Bobby Bowden...Ass

I don't know where to start on Bobby's latest missive. How about with this nugget:

"'Fisher is fighting a heck of a battle over here at your academy [with] the U.S. government,' Bowden was quoted as saying in the Gazette of Colorado Springs. 'He's fighting a heck of a battle because he happens to be a Christian, and he wants his boys to be saved. I want my boys to be saved.'"

Uh, Bobby, Fisher is the coach of the United States Air Force Academy. He is PART of the U.S. Government. As such, because the government is not supposed to establish one state religion, he can't turn the Air Force Falcons into Team Jesus Christ. He's free to proselytize to his players in their free time, but that's not good enough for Bobby and his religious right persecution complex. I'm sure that Bobby carefully reviewed relevant jurisprudence on the Establishment Clause before reaching his legal conclusion...or does he not care about earthly laws?

I love the snarky little reminder from the A.P. in the next paragraph:

"Bowden's comments came as a Pentagon task force investigates claims of religious intolerance at the academy, including cases in which a Jewish cadet was told the Holocaust was revenge for the death of Jesus and another was called a Christ killer by a fellow cadet."

And then there's this:

"'We realize we have other religions with us,' Bowden said. 'The coach has a responsibility to these boys to try to influence their spiritual life, their physical life and their academic life. Â… We know we're going to get challenged on it, but that's what we believe in. I ain't gonna back down.'"

This is classic modernspeak. He makes an acknowledgment in the first sentence, then proceeds to invalidate the sentiment in that first sentence. "I realize that there might be players who aren't evangelical Christians, but I have a responsibility to persuade them to leave Judaism or Islam or Agnosticism or Atheism (or Catholicism?) to save their souls." Whatever.

This episode highlights what I've always hated about Florida State football: the uttersanctimoniousnessy of the program, juxtaposed with their tuggy nature. For instance, Chris Rix always highlighted his Christianity, lording it in every interview to make himself look better. Meanwhile, he was busy stealing handicapped parking spots (real Christian of you, Chris) and being generally reviled by his teammates. Meanwhile, Bobby has presided over a program that revels in injuring opposing quarterbacks. Maybe there's something inThessalonians commanding Bobby's host to main opposing signal-callers. I freely admit to being more familiar with the Old Testament than the New. Somehow, though, I doubt it.

I guess Bobby's use of the religious fig leaf does allow him to pretend that he's a forgiving, New Testament G-d when disciplining his players.