Bobby Bowden vs. Joe Paterno

[ReardenSteel]

Taking A Hard Look At The Record Books

Out of all the controversy and all the discussion of Florida State’s cheating scandal that covered 2006 and 2007, one thing has been made clear if there are any vacated wins that stick to the permanent record book; Bobby Bowden’s shot at finishing his career as the all-time winningest D-I head coach might be over.

It has been an epic race between Bowden and Joe Paterno, two of the larger-than-life legends of the sport, as they’re each setting marks that won’t ever be approached again. How untouchable are these win totals? Bob Stoops, for example, would have to average at least ten wins a year for close to 30 years just to get within range.

Forgetting about the NCAA sanctions for a moment, Paterno finished up last season one win ahead of Bowden up 383 wins to 382. So while any lost wins off Bowden’s total might secure Paterno’s place in history, it could be argued that the Penn State head man deserves the title no matter what.

While Paterno got all his wins at one school, Penn State, Bowden came up with 31 wins at Samford against several interesting opponents. Of course, no one would ever question Bowden’s all-timer status, when taking a hard, objective look at the two careers, it’s not really that close.

For those not in the loop...
Fraud fallout: Asterisk may make Bowden's wins chase an ugly race

I don't know about you folks but I'd sure like to see this battle (see: "race-to-the-grave") keep on truckin'. I'm not a fan of either team but as a fan of college football it's been fun to watch. Scandals, on the other hand, are not so fun to watch. Ideally this is a case of an over aggressive NCAA and these two old war horse's can go at it for another season. (or two. or six) Clearly they can both still coach and neither will left out of the history books no matter who wins. I just hope the last chapter will not be so anticlimactic.

[Odin's Hand]

I look for Bowden to retire soon. Paterno is a loose cannon. I won't try to handicap his future for that reason.

[ReardenSteel]

From the Orlando Sentinel

By Andrew Carter | Sentinel Staff Writer
March 18, 2009

The NCAA's infractions committee earlier this month imposed four sanctions on FSU in the wake of the scandal, which also involved three former university employees. The university has accepted three of those penalties: a public reprimand and censure, four years' probation and cuts of almost 17 athletic scholarships across 10 sports.

The vacation-of-victories penalty, though, has drawn the university's ire. If executed, that sanction could force Florida State to vacate the 2006 and 2007 national championships in men's track and as many as 14 victories in the 2006 and 2007 football seasons.

Seminoles Coach Bobby Bowden ended the 2008 season with 382 career victories, one behind Penn State's Joe Paterno. Both men are vying to retire the most victorious coach in major college football history. Even so, Wetherell said FSU's appeal "isn't just for Bobby Bowden's wins."

Make no mistake there will be a fight.

Florida State has enlisted Bill Williams, an attorney with the Gray Robinson law firm in Tallahassee, to guide the university through the appeals process. Wetherell said FSU's case "will be convincing [and] it will be compelling." He said he's confident the NCAA's vacation-of-victories penalty will be overturned.

"Not because it's going to affect a given coach, but because [that penalty was] unwarranted and [was] excessive," Wetherell said. "Because it affected over 500 athletes that had nothing to do with this. Because it affected coaches who had nothing to do with it and were part of the solution."

Well, I feel the same today as I did in the OP. I do wish I knew more about which players were involved as so many were not even on the football team. No matter which way it goes the cheaters have hurt themselves, their coach and maybe the history books too. I'm not really big on blogging about sports scandals and the like as 99% of the time I just want to watch the game. This one however seems to have taken some of the fun out of my fandom.

Maybe I'm just getting cynical in my "old" age.