For thirty-three years, Bobby Bowden was the heart and soul of Florida State football. Now Seminoles fans of every generation will get to relive the glory and passion of Florida’s winningest coach in this edition of Tales from the Florida State Seminoles Sideline. In this gripping narrative, Bobby Bowden and Steve Ellis bring readers right up to the sideline to experience pivotal moments in Florida’s football history. From Bowden’s first winning season to the national championship victories in 1993 and 1999, into the new millennium and beyond, Tales from the Florida State Seminoles Sideline has it all. Bowden relives the pride and competition he felt as he faced his son in the famous Bowden Bowls, and shares his innermost thoughts as he revolutionized collegiate sports. Without a doubt, this is a must-have for any Seminoles fan.
The Rise of the Seminoles is the fairy-tale story of Florida State University football. From 1973–75, the football team at FSU had a combined record of 4–29. The next season, Bobby Bowden took over as head football coach and, over the next thirty-three years, led FSU to twenty-one bowl game wins and two National Championships. The Rise of the Seminoles is not just about Bobby Bowden; it is about the season that started it all: 1976. Before Bowden took over and the University of Miami gained its notoriety, college football in the state of Florida consisted of the University of Florida. Florida State wasn’t even on the radar. Today, FSU is a football powerhouse and recently won the 2013 National Championship. Through the writing talents of Lew Freedman, one of only two reporters covering FSU during Bowden’s time, this book follows the incredible journey the Seminoles have taken through history. Drawing from firsthand experience and Bowden himself, Freedman is the perfect author to bring this story to life. No matter their age, fans of the FSU football program can enjoy and take pride in their team’s very own rags-to-riches story. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team. Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
Taking a decade-by-decade approach to the Florida State University football tradition, this collection brings together over 40 stories from the most outstanding voices of the program. The spirit of Seminoles football is not captured by just one phrase, one season, or one particular game; instead, the student-athletes and coaches who made the magic happen over the decades blend their experiences to capture the true essence of their beloved school. FSU fans will relish the intimate stories told by the figures they have come to cherish.
Thrilling victories, crushing defeats, comical mishaps, and colorful coaches, players, and fans-these are the legendary moments and larger-than-life personalities that have made the Florida State Seminoles a gridiron favorite. In Stadium Stories: Florida State Seminoles, veteran journalist Gary Long shares his favorite memories of this beloved team. Together you'll relive the highs and lows and become reacquainted with some of the team's all-time greatest heroes and legends, including: Football analyst Lee Corso, a standout in the team's first decade of existence, Bobby Bowden, one of the greatest coaches in college football history, The infamous "puntrooskie" play of 1988, Florida State's crown jewel of on-field trickery, The 1999-2000 perfect season, capped by a victory over Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl. Book jacket.
Bobby Bowden is spending what should be his retirement years gathering victories and collecting more fodder for stories that must be told between staff meetings, film study, cross-country recruiting trips, and even the tackling of hundreds of footballs and posters that daily await the signature of NCAA Division I-A's all-time winningest coach. For the architect of one of college football's great dynasties--14 consecutive seasons of Associated Press top five finishes -- his rocker is a swivel chair that swings easily to his right so that even with the next season six months away, he can study opponent's game tape that almost always fills the large projection screen that dominates his office. His porch is an office crammed with more than 300 books he uses to break from the pressures as the coach of one college football's most recognized programs. It boasts a view of Doak Campbell Stadium, where as an assistant coach and head coach he has been a Seminole for more than 31 years. It is down there and on legendary road trips to Nebraska, Clemson, Florida, and so many other places that gutsy trick plays were called and executed, leading to Bowden's nickname a the "Riverboat Gambler." It is where plays that only Bowden would dare try, including some he now regrets attempting, have unfolded. It is also where the final results of amusing and unexpected events on the recruiting trail were written. They are substance for stories that should not, and will not, wait for retirement. Readers will be among the group that gathers around as Bowden tells his Tales from the Seminole Sideline.
You step out onto the field. The crowd roars and shouts your name. You're about to play your first game at Doak Campbell Stadium. Are you Florida State's biggest fan? Then this story is for you!
In Danny Wuerffel’s Tales from the Gator Swamp, the most beloved and decorated player in Florida history takes you behind the scenes and into the locker room for one of the greatest eras in the annals of college football. Wuerffel, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, is retired from the NFL now and has finally had the time to look back, reminisce, and share his thoughts about that magical time when he was referred to by some as “the greatest passer to ever play college football.” Danny gives his many fans a first-time reflection into a variety of topics, including his relationship to Steve Spurrier, his rivalry with Peyton Manning and how his strong Christian beliefs shaped his football career. Along with award-winning sports columnist and coauthor Mike Bianchi, Danny replays the big games from each of his four magnificent seasons. He talks about the quarterback controversies and quandaries. He discusses faith and football. He compares Spurrier and Bobby Bowden. And he takes you on glorious trip that starts with a recruiting visit to Gainesville and culminates with an incredible national championship victory of Florida State in New Orleans.
