First off, props to Brett Strauch for getting your people to spell my name wrong. Nice work. Kidding, of course, tonight was amazing. It was the Atlanta Seminole Club's Bowden Day 2007. Brett hooked me up with tickets, Shari bailed on me so I managed to get two replacements - Lauren (my roommate) and my old college friend, Robert Bell (hadn't seen him in FOREVER! And he wound up winning Bobby Bowden's book as a raffle prize!). Anyways, what it is is, Bobby Bowden during the offseason goes on tours - mainly in Florida - and speaks on behalf of the local Seminole Club. This year, Terry Bowden and Warrick Dunn were there too. Terry spoke for a while. He finally told us why he got out of broadcasting...while being a sportscaster, you have to stay neutral, you can't root for any certain teams. Well, he said he couldn't do it anymore, he HATES the Gayturds (my spelling, not his). Of course that got a pretty good laugh out of the crowd.
Bobby began his speech and told a story of a Thanksgiving in their house. He told all his kids (6 of em) that he wasn't thankful this year, he had not yet gotten any grandchildren. He announced to his kids (all married with their spouses in attendance) that he was putting $100,000 into a trust fund and his first grandchild would get it. Bobby said that before he got his head up, all of his kids and their spouses took off :)
Later on, they had a question and answer portion. Someone stole my question from last year (which national championship ring do you value more and which do you wear? - neither, he wears a ring Burt Reynolds gave him. the national championship rings are too heavy!) So I had to come up with SOMETHING to ask him this year. I did, but first, a guy asked how he felt about playing Alabama this year. He said, he didn't want it...he wanted Middle Tennessee State :) Bobby grew up an Alabama fan. But the problem now is too many ticket requests :)
He then said he had time for one more question (Terry Bowden was going around the room with the microphone) I raised my hand, Bobby looked at me, but Terry found someone else. I did my "awww shucks" move with my arms and Bobby said we had time for 2 more - to get me in!!!
So Terry came over to me, and I grabbed the mic..."Well, I was gonna ask for Alabama tickets but I guess I won't now - pause for laughter - My question is, does the unfortunate success of the Florida Gayturd program motivate you or do you just take it as a fluke, like the rest of us do?" - Pause for more laughter. Terry Bowden tapped me on my back and said "I like this guy!"
Bobby had a good comeback of course...he said, not really, I can only think..."What took them so long? We got our second championship in 1999, and it took them, what, 8 years?"
4 more months to kickoff!!!!
PS - Everyone say a little prayer for Lauren's car, which should now be called "Failure, Jr."...which basically melted today on I-75. Seriously, everything under the hood apparently needs to be replaced!!!
Bobby began his speech and told a story of a Thanksgiving in their house. He told all his kids (6 of em) that he wasn't thankful this year, he had not yet gotten any grandchildren. He announced to his kids (all married with their spouses in attendance) that he was putting $100,000 into a trust fund and his first grandchild would get it. Bobby said that before he got his head up, all of his kids and their spouses took off :)
Later on, they had a question and answer portion. Someone stole my question from last year (which national championship ring do you value more and which do you wear? - neither, he wears a ring Burt Reynolds gave him. the national championship rings are too heavy!) So I had to come up with SOMETHING to ask him this year. I did, but first, a guy asked how he felt about playing Alabama this year. He said, he didn't want it...he wanted Middle Tennessee State :) Bobby grew up an Alabama fan. But the problem now is too many ticket requests :)
He then said he had time for one more question (Terry Bowden was going around the room with the microphone) I raised my hand, Bobby looked at me, but Terry found someone else. I did my "awww shucks" move with my arms and Bobby said we had time for 2 more - to get me in!!!
So Terry came over to me, and I grabbed the mic..."Well, I was gonna ask for Alabama tickets but I guess I won't now - pause for laughter - My question is, does the unfortunate success of the Florida Gayturd program motivate you or do you just take it as a fluke, like the rest of us do?" - Pause for more laughter. Terry Bowden tapped me on my back and said "I like this guy!"
Bobby had a good comeback of course...he said, not really, I can only think..."What took them so long? We got our second championship in 1999, and it took them, what, 8 years?"
4 more months to kickoff!!!!
PS - Everyone say a little prayer for Lauren's car, which should now be called "Failure, Jr."...which basically melted today on I-75. Seriously, everything under the hood apparently needs to be replaced!!!
