While in high school, Jeff Francoeur played football and baseball.  He was a terrific wide receiver and defensive back on the football team.  Jeff led Parkview High School, located in Lilburn, Georgia, to the State 5A High School Football Championships in 2000 and 2001.  He also led his high school to the State 5A Baseball Championships in 2001 and 2002.  He was recruited for both sports near and far, by many colleges.  Head football Coach, Tommy Bowden, from Clemson University was after Francoeur to play for the Tigers, and he offered Jeff a scholarship to play wide receiver.  Picture a scene where Tommy Bowden is visiting Jeff’s family on a recruiting trip when the phone rang in their home.  As the conversation transpired Tommy Bowden realized that his dad, Bobby Bowden, the head football coach at Florida State is the one who is calling Jeff.  Tommy Bowden asked Jeff if he could have the phone and Jeff complied.  Tommy then says, “Hey, Dad, it’s me, I’ll call you back.”  “It was an awkward scene,” said Jeff.  “But I also played baseball, and the Atlanta Braves lured me away from football with a two-million-dollar offer to play baseball.”

 

                                         Andy Purvis

                                 www.purvisbooks.com