Bowden's letter rankles some(for rapist/attempted murderer, more FL Supreme Ct idiocy)

orlando sentinel ^ | 9/27/03 | Josh Robbins

[Diddle E. Squat]

Florida State Coach Bobby Bowden has faced criticism for what he has said or for his decisions during football games. He now is in hot water over something he has written.

Last month, Bowden wrote a letter of reference for former FSU running back Michael Gibson, who received six life sentences in 1994 for his attack on a woman in late 1993. The woman was raped, robbed, shot and left for dead in her apartment....

Gibson received six life sentences: four for rape, one for armed burglary and one for attempted felony murder. But the Florida Supreme Court recently ruled in an unrelated case that "attempted felony murder" isn't a crime, so Gibson is awaiting a sentencing hearing Oct. 7....

[Diddle E. Squat]

And before anyone starts up, excerpts are required for Orlando Sentinel articles.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

A Great Historian 1888: " there comes a time in the history of every people when they become so pathologically soft and tender that they actually side with those elements of their society that harms them...i.e. criminals"

[NittanyLion]

Bowden added that Gibson was "no problem" during his tenure with the team.

That isn't surprising. I'm sure he fit right in with the rest of his teammates...

[jocon307]

[T]he Florida Supreme Court recently ruled in an unrelated case that "attempted felony murder" isn't a crime..."

Well then what is it? A miserable failure? A balk? An off-sides?

"Attempted felony murder isn't a crime"....I'm trying to get my mind around this. I only had one course in logic, let me try and do my best:

All snerts are snorts, but the Florida Supreme Court is a bench full of idiots, therefore no snerts are snorts.

Is that it?

[tioga]

Yep, another winner for the Florida Supreme Court! Are these the same yo-yos from the 2000 elections?

The idiot coach should be reprimanded big time.

[ghostrider]

Spin passionate hate, discord and half truths to gain attention. These are not Christian ideas, so it is not surprising that you don't see that Bowden did nothing more than ask that God direct the Judge in her descision. By this logic Billy Graham is also a flaming supporter of viscous crime.

Here is what the reporter said while hoping suckers would gobble it up as an evil deed:

Bowden sent his letter about Gibson to Circuit Judge Kathleen Dekker last month. Gibson spent one year on the Seminoles' football team and did not earn a varsity letter.

"I can only account for what I know about him when I was recruiting him out of [Tallahassee's] North Florida Christian High School and for the time he was on our football team at Florida State University," Bowden wrote.

Bowden added that Gibson was "no problem" during his tenure with the team.

Bowden ended his letter to Dekker by noting he hoped Gibson learned from his time in prison and saying that Gibson has a loving, caring family. "Thank you for reading my letter and may God direct you in your decision," Bowden wrote.

[Malichi]

Didn't Bowden bail out Deon Sanders for the Sugar Bowl one year?

[jpl]

I honestly can't think of anybody in all of sports who has a more undeserved reputation of being a "good guy" than Bobby Bowden. He is an absolutely horrible person.

[Servant of the 9]

It is time to purge a large percentage of the coaches in the US. They are willing to accept anyone who can play well, no matter how despicable they are. Let them volunteer to coach prison teams, but keep them out of our schools.

So9

[ghostrider]

While I don't disagree with the problem that you are addressing, I don't think it is limited to coaches. The problem is more pervasive and involves the faculty, administration, political officials and the American people themselves. We viscously lie, steal, cheat and sell our country to the enemy. So, it is not surprising that coaches bend to the pressures from us.

[Steely Glint]

"Bowden added that Gibson was "no problem" during his tenure with the team."

Well, of course he wasn't. A guy that would fit right in on an FSU football team. I'm surprised he wasn't team captain.