Gracious in both victory and defeat, Bowden is a man at peace with himself, a man with rock-solid character and firm coaching principles that date back more than 46 years. It's not enough that his coaching numbers have reached legendary proportions. Bowden also gives Florida State University a proud moral leader, a family man of the first order, a caring disciplinarian, and a calming voice in the face of the turbulence surrounding college football. Bobby Bowden is a man so closely tied with the phenomenal success of his program that he, as much as Renegade and the war chant, is Florida State football. Rising above Bowden's coaching accomplishments, though, are his credentials as a man. Friendly and outgoing, he is a devoted Christian and family man. He has become somewhat of a folk hero in the south. A polished speaker, Bowden is constantly in demand. His busy coaching schedule curtails many speaking engagements, but any free evening will find him on the speaking circuit. Outside of football, Bowden has an intense interest in World War II history and reads countless books and articles on the subject. He traced his ancestry to parts of Germany and has visited the country several times.
