Swinney supports Bowden

CLEMSON -- Tommy Bowden walked into his father's Tallahassee, Fla. headquarters four years ago accompanied by a young assistant with an uncommon name.

On a brief respite during a recruiting trip, Bowden hugged his father and introduced Clemson receivers coach Dabo Swinney, whom he had unearthed from the commercial real estate business. After a brief greeting, Bowden surprised the star-struck Swinney by leaving him alone at the desk of the man who had built the Florida State program.

The meeting was akin to an aspiring musician chatting with the Beatles.

"I'm just sitting there; I don't know what to say," Swinney said. "I was just kind of in awe. It was one of those things I'll never forget."

The 20-minute conversation revealed common ground.

They were born at the same Birmingham, Ala., hospital nearly 40 years apart. Bobby Bowden will turn 80 Sunday; Swinney will turn 40 later this month. The Bowden patriarch graduated from the same high school as Swinney's mother. They share a close friend in former Pelham, Ala., mayor Bobby Hayes.

As the elder Bowden amicably chatted away with the young coach, he probably didn't foresee Swinney occupying his son's parking space four years later.

"You can imagine the awkwardness with it being his son who is no longer here," Swinney said. "He's just been tremendous. Just very encouraging and complimentary."

They met again at the wedding of Tommy's daughter this summer. Swinney approached Bobby, who was sitting alone at a table while battling a case of shingles.

Swinney is looking forward to another meeting Saturday with the embattled coach who is second all-time in wins. Swinney defended the elder Bowden on Tuesday saying: "If people force Bobby Bowden out ... it's a shame."

While Bobby Bowden has been kind to Swinney, one could understand if the owner of 12 ACC titles is especially motivated to win Saturday night against a program Tommy said forced him out, against a coach Bobby said Tommy "helped raise."

"Of course, Tommy's the one that helped raise (Swinney) when Tommy was an assistant at Alabama," Bowden said. "And then Tommy took him to Clemson.

"But (Swinney's) going to do a good job."

The last time a first-year Clemson head coach faced Bobby Bowden's Seminoles, Clemson sports information director Tim Bourret issued the most media credentials for a game of his long tenure -- it was 1999, Bowden Bowl I.

The date marked the first time a father and son faced off as head coaches in a Division I game.

The Bowden name was at its peak.

Tommy Bowden was a first-year coach at Clemson. He had been a hot commodity after a perfect season at Tulane in 1998.

A year earlier, Bobby's middle son, Terry Bowden, won the SEC West title at Auburn and defeated Clemson in the Peach Bowl.

Florida State was in the midst of a national championship season and the 13th of 14 consecutive top-five finishes. For context, Pete Carroll has seven consecutive top-five finishes at Southern Cal.

The family's name has been tarnished since.

Tommy fell out of favor and left Clemson last fall.

After a decade-long hiatus, Terry Bowden is coaching in the wilds of Division II football at North Alabama.

Some boosters and FSU trustees are calling for the 79-year-old Bowden to resign.

Swinney defended Bobby Bowden Tuesday, saying "Bowden should be allowed to coach as long as he wants to coach. Florida State is on the map because of Bobby Bowden."

Swinney placed Bowden in the same class as Bear Bryant and Joe Paterno, saying "no one ran (Bryant) out of Alabama" and Paterno has become "smarter" after several winning seasons have silenced those pressuring the Penn State coach to resign.

Swinney followed all three coaches as a youth.

When Swinney was 6, Bowden was in his first year at Florida State. Paterno was entering his 11th season at Penn State, and Bryant was two years from his fifth national title at Alabama.

Swinney doubts such longevity will be seen again.

"People aren't patient anymore," Swinney said. "There is so much more pressure. Win now. Microwave popcorn. I want it now.

"Expectations keep going up, up, up. But your time with kids is less, less, less. Time to coach is down, down, down. But your accountability is up, up, up.

"That makes it hard."

Reach Travis Sawchik at tsawchik@postandcourier.com and check out his Clemson blog at www.postandcourier.com/blogs/tiger_tracks.