I will readily admit, Bobby Bowden is one of my favorites. I first met Coach Bowden when my dad did the Peach Bowl for, I think, Mizzlou Network. Bobby was coaching West Virginia at the time. UWV was often in the Peach Bowl and dad thought highly of this young, innovative coach.
Fast forward thirty years plus years and I was reintroducing myself to him as the sports director for the local ABC affiliate in Tallahassee and he was already a legend in college football. By that time, The Bowden Dynasty had set the college football world on its ear.
In my first long form interview with Coach I did not talk Xs and Os. I was doing a pregame football special and I wanted to talk about the Bobby Bowden people may not have known as well. The WWII historian, the man of faith who openly shared it with his players and used his values to try and shape their lives. It influenced his decision to work with players who others would have tossed out.
Coach Bowden's decisions were not always considered popular, but he wasn't trying to please people. He was trying to please God.
From the moment we talked about God in our first interview to now...some seventeen years later...Coach Bowden has always called me by my name, Preston. It may not mean much to you, but Coach usually refers to members of the media (and almost every guy for that matter) as "buddy." I was "Preston" and it speaks to our connection beyond sports and media, but as Christians. I am always humbled to visit with Bobby Bowden.
I think you will enjoy this visit.