Big Tuna = Big Drama
Bill Parcells just doesn't know how to quit. After another brief run at ESPN, Parcells is on the verge of taking a front office job with the Atlanta Falcons.
Some may wonder why Parcells would join a mess like the Falcons, but the better question is why not? They have an owner with deep pockets and the franchise can only go up. Parcells loves a fixer-upper.
The Patriots were 2-11 in the year before Parcells turned the franchise around. The Jets were 1-15 in 1996 when he started shopping for groceries again in New York. The Cowboys were stuck in a perpetual 5-11 Quincy Carter rut before Parcells joined forces with Jerry Jones.
The big difference between those situations and the one in Atlanta is that Parcells will strictly work in the front office. As the third-person loving Big Tuna pointed out Wednesday morning, "Under no circumstances is Bill Parcells ever going to return to the field."
The Falcons may be better off that way. Unlike many coaches, Parcells has bona fides in personnel. Parcells was a coach whose strengths were in seeing the big picture rather than X's and O's, making him well suited for the front office. Check out his drafts with the Cowboys from 2003-2006. His record was far from perfect, but that haul stacks up well with most teams around the NFL. It's reflected in the Dallas record this season.
Parcells' return to the NFL, assuming it goes through, will spark plenty of coaching and personnel rumors, many through Parcells' well-placed network of media sources. Perhaps he will be interested in talking to Charlie Weis or John Fox. Maybe he'll try to acquire Chad Pennington, a quarterback he drafted in New York.
No matter what you think of Parcells, his presence in the NFL makes the league more interesting and unpredictable. The only think we know for sure is that Vinny Testaverde will still be in the league next year.
Update: And this is why you shouldn't write about a Parcells deal until the thing is signed.
Comments
Honestly, this is the best thing for the Falcons. It gives the fanbase hope, it gives the players hope and probably more importantly, it gets the media talking about the Falcons in a positive way.
Parcells is not dumb. As you pointed out, he loves the fixer upper and since the Falcons can't get any worse, he'll be able to add the Falcons turn around to his already Hall of Fame legacy. Plus, it's going to be great seeing Keyshawn Johnson as the new WR coach.
Posted by: royaltee | December 19, 2007 12:40 PM
Very bad news for Jerius Norwood oweners. Parcells has repeatedly said this year many times a back like Reggie Bush simply is not a between the tackels every down back and is more of a specialist- i am guessing that he will feel similar about Norwood- that he is more of a home run hitter. I couldn;t disagree with him more on both counts- but he is the Tuna and he will get a banger at RB.
Posted by: scott | December 19, 2007 12:55 PM
Now reports say Parcells has backed out of the deal with Atlanta. Is there anybody that loves/craves publicity as much as the Big Tuna? He must have thought it was a slow news week for the NFL and decided to grace us with his presence. Backing out of the deal after all the Falcons have been through this season shows just how bush league Parcells can be.One thing is for sure Bill Parcells loves Bill Parcells.
Posted by: CdnFan | December 19, 2007 03:32 PM
Bush league? He was interviewing for a job then told the guy during the interview he has a better offer but he'd be willing to work for him if he matched it. Blank probably called his bluff and here we are.
The Dolphins make waaay more sense for Parcells if you ask me. He gets the challenge of creating a team that will one day upend Bill Belichick plus he gets to go to New York once a year. And all things considered, I'd rather live and work in Miami over Atlanta too.
Posted by: royaltee | December 19, 2007 06:25 PM
royaltee,
Geez thanks for your opinion, I'm sure we were all waiting and hoping you would weigh in on this post. You might almost be as big a fan of Parcells as he is of himself.
If you noticed the time of my post you would have seen I posted before the news about Parcells signing with the Fins came out. My opinion hasn't changed, Parcells is over rated. Good luck in Miami, tuna.
Posted by: CdnFan | December 19, 2007 08:36 PM
Well, it came out that Parcells and Blank had a verbal committment, then by the time Blank got on an airplane to get the contract signed, Parcells shopped the deal to the Dolphins, which is sheisty to say the least.
I feel bad for Arthur Blank. All he wants to do is what's best for his team and he gets screwed everywhere he turns.
Posted by: royaltee | December 20, 2007 02:42 PM