PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla.-The only thing more nerve-racking than a 280-pound Florida State defensive end bursting around the corner on your blind side is standing over a three-foot birdie putt to win the hole as Seminole coach Bobby Bowden watches from the fringe.
Several dozen members of the Bowden clan trade the rigors of college coaching and recruiting for the sandy beaches and grassy greens of Panama City Beach, Fla., for two weeks every year.
After arriving in the Florida panhandle one late June day, I was fortunate enough to share a round of golf with the four Bowden sons and their father to see what the cameras could never show: an inside look at the "First Family of College Football."
Everyone knows that Bobby Bowden paces the Florida State sideline and created one of the greatest dynasties that sports - professional or collegiate - has ever seen. His 315 career victories rank fourth on the all-time list. But what most people don't see across the sidelines, under the headset and behind the jumpsuit of garnet and gold is one of the genuinely nicest guys you could meet.
With a recruiter's mind, he remembers everything and makes each conversation as personable and amicable as possible.
But don't let his affability and strong faith fool you. The competitive nature that is crucial to his coaching success fuels his personal enjoyment for the challenge of golf.
"You have a good one up there" in new football coach Al Groh, he said. He predicted that after Groh spends a few years recruiting his own players, Virginia football will be on the rise again.
After forgiving my Cavalier allegiance, Bobby's son Jeff, the new offensive coordinator at Florida State, jokingly warned that the family's daily golf outings could turn "cutthroat."
By the third hole, Terry, the former coach at Auburn who led the Tigers to an undefeated season in 1993 and had a 47-17-1 record during his six seasons there, flashed a wry smile and explained that the competitors were now "out for blood." When a stray shot landed in the river hazard, the Bowdens pounced with a flurry of jokes and lighthearted taunts.
That scene was on par with the rest of the day. Watching the motley crew of Bowdens interact with one another was a downright hilarious experience for what typically should be a quiet day at the course. From the sibling teasing to the Florida Gator insults that continue even off the gridiron, it seemed like amateur night at the comedy club.
Tommy, the coach at Clemson and former coach of Tulane who led the Green Wave to an undefeated season in 1998, could not play golf because of a sore back. But later that day he briefly reminisced about Tiger quarterback Woody Dantzler's coming out party on Sept. 23 against Virginia in Clemson's 31-10 road win over the Cavaliers. He explained with a chuckle, "I don't like close games anyway."
Tommy has a career 33-13 record in four seasons as a head coach.
After six hours in the sizzling sun, the dye of my shirt had completely bled into my pants, making me look like I had been pelted with blueberries. But a pair of ruined shorts wasn't the only thing I left with at the end of the day. I also had a newfound respect for our conference rivals to the south.
Each member of the good-natured Bowden family is all you could hope for and more in such public figures - a rarity to find in today's age of athletes and others in the spotlight who have trouble living up to our off-the-field expectations.
By the way, my putt was dead center - piece of cake. I always thought a "2" looked nice on the scorecard.
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