Bobby Bowden Press Conference Brings Controversial End to Career

Bobby Bowden will be the subject of a press conference soon, to likely announce his retirement. The Bobby Bowden press conference may or may not have the coach announce it himself, however. Things have been fractured between the coach and the school he put on the college football map, and he may have had no choice but to retire. Nevertheless, today's Bobby Bowden press conference will begin the farewell tour for one of college football's legends.

Within the hour, Florida State will hold a team meeting about the situation, then either hold a press conference on Bowden's retirement, or send a press release. If there is a press conference, it is uncertain if Bowden would attend, after the way things have turned out. Though he made the decision to retire, indications are that he was forced to do it.

Yesterday, the story was that Bowden could have either retired, or stayed on as an "ambassador" while coach-in-waiting Jimbo Fisher took all the authority. Since Bowden would have become a figurehead, and coach in name only, it was no wonder that he decided to leave for good.

But according to a source from CBS Sports, who is reportedly "close to the Bowden family," the school didn't even give him that option, and outright released him from his contract. If this is true, then Bowden didn't retire, so much as he was fired.

For weeks, the Florida State alumni have expressed their discontent with him, so it wouldn't be a shock if this is how it ended. Questions will certainly be raised about it at the Bowden press conference, if there is one.

The Seminoles have been reduced to a former power in the last 10 years, far removed from their glory days under Bowden. Yet the end of this era may be even uglier than what happened on the field, if he really was forced out. After 34 years putting together the second most wins in college football history, Bobby Bowden might have been expected to get a better sendoff.

But after the Bowden press conference, the sendoff may improve a bit. Florida State could get invited to the Gator Bowl, despite their 6-6 record, to serve as an official farewell to him. Reports say that Bowden will coach the Seminoles' bowl game, no matter where and when it is.

Therefore, it looks inevitable that he'll go to the Gator Bowl, in his home state, for his last game - likely against West Virginia, where he started his coaching career. But before then, today's possible Bobby Bowden press conference will have more of an ugly tint to it, as more rumors come out. By January 1, however, fans will get to focus on a proper goodbye to their idol.

Sources

CBS Sportsline- "Source: Bowden forced out"

TCPalm.com- "Source: FSU's Bobby Bowden to retire"

PNJ.com- "Bowden will coach bowl game"