Bobby Bowden (1929–2021)

Unless you're a Seminole/Bobby Bowden fan, you probably won't find this book very interesting. "The Bowden Way" is a much better book for the general populace, especially those who want advice about hiring and managing an organization. But this book includes little anecdotes during Bowden's time as head coach of FSU up until 2004 when the book was published. Some of the stories are amusing, but most are rather ho-hum. I think the parts I enjoyed the most was hearing from former players on how they viewed their coach. Here, you really see what an amazing impact Bowden had on these young men.… (mer)

Being a '92 grad of FSU, Bowden's been a big part of my life (vicariously, of course). I'd actually read this book years ago, but thought I'd revisit it. It's one of those books you can learn a lot from, even if you're not a football/FSU fan. Sure, he tells stories of the gridiron, but they're always relevant to the leadership point he's making. For people who think head coaches (especially guys like Bowden or Joe Paterno) are just figureheads, look into this book and you'll see how truly ingrained into his team and program Bowden is (was...sigh). Highly recommended for people looking for help with leadership skills and some great football stories.… (mer)