'I just hate it'

Bowden frustrated with results from Florida State's season

CNNSI.com's Mike Fish Not long after a blank check was discovered missing from his office, the owner of a Tallahassee truck accessories shop suspected Florida State quarterback Adrian McPherson might be linked to its disappearance. Dale Acosta said Wednesday that he called McPherson the night of Nov. 18, several hours after the FSU sophomore came by his 3,000-square foot showroom to check on specialty tire rims for his truck For the entire story, click here.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- Bobby Bowden expected big things from this Florida State team, but on-field struggles and off-field distractions have led to a season of turmoil.

Instead of concentrating on Saturday's game against archrival and 15th-ranked Florida, the No. 23 Seminoles have been forced to deal with the dismissal of sophomore quarterback Adrian McPherson.

On Wednesday, McPherson was arrested on charges of stealing a blank check and receiving nearly $3,500 after it was cashed.

Bowden has spent a half-century dealing with young players, and has dealt out discipline a number of times. Still, that is one part of his duties where experience doesn't help.

"I just hate it," the 73-year-old Bowden said. "It doesn't get any easier."

McPherson's dismissal comes as Florida State is struggled through its second straight difficult season. The Seminoles had their streak of 14 top 5 finishes in the AP media poll snapped last season.

While the Seminoles are 8-4 and have spot in a BCS bowl locked up by virtue of winning the Atlantic Coast Conference championship, they haven't beaten a team this season that is ranked in the top 20.

Bowden believes this year's team is better than last year's 8-4 squad. But with Florida up next and a bowl game against a highly ranked team upcoming, Bowden could be looking at six losses for the first time since his first season at Florida State.

Bowden replaced quarterback Chris Rix with McPherson after a 34-24 loss to Notre Dame in October. McPherson started the last four games, going 3-1.

Other Florida State players have run afoul of the law or Bowden. Randy Moss, Peter Warrick, Laveranues Coles and Scott Bentley are among prominent Seminoles who faced Bowden's disciplinary decisions in recent years.

Bowden has remained accessible in both bad and good times.

"He is open and honest," said Florida State sports publicist Rob Wilson. "It would not be in his nature to think the answer is don't let your players talk to the media. He expects everyone to be honest."

Bowden was asked Wednesday whether retirement might be on the horizon.

His answer? "That's never crossed my mind."

 

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