12/22/24
January 22, 2007
Tuna Melts: Bill Parcells retired from coaching Monday, leaving the Dallas Cowboys after four seasons and ending a stellar career that featured three Super Bowl appearances and two championships.
posted by irunfromclones to football at 12:13 PM - 38 comments
I'd be surprised if he's really done.
posted by jerseygirl at 12:24 PM on January 22, 2007
I sure apprecaite what he's done for the team but I do think it was time for Parcells to go. I don't think he got nearly enough out of the talent he had on defense and it just seemed his drive was on the wane recently. Best of luck in retirement, Coach. Now, is there another Sean Payton out there? How about a Lovie Smith?
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 12:34 PM on January 22, 2007
Does anyone think Tom Coughlin would still be with the Giants if Parcells had been available earlier?
posted by irunfromclones at 12:41 PM on January 22, 2007
I want Jimmy back. Is that too far fetched?
posted by louisville_slugger at 12:42 PM on January 22, 2007
It seems like the Cowboys will give T.O. another season, and I seriously doubt Parcells wanted to deal with all that crap again. Owens is usually a bigger pain in the ass after his first season, like he was in Philly. Parcells also didn't seem to be enjoying (if that's the right word) what he was doing while on the sidelines. I never imagined I'd see such a stoic Parcells during games as this year. It almost looked to me like he had a "Who gives a shit" attitude, overall, which led me to believe he'd come to the decision he made today. I didn't notice Nick Saban's name in the list of coaching possibilities. Apparently he's on record saying he's not going to leave Alabama.
posted by dyams at 12:51 PM on January 22, 2007
That Cowboys team this year really didn't remind me of a Parcells team. It seemed like he wasn't in the kind of "total control" mode that I remember from the older Parcells teams. It seemed like the players didn't fear him as past players did. Again, it just sorta 'seemed' like that from an admitedly distant perspective. Ah - I can't see him retiring. I think he shows up somewhere else, maybe not as head coach, but somewhere. Side note: In his obligatory "Boston area sports team suffers defeat" column the Sports Guy refers to Manning as "much maligned". Doesn't that smack of a lack of self-awareness? He maligned him more than anyone else.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 01:00 PM on January 22, 2007
@Weedy: "A lightning rod over the years for sports radio hosts, football experts, talking heads and snarky columnists like myself, ...".
posted by smithers at 01:48 PM on January 22, 2007
Ah - I can't see him retiring. I think he shows up somewhere else, maybe not as head coach, but somewhere. Parcells was great on ESPN's pre-game show during his last retirement. I hope he returns to television. At least, he was one of the former coaches that sounded like he actually knew a lot about the game.
posted by bperk at 01:51 PM on January 22, 2007
Quite surprising, I was pretty sure he'd give it one more year, their team is so evidently on the rise. I also wonder how much the TO thing factored, and I have to assume it didn't factor much going forward, because Parcells could have cut the guy if he had wanted. Interesting to see what a new coach will do with TO - maybe Bill Cowher could be a candidate?
posted by vito90 at 01:54 PM on January 22, 2007
I think the "TO thing" was a large part of it. This past year Parcells was not his usual self on the sidelines, perhaps a subtle indicator that his mind was already made up. And I think it wasn't so much the actual TO (although the actual TO added to the heartburn) as it was the manner in which TO was hired by the owner.
posted by irunfromclones at 02:08 PM on January 22, 2007
i think parcells stuck it to the cowboys on his way out. waiting 2 weeks to make his decision put the Cowboys behind the eight-ball as far as beginning their search for a new coach.
posted by erkno11 at 02:29 PM on January 22, 2007
erkno, can teams talk to candidates before the Super Bowl? I thought there was a rule that they had to wait until the season was over to begin the process but I could be wrong. But, to agree with your point, it's not like owners wouldn't start a search on the sly, especially a notorious wildcatter like Jerry Jones.
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 02:40 PM on January 22, 2007
Well, Texan, the Steelers just hired Mike Tomlin away from the Vikings, Ken Whisenhunt has signed with Arizona, and Cam Cameron's gone to the Dolphins, so clearly there's some kind of protocol for doing this stuff before the Super Bowl. I'm willing to buy this at face value for the moment. I can believe that Parcells was doing some genuine soul searching up until yesterday, and it's possible he'll come out of retirement to coach again (certainly, he's done it before).
posted by chicobangs at 03:22 PM on January 22, 2007
Jeez, Bill, way to upstage the Colts and Bears. /kidding
posted by Joey Michaels at 03:35 PM on January 22, 2007
I think he was going to be fired (or at least Jones wanted to or was going to start taking a bigger role) and Bill said screw it and left. Either that, or he intentionally screwed them. I don't think he would have waited till now to retire if it was his decision alone.
posted by sfts2 at 03:38 PM on January 22, 2007
He's not done. I'm just glad he's out of Dallas. He could do more with talent in the league elsewhere. 50 good apples don't make the bad one in the barrel good. The bad one makes the other 50 bad. I think he knew he couldn't win against T.O., and I'm so glad my 9ers got rid of him when they did. He didn't know how well he had it in S.F. Parcells was fed up, and whereever Owens has gone the team has stunk it up. Have fun!
posted by bavarianmotorworker at 03:46 PM on January 22, 2007
Fortunately for the Cowboys, coaches like Ron Rivera that couldn't be interviewed because their teams were still playing are still available.
posted by bperk at 03:48 PM on January 22, 2007
It's not like Bill waited until the day before the draft to tell Jerry he was leaving. He coached his last game, an emotional one at that, just 3 weeks ago. Three weeks to make a life changing decision is not unusal. I agree with those who just think Bill ran out of gas and was not having any fun. He is leaving to see if he can have as much fun as Jimmy Johnson is having. Thanks for the 4 years, Bill.
posted by Termite at 03:50 PM on January 22, 2007
I'm with you,Louisville.However,thats not gonna happen as long as Jerry owns and runs the Boys.Its ancient news but he had a great thing going with Johnson and like an idiot let him go after two Superbowl Championships.Its been downhill since. When Barry Switzer was at the helm,the team's momentum let them win one more.After that America's team rapidly deteriorated to the sorry state it is today.Even the Tuna couldn't do much to help.
posted by sickleguy at 04:05 PM on January 22, 2007
I respect and like Parcells, but I would call his stint in Dallas disappointing, and Jerry letting Sean Payton slip away to N'Awlins is typical. Why do I feel a Dave Campo-esque hiring is next?
posted by mjkredliner at 04:07 PM on January 22, 2007
Why doesn't Jerry Jones just name himself coach? He can't keep his hands off anyway.
posted by Bill Lumbergh at 04:21 PM on January 22, 2007
At the age of 66, in a league in which the "pain in the ass" player is increasingly in demand, Bill Parcells doesn't need to coach any more. He'll do a talking head thing, perhaps do color on games, but he won't coach in the NFL again. Love him or hate him, you're going to miss him if he does not get a tv gig. You have to admit that he gave some of the most entertaining press conferences and interviews I've seen. He is his own man, and he will do what he wants to do, and no more. The big reason for the rift between him and Robert Kraft was that Parcells wanted to take some time after each season to figure out whether or not he wanted to come back. This didn't set well with Kraft, and he let Parcells know it. The result is well known.
posted by Howard_T at 05:16 PM on January 22, 2007
Well, Texan, the Steelers just hired Mike Tomlin away from the Vikings, Ken Whisenhunt has signed with Arizona, and Cam Cameron's gone to the Dolphins, so clearly there's some kind of protocol for doing this stuff before the Super Bowl. These hirings weren't in my head at all.....DUH!
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 05:35 PM on January 22, 2007
I believe you can negotiate before the Super Bowl, you just can't announce deals on certain days (so as to make sure the focus is on the Game). It has been suggested that is why there was no official announcement of the Tomlin hiring over the weekend- didn't want to take away from the conference championships.
posted by tieguy at 05:39 PM on January 22, 2007
Meanwhile, thanks chico, for mentioning that we're now on our sixth head coach in the past ten years. Okay, Shula was on his way out, and Bates was just interim, but still...cripes! Good news for Cameron; after Saban, the expectations sure aren't as high.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 06:06 PM on January 22, 2007
On the upside, TBH, not only are the expectations going to be not as high, you're not going to suck any more than you did this year.
posted by chicobangs at 06:14 PM on January 22, 2007
See, I am from a generation where Dallas was once the Yankees of Football. I, for one, think it is good for a sports league to have a team that dominates the other teams - it gives everyone something to aim for. I openly despised the Cowboys for most of their dominant years and was hoping that, with Parcells (whom I think is a brilliant coach and also despise) at the helm, they would be the team to beat again. Is it wrong to want the rival to be outstanding? Anyhow, I can't imagine who Jones is going to be able to get to make Dallas imposing again. Parcells was actually a perfect match. In my opinion, the coach needs to have some serious stature to coach Dallas. My scenario is that Schottenheimer gets canned and ends up at Dallas next year. Not that he would want to go from one micromanaging owner to another, but he is a coach that now has the Dallas vibe I imagine.
posted by Joey Michaels at 06:25 PM on January 22, 2007
Jerry Jones forced TO onto the scene, Parcells never seemed the same after that! I think that whoever becomes coach might have to be a yes man for Jerry Jones.
posted by steelerchooks at 06:36 PM on January 22, 2007
Steelerchooks I don't think there's any doubt about being a yes man.......look at all the dumb sh*t jones does....hiring TO, making the team wear those asinine throwback jerseys, walking the sidelines as if he knows anything about the game. Jones is so full of HIMSELF that no coach, except, maybe, Jimmie Johnson could control, tolerate, and win the big games with him around. I truly believe that the idiot (Jones) probably gave Parcells an ultimatum to keep TO and win. My hats off to Parcells for getting out the door and leavin' Ol' Jerry to find someone else to put up with the circus, cause that's all the Cowboy's, or any team for that matter will be with TO on thier roster. Good Luck Tuna in any course your life takes ya!
posted by brbcca at 10:05 PM on January 22, 2007
I'm glad Parcell's left Dallas. Now maybe I can get passed what a traitorous bastard he was. I mean, how could he coach the Cowboys after taking my beloved Giants to the SB twice? Seriously though, I wish the Giants could've brought him back. Maybe if he was coaching in NY, Tiki wouldn't retire.
posted by hellamarine at 11:25 PM on January 22, 2007
Haha, they're speculating Wade Phillips as his replacement. That'd be great! Opens up wild card playoff spots for the Seahawks for the next five years if they don't win the division.
posted by vito90 at 12:09 PM on January 23, 2007
I'll miss Parcells' press conferences for sure. I guess a small part of me is sad to see him go. I think he has built a good foundation in Dallas and I still look for them to contend for a Super Bowl for the next few years. It will be strange to see someone else roaming the sidelines next year. I hope, if he is truly done with football, that we see him on TV again. I thought he did a fne job before taking the Dallas gig and I enjoyed his perspective. Haha, they're speculating Wade Phillips as his replacement. That'd be great! Opens up wild card playoff spots for the Seahawks for the next five years if they don't win the division. Isn't there always a chance for a wild card berth if you don't win your division yet have a winning season? What's that have to do with Wade Phillips? And why five years? Is that the speculative length of the contract he's not been offered? I'm sorry, but I see no relation between Seattle's playoff chances and Dallas potentially hiring Wade Phillips to be their coach. Now if they were looking at getting say Bill Cowher, then I could see how that may affect the Seahags chances of advancing in the playoffs.
posted by ampto11 at 03:53 PM on January 23, 2007
I think TO had a little something to do with Parcell's decision..... Speaking from Miami, where he's recovering from surgery on his right index finger, Owens said he didn’t play as well as he could have in 2006. He said the Cowboys didn’t do as well as they should have. He said both disappointing results can partly be attributed to Parcells.
posted by irunfromclones at 06:28 PM on January 23, 2007
Haha, they're speculating Wade Phillips as his replacement. Um, what's wrong with Phillips? Personally, I hope they don't hire him. I think he'll be a great coach for them and I don't want my Giants to have to face them with Wade at the helm. Last I checked, Wade has a winning record as a head coach (45-35). Not stellar numbers, but a winning record, nonetheless. In fact, the last really good season the Bills had (11-5) was with Phillips running the team. So what is so funny?
posted by hellamarine at 09:08 PM on January 23, 2007
I'm saying the Seahawks suck and will not be able to count on winning divisions to make the playoffs starting next year (07). If they do make the playoffs it will be as a wild card. I'm saying Wade Phillips has the same chance to get the Cowboys to the playoffs as Wilson Phillips. Ergo, a wild card playoff spot is up for grabs.
posted by vito90 at 02:05 AM on January 24, 2007
I'm saying Wade Phillips has the same chance to get the Cowboys to the playoffs as Wilson Phillips. So, Are you saying Wade Phillips suck or the Cowboys? He took Denver to the playoffs 1 out of 2 seasons there, and Buffalo 2 out 3 seasons. Seeing as you can discount his time at the helm of the Falcons (3 games in '03 as interim coach when Reeves was fired), this means out of five full seasons as head coach of two separate franchises, Phillips was in the postseason for three. You know, and maybe I'm wrong, I'd take that as success.
posted by hellamarine at 08:19 AM on January 24, 2007
You know, and maybe I'm wrong, I'd take that as success. I certainly agree with your comment, hellamarine. My only concern is if Phillips can handle TO. He's always come across to me as a bit passive and I wonder if he would lose control of team if he can't stand up to Capt. Disruption.
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 03:00 PM on January 24, 2007
He'll be respected more than loved, but I think ultimately he'll be respected a lot. I guess this means he won't be going to the Senior Bowl after all, then?