Family lessons help Tommy Bowden survive coaching crisis

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- It was 4 a.m. after a loss that night last season. A weary Tommy Bowden turned down his street only to see a sinister car quickly drive away from the front of his house.

"Fire bomb," Clemson's coach thought.

Tommy Bowden helped save his job by beating his father for the first time.(AP)

Bowden didn't know for certain someone had been casing his house or lying in wait. But when you're an embattled coach -- especially at places like Clemson -- you assume the worst. When you watch what almost happened to your icon father and what did happen to your once highly successful brother, it's both hard and scary to be optimistic.

"The only thing that scares me is after the game," T. Bowden says now. "It's pretty serious after a game."

Memories of Internet screeds, mouth-breathing critics and shadowy figures have been filed. Bowden is back on top, or at least drawing a paycheck. After coming this close to being fired last season, Bowden refuses to gloat about being part of one of the better comeback stories of '03.

And being right back under the microscope in '04. That's because it all starts again, "as soon as I lose," he said Monday at the ACC preseason media days. And this being the improved, expanded ACC, the losing could start again fast and furious.

It goes with the territory, which is strewn with millions of dollars and the pinkest of slips. Because of a late season flurry, Clemson kept its coach and Bowden kept his job. The Tigers won their last four, finishing 9-4 and went to their fifth straight bowl under Bowden.

Along the way, Papa Bowden's son had all the security of a quail being flushed by a hunting dog. Athletic director Terry Don Phillips doggedly refused to budge on his promise to evaluate Bowden at the end of the season. Four seasons had produced good, but not great, results.

The Bowden era looked like it was over after a 45-17 loss to Wake Forest on Nov. 1. In a bizarre twist, Bowden had to deny a rumor the next week that he was resigning (it was news to him).

The drama really started the next week. Tommy beat his dad and Florida State for the first time. Still, nothing from Phillips.

"There was too much talk being made that he was gone," Bobby said. "Somebody had to stop that rumor. The best way to do it is beat us. He carried it too far."

A rout of Duke. Not a peep. Finally after a 63-17 thrashing of South Carolina, Phillips admitted down the field that, yes, he wanted his tormented coach back.

"I don't know how much they realize when a coach gets fired, it's hell for the players," Clemson quarterback Charlie Whitehurst said. "I remember saying that a couple of times, 'We can't let this happen.'"

But it's not as easy as just playing better. Through the ordeal, Bowden refused to even acknowledge his plight to his players or assistants.

"I didn't want to show a chink in the armor," he said. "I was getting pretty good advice on how to handle it. I'm not naive."

Bowden didn't want to relive his past either. It is a past that has both sustained and haunted him. Thirty years ago, a 20-year old Bowden sat in a players-only meeting at West Virginia and listened to teammates rip his dad. He walked outside to see his father hung in effigy.

Almost six years ago, brother Terry resigned amid an ugly, ugly scandal at Auburn. One year ago, Tommy was the country's most-likely-to-get-fired. All three survived in different ways. Bobby, of course, is the game's winningest coach with 342 victories. Terry has built a nice career off the field as a broadcaster.

"He's seen his old man nearly get fired," Bobby said. "He's seen (how) his old man should have gotten fired. They know the pitfalls of coaching before they get in it. Terry has already been through it."

At 50, Tommy (56-28 in his career) is carrying the family's name into the 21st century with new life and a new deal. His contract was torn up and an extension was signed on Dec. 2. "If you're looking for security, you need to get in another profession," he said. "I don't know any coach who got into it for monetary reasons."

Yeah, but a nice, secure safety net doesn't suck. Bowden is sporting a seven-year deal worth $1.1 million per season that gives each party a $1.5 million buyout option after this season.

"There was a time where I thought, 'How can we take it anymore?' Whitehurst said. "There was a time there I wouldn't have blamed him if he just took off. He dealt with a lot. You've got to hand it to him. I'm glad he's still with us."

Yes, but for how long?