As a diehard Nole football fan and alum of the Florida State University, it pains me to say that it is time for our great leader, Bobby Bowden to call it quits. No longer do the Noles place fear into their opponents heart when they walk onto the field of Doak Campbell Stadium. No longer are sports casters raving about the quality of Nole players who step on the field. It has gotten so bad that very rarely are the Noles seen on prime time stations. Instead they are playing on ESPNU or ESPN classic stations. What has happened to the good quality players that once made up the Seminole football team?
I was there in the early 1990's when Charlie Ward and the rest of the hungry Nole players one the title. It brought pride to all of Tallahassee and all Noles everywhere. We were the team to beat and everyone around us were scared to meet with us. There was no stopping Nole football!
I remember when students would literally fight in lines or sleep for days in tents hoping to get "good" student tickets just to watch the Noles play, even if it we were playing a team we knew we could be. It was all about team spirit and watching our Noles take care of business. We were the team to beat for we were FSU.
I remember those days when Mickey would yell at players to get their act together with spit flying out of his mouth. I remember the passion and fire the defense players had when Mickey spoke as it seemed to stir up a hidden desire which burned deep within the players. Once it was time for the defense to get back on the field it was all over.
I remember those days when Bobby would not explain why the team was not making plays or not scoring the way they should. The only thing Bobby had to say was "dang nabbit" and the view audience knew he meant business. If Bobby ever threw that hat down, you knew he was highly upset with his players and the needed to fly right or sit down. There was nothing stopping Bobby back in those days as his love for the game was evident on every play and every decision he called on the field.
Nowadays there seem to be less of Mickey's yelling, Bobby's "dang nabbits", and all around less of passion among the Nole players. I mean we still have great speed and great talent but it just seems like the players have gotten complacent with the fact that they are NOLE FOOTBALL PLAYERS. I know that for many this may seem harsh but FSU football is one of the life lines that breathes throughout Tallahassee. Instead today, it looks like the Nole players have stopped trying and altogether stopped breathing.
I know there is no way that we will every return to the glory of the 1990's as the players on those squads were phenomenal. I just want our current Nole players and the rest of the football staff to realize that it is hard for Nole fans to sit down and watch our team get beat at home--- did you forget that we "choked" other teams in the Doak and not the other way around? I get so tired of ESPN commentators talking about how badly the Noles are playing or how we have NEVER been unranked for SO many years as we have in the 2000s. I just want that good ol' Nole football back and from a fan is that too much to ask?
So if it means starting from scratch with a new batch of football staff members to reclaim that Nole glory then so be it. I would rather Bobby go out in a blaze of glory than to retire than to be considered the "coach with the most wins ever in college football who lost it all at the end." From a diehard Nole fan, what will it take for FSU football to win again?
April Lisbon-Peoples is a growth and development coach who enjoys inspiring her clients to find their life's purpose through becoming visionaries. She the founder and CEO of Running Your Race, a coaching practice designed for individuals who are ready to awaken their visions and create their destiny.
April has written various articles focusing on elevating and motivating people as they aim towards reaching their highest potential. She aspires to help her clients live their dreams while gaining and maintaining a level of healthy success. So if you are ready to fly like the eagles and see your vision come to past, then visit her at http://www.creatingmyvision.com or e-mail her at creatingvision@gmail.com
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