Know When to Say When

There comes a time in every player or coach's career when the term retirement creeps into their mind. Some are forced into that retirement due to injuries or just the plain fact that no one wants them anymore. But how do you tell a legend that it is time to gracefully bow out? Florida State has been struggling the past two years as they lost 5 games last year and after 7 games this season they sit with a 4-3 record (2-3 in the ACC). There are some schools that would be happy with this record but not the Seminole fans. With the three losses in conference play they don't have any chance in defending their ACC Championship and will most likely play in a pre-New Years' Day Bowl. This lack of success has some boosters calling for Bobby Bowden's job. Donations are a big part of raising money for the school but the instance you let those boosters control who gets hired and fire, it will just be utter chaos. Who are these boosters to be telling Bowden how to run his team? They are just people with big pocket books who decide to donate to the school. Bowden isn't the only legend to go through some rough years. Before last year's 11-1 run, his counterpart in the Orange Bowl Joe Paterno heard the calls to retire. Many cited how the game has past him by and it has even been reported that the President and Athletic Director of Penn State made a house call to the Paterno's trying to get Joe to call it quits. It has also been widely speculated that neither Paterno nor Bowden want to retire because each want the all time wins record. As it stands today Bowden has 363 and Paterno has 359. Another thought entering their mind could be what happened to Bear Bryant after he retired because neither men are spring chickens. For those who don't know, the Bear died six months after retiring from Alabama. So is Florida State ready to give up on a guy that build their football program into what it is today? At the least they owe him a year or two to be able to turn this thing around. That being said Bobby does need to look in the mirror and ask himself if he can still do the job. If there is any hesitation, then he needs to start grooming a successor. I think both men still have that deep passion for football but maybe father time has passed them by. But it isn't going to be a deep pocketed booster that will push either out nor will it be a President or an Athletic Director. It is going to take someone that both men respect to sit down and frankly tell them "It's time to go".