Almost Alabama

Much has been written this week about Saturday's matchup between Florida State University and the University of Alabama. But I don't think anyone has a better perspective on this game than I do.

Everyone is talking about this game because there is so much history, so many relationships and so many storylines between so many of the coaches that it is pretty incredible.

Let me say this – as much as they're writing about Jimbo Fisher and Rick Trickett having been on Nick Saban's staff; Kevin Steele and Joe Pendry having coached for Bobby Bowden; Nick Saban being recruited by my dad out of high school to play for him at West Virginia University; it's going to be tough to decide which one of these relationships might be a factor in the actual outcome of the game – maybe all of them or maybe none.

These two staffs know so much about each other that each team will have to be careful not to succumb to "paralysis by analysis." (But don't think for a second that new hand signals will not be the order of the day for both teams).

But the bigger story is probably the special place that the University of Alabama has always had in Bobby Bowden's heart. I can tell you for a fact that from the time I was a small child and he was the head coach at Samford University in Birmingham (previously Howard College), it was clear there was only one favorite school in his heart, and that was Alabama.

I can remember when I was about 6, going with my dad to Tuscaloosa where he would watch spring practice and spend time talking to Coach "Bear" Bryant. Back then there was no limit on the number of scholarships you could offer, and Alabama was so popular that Coach Bryant would sign everyone he wanted and everyone who everyone else wanted too.

Come spring time, he would be looking for ways to thin out his roster, and my father was all too willing to take advantage of the opportunity. You can't imagine how many of dad's best players at Samford were actually players who Bear Bryant talked into leaving and going to play for my dad instead.

If you're watching the WVU vs. USF game tonight, check out defensive coordinator Wally Burnham. He was one of those Bear Bryant Boys who got talked into playing for Bobby Bowden instead.

Needless to say, the whole family always thought dad would end up coaching at Alabama some day.

In December of 1986, it almost happened. I should know – I was there. Florida State was in Birmingham over the holidays, playing Indiana in the old All-American Bowl. At that time, Alabama head coach Ray Perkins resigned to become the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Instantly, everybody in the state who grew up with my dad began to rally in support of him to become the next Crimson Tide head coach.

Sure enough, as we all sat in the room at the Winfrey Hotel, the call did in fact come. A big Alabama booster, who was close to the president of the university and an old friend of dad's, called and said that Alabama was looking for a new head coach and dad was their choice. I remember my father getting off the phone and saying, "I can't believe this, but they want me to be the head coach, and I have to go talk to some guys about the job." I distinctly remember him being excited, because he told them that he did not want to be interviewed – he had a good job and was very happy at FSU. He said he would only go talk with them if the job was going to be offered. And he was assured that it was.

The reason this is all so vivid in my mind, is because on the very same day I was being interviewed at my father's alma mater, Samford University, to become their new head coach. As we snuck out through the service elevator of the hotel and I drove him to a secret meeting place, we both kidded each other that we would soon both be coaching together in Alabama. Dad, at the Capstone of the State, and me at his alma mater, where he learned to coach football. It was the most exciting day of my life. I got back to the hotel before he did, and like a bunch of little kids my brothers, sisters and I all went down to the mall and bought a bunch of Alabama and Samford pompons and decorated the hotel room for the big celebration when he got back. I was going to be the next Bobby Bowden at Samford, and dad was going to be the next Bear Bryant at Alabama.

But when he came back to the room hours later, you could see in the expression on his face that it just wasn't going to happen. Dad said that there had been a miscommunication, a misunderstanding, or maybe just someone embellishing that he knew what the president of the university was thinking. Regardless, the job had not been offered, but instead an interview for the job was.

Dad told us that although they had assured him that the meeting would be private, he just knew that it would quickly be all over the papers. He immediately made the call to say that he was not interested in the job. In fact, at that very time, Bill Curry was on a plane on his way to become the second person interviewed for the job; but obviously the president's first choice. Dad got off the phone, and as anyone who knows him would expect, said that "This must not have been God's plan for my life, but that I should remain a Seminole."

I went on to become the head coach at Samford, which eventually led me to Auburn. My brother Tommy joined Bill Curry's staff at Alabama which eventually led him to the head coaching job at Clemson. And my dad went on to be the next Bear Bryant, including becoming the winningest coach in the history of Division I-A college football – but at Florida State University.

On Saturday, for the first time in his life, Bobby Bowden will be on the sideline when the Crimson Tide takes the field. There is no doubt that he still does, and always will, love Alabama. It's just that he loves FSU and the Seminoles' Garnet and Gold a whole lot more.