Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 21, 1994 TAG: 9408230025
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: E1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RICK WARNER ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: TALLAHASSEE, FLA. LENGTH: Long
Since beating Nebraska 18-16 in the Orange Bowl on New Year's night, the Florida State football program has been rocked by a series of scandals that have taken some of the luster off the Seminoles' first national championship.
``We didn't get much time to celebrate,'' Bowden said. ``It seems like it's been one problem after another.''
The problems include a rape charge against one player; another illegally recording a sexual encounter; another charged with reckless driving; and four returning players suspended after a $6,000 shopping spree with agents.
Bob Goin, the school's athletic director, also landed in hot water. Goin was placed on paid leave pending an investigation into whether he misused his position to get a new roof on his house and help his son get a job with a sports promoter.
While the incidents were unrelated, their cumulative effect was to soil the image of the national champions and raise questions about whether Bowden, one of the nation's most popular coaches, had lost control of the program.
``We're certainly concerned about some of the things that have happened,'' said Leo Sandon, a religion professor who is chairman of a five-member task force that is reviewing athletic department policy. ``We've always had a good reputation, and we'd like to keep it that way.''
Bowden denies any wrongdoing, but admits that ``like a general in the army, I feel responsible for the actions of my troops.''
``Some of our kids have made mistakes, and they're going to have to pay for them,'' he said.
For example:
Scott Bentley, who kicked the winning field goal against Nebraska, was fined $500 and sentenced to 40 hours on a road crew for illegally recording a sexual encounter with a female student at Florida A&M.
Tight end Kamari Charlton was suspended from the team after being charged with rape. Charlton is awaiting trial.
Offensive lineman Juan Laureano was charged with reckless driving after he was involved in a crash.
All-America linebacker Derrick Brooks, tailback Tiger McMillon and offensive linemen Patrick McNeil and Forrest Conoly were suspended for taking part in the shopping spree in November at a Foot Locker store in Tallahassee. Brooks and McMillon will miss the first two games this season, McNeil the first three and Conoly is out indefinitely for failing to cooperate with investigators.
Sports Illustrated, which broke the Foot Locker story, also published an article titled ``Seminole Shame'' that said former All-Americans LeRoy Butler and Lawrence Dawsey were paid for phony summer jobs while playing for Florida State. The players denied the allegations.
It wasn't the kind of off-season Bowden had in mind after finally winning the national championship that had eluded him for so many years.
``After awhile, you start to ask, `Why me?''' said Bowden, who has more victories (239) than any active Division I-A coach except Penn State's Joe Paterno.
Sitting in his spacious new office overlooking Doak Campbell Stadium, Bowden said he was disappointed but not shocked by the behavior of some of his players.
``It just shows that football players are human beings, just like everyone else,'' he said. ``They're as good as other people and as bad as other people. All you have to do is pick up the front page and you'll see the same things.''
Junior Danny Kanell, who will replace Heisman Trophy-winner Charlie Ward as the Seminoles' starting quarterback, said he doesn't expect all the controversy to hurt the team's performance this season.
``Sometimes, when you face a lot of adversity, it makes you stronger,'' Kanell said. ``I think that's what will happen with us.''
Senior safety Steve Gilmer, who missed all of last season with a knee injury, agrees.
``It will make us even more determined,'' he said. ``Some people are saying our title should be taken away. Well, that makes us mad. What's happened in the last few months has nothing to do with what we did on the field last season.''
Florida State hired a Kansas law firm to conduct an investigation into possible NCAA violations at the school, and the firm's report led to the four suspensions in the Foot Locker incident. The NCAA still hasn't decided whether to conduct its own inquiry, which could lead to probation or other sanctions against the school.
One complication is that Florida is one of three states with a ``due process'' law that gives people accused of NCAA violations some of the same legal rights as criminal defendants.
``That's something we have to consider in this case,'' said David Berst, the NCAA's enforcement director.
Bowden concedes the players who accepted gifts used poor judgment, but he claims aggressive agents were the real culprits.
``The players were the victims,'' Bowden said. ``If those outsiders hadn't come here, this never would have happened.''
Florida authorities are cracking down on unlicensed sports agents. Two people who organized the shopping spree at Foot Locker were sentenced to 30 days in jail for failing to register with the state as agents.
But in Tallahassee, fans are more concerned about Florida State's chances of winning another national title. That quest begins Sept.3, when Virginia visits Doak Campbell Stadium in the opener for both ACC teams.
Despite the loss of Ward, the Seminoles are loaded with talent, including Brooks and All-ACC performers Clay Shiver, Kez McCorvey, Derrick Alexander and Clifton Abraham.
``Florida State is the Miami of the '90s,'' said John Hadley, editor of Florida Sportsfan magazine. ``They have so much talent, they can play at 75 percent and still beat almost everybody on their schedule.''
That schedule includes a Nov.12 rematch in Orlando with Notre Dame, which handed the Seminoles their only defeat last season. By then, Bowden hopes the summer of scandal will be a distant memory.
``We've got to put all that behind us,'' he said. ``It's time to play football.''
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