The coaches who said there will never be another Bobby Bowden knew exactly what they were talking about.

None of them can imagine still working at 80, let alone for more than three decades in one place. Except for Bowden pal and fellow octogenarian Joe Paterno at Penn State, that kind of job security no longer exists. In this day of revolving-door athletic departments, few can spare the time just to dream about piling up more than 300 wins in one place, or being in the hunt for a national title 14 years running. Mostly because they're running scared.

"If you spend 34 years at the same place," said South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier, a frequent Bowden rival when he was at Florida, "you're doing something right."

For all that, we've known for a few years now that Bowden's tenure at Florida State was going to end unhappily. He was more CEO than coach the last few seasons. He went from being called "eccentric" to "out of touch" as the losses accumulated and the difference-making prep stars in Florida continued bypassing Tallahassee for Gainesville.

To understand why Bowden stayed on the job past his expiration date, you have to remember two things. The first is simply because he could, because Bowden's football program did more to raise Florida State's profile than anything that was going on in its classrooms or labs, and that buys a lot of loyalty.

The second is that Bowden was already 47 when he took over the Seminoles and 64 before he won the first of his two national championships. He didn't preach patience as just a virtue, but as a way of life. What he didn't count on was outlasting most of his biggest boosters.

"Nothing lasts forever, does it?" Bowden said during a video interview conducted by school officials. "But I've had some wonderful years here at Florida State, you know it. Hadn't done as good lately as I wish I could have, but I've had wonderful years, no regrets."

Throughout the taping, he couldn't have looked more relaxed. At another moment, though, Bowden concedes, "The first championship was more of a relief," but to those who remembered it, a "lifeline" was closer to the truth. It came on New Year's Day, 1994, against Nebraska in an Orange Bowl game that seemed to end not once, but twice.

Bowden got a championship bath when Nebraska receiver Trumane Bell was dragged down at the Florida State 29, only to have the referees put a second back on the clock and Nebraska back in position to crush Bowden's dream. But place-kicker Byron Bennett missed from 45 yards out and Florida State won 18-16.

"So," Bowden recalled at the time, "I got to celebrate twice."