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Friday, December 13, 2002
Notebook: Bowden's now-annual State of the 'Noles
By Marc Connolly
BCSfootball.com
MIAMI -- Once again, Bobby Bowden presided over most every college football writer and reporter in America from his dais on Tuesday afternoon in what has now become an annual State of the Seminoles address on the eve of another Bowden Championship Series title game.
With "the hay already in the barn," as Bowden said, the only new item the 71-year-old coaching legend could report was a final walk-through at Pro Player Stadium at 4 p.m. His reasoning: "It's too long to lay off between two days before a game."
He also mentioned that he expected all of his players to watch the Florida-Miami showdown in the Nokia Sugar Bowl since they played both teams, but he didn't expect them to be sitting there wringing their hands if the Hurricanes were winning big.
"If we don't beat Oklahoma, the heck with that game," said the 25-year head coach of the Florida State Seminoles.
No one who has ever spent time around Papa Bowden could ever call him lifeless or boring, but it is on these such days -- three years in a row now -- that his best zingers seem to come out.
Among his best lines in the hour-long session:
While describing the differences between Chris Weinke and Josh Heupel, he summed it up by saying, "One of them's a granddaddy and one of them's a grandson."
Explaining how he picked up recruits at Bear Bryant's practices at Alabama while he was a young head coach at Samford in 1959, Bowden said, "He'd give me a list of about 16 or 17 (players) that he wouldn't mind if they'd leave. It was like buying cattle."
When talking about the sadness he felt upon hearing of Ohio State's firing of head coach John Cooper, Bowden said, "Being 10 years younger than me, John's one of the guys I hang around with. It was always me, Joe (Paterno) and John (at coaching conventions)."
On how an Orange Bowl victory would earn his team the Sears Trophy regardless of the ongoing national championship controversy: "We win that damn game, we're gonna get a piece of glass."
On whether he thinks Bob Stoops and Steve Spurrier Jr. sought the advice of Steve Spurrier in preparing for the Seminoles, Bowden joked, "Not if they want to win." After pausing like any able comedian to let the laughter die down, he claimed, "That was for Steve," in his usual good-humored fashion. He continued by saying that if they didn't ask him, "they're nuts" because that's what he'd do, before admitting that he talked to his son, Tommy, before his Clemson Tigers were destroyed by Michael Vick and the Va. Tech Hokies 41-20 on Monday.
"Look how much it helped him," said Bowden.
Bowden admitted that he is so used to playing in important games that he'll sleep fine on Tuesday night, but that it's far from being routine since his team has played in three straight title games.
"If we'd have won about four in a row, it'd be routine," said Bowden.
The way the Seminole dynasty has been going, someone might have to remind him about that statement in 2004.
Polley hoping for a full performance this time
Florida State's all-conference linebacker Tommy Polley hopes this year's national title game goes a little differently than what transpired last January in New Orleans. Don't get him wrong, he was ecstatic to earn a ring as part of the undefeated squad that beat Virginia Tech, but he wants to end this year's game against Oklahoma on the field being supported by his teammates' hugs rather than crutches.
For those who don't remember, Polley had three tackles, including a stop for loss, in the first half against Va. Tech before tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee.
"I was having one of my best games and I had it taken away," said Polley, who totaled 100 tackles this season. "I was chasing Vick. He cut and I cut, and my knee wouldn't turn."
Though the pain was unbearable at first and his first thoughts were those of complete sadness even knowing his 'Noles were taking care of business on the field, he gathered himself as quickly as he could and joined his teammates on the sidelines on crutches.
"I never had crutches before so it was something new," said the senior. "I came back out on the sidelines in the second half because I wanted to support my guys to the utmost. I'd been with them the whole season, so I didn't want to leave them then."
Afterwards, he took a backseat in the jubilant locker room and stayed out of the limelight.
"That was Pete (Warrick) and Corey's (Simon) team," he said. "That was their last game, and I wanted them to have their fun. This year is a whole different story, though."
What has he done to help motivate himself for Oklahoma -- he watches the game film from that night in the Superdome.
"Especially the first two quarters," said Polley, followed by a hearty laugh.
King of the little people
Considering the ferocious pass rush that Florida State possesses led by Jamal Reynolds and David Warren, and a secondary that is second to none, running back Quentin Griffin could be one of the difference-makers in Wednesday night's game. The sophomore from Houston rushed for 783 yards and scored 16 touchdowns this season by utilizing a shiftiness and elusiveness that is a must-have when you're 5-foot-6.
"I make people miss. Not being a real big back, you just have to be different and come up with something to be successful out here," said Griffin, a first-team All-Big XII back.
He patterns himself after scat-backs like Eric Metcalf and, ironically enough, former Seminole standout Warrick Dunn. For his teammates, though, they call him someone else.
"Everybody calls him Little Barry Sanders," said cornerback J.T. Thatcher. "He runs just like him."
Think about who they'd compare him to if he rushes for over 100 yards in a Sooner win.
Up against a wall, literally
Oklahoma's left tackle Frank Romero might have the toughest assignment of the night when he takes on consensus All-American Jamal Reynolds each and every play in the trenches. Though the Sooners have faced the monster D-lines that Nebraska and K-State threw at them, the junior tackle knows this group is special.
"It's hard to compare them to another group, because the D-line is the strength of the team," said Romero. "In the Big XII, you find teams' defensive strengths lie in their linebackers and defensive backs. This is the first time we've faced a D where they are the focus."
He's been watching Reynolds from afar all season long and is actually looking forward to trying to be the one to contain a man who terrorized opponents for 12 sacks from his right defensive end spot this fall.
"I'm playing against a Lombardi winner -- someone who will be playing on Sundays next year. That's a great opportunity," said Romero. "It's going to be an awesome challenge."
They Said It:
FSU safety Chris Hope on what an Oklahoma Sooner is: "I heard B.A. (linebacker Brian Allen) joking earlier today at practice that where he's from, they call a Sooner a dog that's mixed with a lot of different type of dogs."
Bowden on one of the things he says to motivate his kids: "You are living in a dynasty -- don't let it end."
Not that many believe him, here's what Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops said about Josh Heupel's elbow: "He's 100 percent, and I feel he's like he was at the end of the season as well."
Marc Connolly is a senior writer for ABC Sports Online.
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After all the hoopla, Bobby Bowden still has his sense of humor intact.