Winning's Only Part of the Game: Lessons of Life and Football

by Bobby Bowden, Terry Bowden, Bobby Bowden

The Bowdens are the First Family of college football. Bobby, the father, built the winningest program of the decade at Florida State. Son Terry took over an Auburn team on probation and led it back into the top tier of the sport. Son Tommy is Auburn's offensive coordinator and will likely get his own program in the next few seasons. Son Jeff, now coaching Florida State receivers, will earn his own head coaching opportunity one day. So will the boys' brother-in-law Jack Hines - who played for Bobby, married his oldest daughter, Robyn, and now coaches with Terry at Auburn. Reading this book is like accepting an exclusive invitation to a Bowden family gathering, where discussions range from informal debates about the best winning strategy to disarmingly candid appraisals of the racial undercurrents of college athletics. Listen to inside stories of key moments in Games of the Century, of the recruiting and coaching of famous athletes such as Deion Sanders and Charlie Ward. Hear how it feels to be trapped inside a locker room with angry fans pounding on the door, to be the son of a coach hanged in effigy, to have to choose between the interests of a troubled young athlete and the image of a football program. Learn, with the Bowdens, the lessons of careers measured in clock ticks and place-kicks.

258 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 1996

About the author

Robert Cleckler Bowden was an American football coach.
He is best known for coaching the Florida State Seminoles football team from 1976 to 2009.

During his time at Florida State, Bowden led FSU to an Associated Press and Coaches Poll National Title in 1993 and a BCS National Championship in 1999, as well as twelve Atlantic Coast Conference championships once FSU joined the conference in 1991. Bowden's Seminoles finished as an AP top-5 team for 14 consecutive seasons, setting a record that doubled the closest program.

Reviews

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book if only for the fact that it was written back when Florida State was in the midst of their dynasty streak (14 straight years finishing within the top four). In the book Bobby Bowden said as soon as the team were to start losing more games and not finish in the top ten fans would say it was because he had become too old. I found it very prophetic. He obviously had a great grasp on how fickle us fans can be.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back in the good ole days, this was the college fb dynasty complete with different dynamics, philosophies and personalities. I cry over what it has become. Did they write this? Doubt it.