A.G. Gancarski
Former Florida State Seminoles head coach Bobby Bowden is gone but not forgotten, with Sunshine State Republicans pushing for a posthumous Congressional recognition.
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott and Rep. Neal Dunn seek to grant the perennial winner on the field and conservative stalwart off it a Congressional gold medal.
“While Coach Bobby Bowden was a legend on the football field, it is the generations of students, athletes and countless others he led and served off the field, that will forever define his greatness as an extraordinary leader, Floridian and American. Coach Bowden will be forever a Seminole, forever a Floridian, and with this legislation forever honored and recognized by the United States Congress for his lifetime of service and leadership,” Scott said.
“Coach Bobby Bowden was a leader on the field and in his community. While his grit and determination led the Seminoles to victory on many occasions, his kindness and generosity made him one of the most highly respected individuals in Florida,” said Congressman Dunn. “We are all grateful for his contribution to the Seminole Nation and the Sunshine State.”
Bowden won 316 games for Florida State, with two national championships along the way, seemingly satisfying the requirement to “have performed an achievement that has an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient’s field long after the achievement.”
Bowden was a staunch conservative. Months before he passed away in 2021, he claimed that he “beat COVID-19” to vote for Donald Trump‘s reelection as President. Earlier that year, Gov. Ron DeSantis gave Bowden the first Governor’s Medal of Freedom.
