Bobby Bowden did not want to retire.
"Fired might be a little too strong," the former Florida State football coach said Tuesday in an interview with the Associated Press. "Pushed out ain't bad. I was pushed out, no doubt about it. I didn't want but one more year. Gosh, I'm 80."
Bowden retired -- at least technically -- after Florida State went 7-6 last season, the third time in five seasons the Seminoles barely broke .500.
The coach doesn't act bitter, but he wanted to make sure the record is straight. "I didn't want them to spread the story that I voluntarily, happily resigned," Bowden said.
The affable Alabama native rolled up 389 victories (though 12 were vacated by the NCAA), second behind Joe Paterno in major college football in a 44-year head coaching career. In 34 seasons at Florida State, Bowden won two national titles.
But Florida State went 38-28 in his last five seasons and the board of trustees and then-university President T.K. Wetherell thought after last season it was time for a change, with designated successor Jimbo Fisher now running the Seminoles.
Wetherell acknowledged that ultimately it was his decision to remove Bowden. "Of course ... who else could have?" Wetherell told the AP.
NBA
Rockets say Yao fully recovered Houston All-Star center Yao Ming is confident that he will be ready for the start of the regular season after a Rockets doctor declared his surgically repaired foot fully healed.
The 7-6 Yao missed last season after undergoing complex surgery on his left foot in July 2009. Team doctor Tom Clanton has cleared Yao to resume basketball activities.
The team had said all along it had expected Yao to play, but he was relieved nonetheless.
"I am very excited," said Yao, who turns 30 on Sept. 12. "I am just looking forward to playing a great season. I think I can count on my foot now."
AROUND THE HORN
Figure skating: Olympic champion Kim Yu-na's split with coach Brian Orser took everyone by surprise -- Orser included. He said he still doesn't know the reasons behind the decision, three weeks after he was informed of it by the 19-year-old South Korean star's mother, Park Mi-hee. A statement from Kim's management company said only that relations between the skater and coach had been "uncomfortable" since May.
Baseball: Kobie Buglioli's homer highlighted a three-run first to lead unbeaten Columbus, Ga., past Hamilton, Ohio, 6-0 at the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa. Ohio will meet Hawaii in an elimination game on Wednesday. ... Kevin Blum homered, tripled twice and struck out eight to lead Toms River, N.J., to a 10-0 victory over Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. ... Tokyo clinched a berth in Saturday's international final with a 3-2 victory over Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. ... Chitre, Panama, took advantage of sloppy fielding by Vancouver, British Columbia, to win 4-2 and stay alive.
Tennis: Caroline Wozniacki was seeded No. 1 at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time, getting the top spot at the U.S. Open because Serena Williams pulled out because of a foot injury. Wozniacki, ranked No. 2 behind Williams by the WTA, was the runner-up at Flushing Meadows last year and is the first woman since 2003 to be seeded No. 1 at the U.S. Open without already having won a major championship. Defending champion Kim Clijsters was seeded No. 2 by the U.S. Tennis Association, which stuck strictly to the rankings in determining the seedings.
Golf: The death of 25-year-old LPGA golfer Erica Blasberg was ruled a suicide by the Clark County (Nev.) coroner. Blasberg died May 9 at her home in Henderson, Nev. Henderson police said no foul play is suspected, but a misdemeanor arrest warrant was issued for Dr. Thomas Hess on obstruction charges. ... Jeff Wilson, a 47-year-old auto dealer from California, shot a 3-over 74 to win the stroke-play portion of the 110th U.S. Amateur by one shot over two 17-year-old players in University Place, Wash. Starting Wednesday, five days of match play begin to determine the champion.
NHL: The Predators signed their top goal scorer, Patric Hornqvist, to a three-year, $9.25 million contract. The 23-year-old Swede is Nashville's first draft pick to score 30 goals, doing so last season. ... Lightning star center Vincent Lecavalier had minor arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and is expected to recover in time for the start of Tampa Bay's training camp.
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