The Bobby Johnson fan in me wants to believe the former Vanderbilt football coach’s explanation for his shocking retirement Wednesday afternoon.
“This is a personal decision,” Johnson said. “It’s about what we (Bobby and his wife Catherine) want to do with our lives. Football is not life, but it’s a way of life, and it consumes your life.”
Maybe it’s that simple. Maybe Johnson woke up earlier this week, thought back to last year’s 2-10 record that included no Southeastern Conference wins in eight tries and decided he’d rather do nothing more with the Commodores than win nothing more with the Commodores.
And let’s face it, when you’re the VU football coach, you know that 0-8 in the NFL’s unofficial Southeast Division is always a possibility. Vanderbilt’s already suffered that ignominious fate five times since 1996, two coming under Johnson’s watch.
But Johnson’s also been a head coach at either Furman or VU for the last 16 autumns, which means he’s constantly admonished his young men to never give up, to finish the drill, to play the next play, and all those other pithy little sayings that supposedly stir athletes to give 173 percent.