probably more of a mentor-figure than Saban.

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        • W Cobb Dawg

          Don’t know how saban views himself. Though he doesn’t appear to walk around with his religion on his shoulder or pontificate about morality issues, like some HCs. I won’t argue his roster management. But as I understand, he does graduate a heck of a lot of players who stick with the program. My point is, there are coaches who are considerably more careless than saban when it comes to the actions of his players. Perhaps it’s covered up better in tuscaloosa, but they don’t seem to have the degree of problems of an FSU, ut, Penn State, or Baylor.

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  3. Debby Balcer

    I agree worth you

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  4. Debby Balcer

    Ok my kindle is possessed with not worth

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  5. Scorpio Jones, III

    Hard to tell about ole Bobby…considering the ah…arrangement (read collusion) with the local constabulary to “handle things internally” lots of stuff just disappeared into the vapor.

    The only one of Bobby’s disciples I have any close observational experience with was mostly pretty tough on crimes and seemed genuinely interested in coaching players on and off the field to be better folks.

    About the worst thing you could do to Bobby Bowden is mention him in the same sentence with Urban Myer.

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  6. Bobby kept Mickey Andrews around forever. I don’t want to hear his holier than thou act.

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  7. South FL Dawg

    Yeah but he only tried to save the ones that played football really well…..hmmmm.

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  8. Linda

    Bobby Bowden is a Great Man. My Stepson played for him and was an All American Senior back in the early nineteen nineties.

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  9. Macallanlover

    Bobby was a helluva coach, and from all I have heard from those who know him personally, he is a damned good man. Mark Richt was the best coach that has coached at UGA, and I know he was a damned good man. Saban, may, or may not, be a really good person, I don’t know for sure but probably he probably is a good man.

    I believe fans who question, or slam, those people who live principled lives have issues of their own and realize they are missing/lacking something important. Maybe just simple envy, but still no reason to attack good people who have accomplished more, not necessarily professionally, but personally, in their lives. It may have a basis in religion, but is much more. JMO

    This isn’t to say any of them is perfect, and hasn’t made mistakes, or wished they had a mulligan. But they are good men, and have been a positive influence on so many young men at a critical point in their lives. I just know we need more of them.

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    • Olddawg 55

      Well said, Mac….it’s easy to throw stones but watch out for our glass houses. Coaching is a helluva job and coaches aren’t in it just for fame and money…they care for their young men.

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  10. I think It Is great that someone else agrees with me or I agree with them
    that Mark Richt Iwas the best HC the Dawgs have had In My lifetime And
    I go back to Coach Butts.

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