What is wrong with Florida State?

• Three losses or more in each of the last six years (8-4 in 2001, then 9-5, 10-3, 9-3, 8-5, now 6-6).
• Boosters pony up $100k per year to OC/nespot Jeff Bowden to make him go away.
• Consistently near the bottom of the nation's third-down conversion rankings (worst in 2003, 86th this year).

Theories are many to the downfall of Seminole Nation, I lean to the idea that this nation just needs a new leader. Bobby Bowden (right, in statue form calling for a rare extra point kick) can still recruit (support below), but on his coach's show he can't remember player names - Bowden has delegated too much and the wins have waned. I fear Jeff Bowden was left on his own with no one to mentor him, and dagummit if Papa Bowden didn't stand up for his kid throughout the whole process regardless.

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Getting a college degree is more accessible now than ever.
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If someone were abducted by aliens five years ago and came back to hear that the Seminoles were shut out at home by Wake Forest, they would request a return to the anal probing. All had to be wrong with the world, so why stay?

Many people say that the recruiting has fallen off - I ask you to look back at the late February Florida newspapers or look at the surveys of who had the best recruiting classes and it just isn't so. The following is copied from the eponymous Phil Steele College Football Preview 2006, page 294 and 296 (I am adding the players in from memory, feel free to add/correct/scold me.)..

• 2006 - 9th best class (Myron Rolle)
• 2005 - 3rd (WR Greg Carr and Fred Rouse)
• 2004 - 8th (QBs Weatherford and Lee, RB Antone Smith)
• 2003 - 19th
• 2002 - 1st (LB Buster Davis, RB Lorenzo Booker)
• 2001 - 1st

It boils down to not having the leadership and the coaching. So they have the players, they have the facilities, and they have a conference begging for a superpower after gutting the Big East a couple years ago...

Bobby must go, and he will only go of his own volition. For chrissakes, he has his own statue outside Doak Campbell Stadium - icons are not fired. Plus, he and Paterno seem to have some sort of unspoken deal to keep coaching until one dies or opens up a huge lead in the career coaching wins race (Bowden leads 365-362).

Bobby must leave for the Seminoles to return to glory.

And that is coming from a Gator alum.