| Randolph Charlotin. 22nd December, 2007 - 1:26 pm
 To prevent the spread of disease, many states have programs that discourage the sharing of needles among drug users. This doesn’t apply to NFL teams that recycle old Hall of Fame coaches, but there is a problem.
The AFC East is addicted to Bill Parcells. It’s not a subject to dance around or subtly suggest the problem. It’s best to be straight forward and just say it without pulling punches. To Miami Dolphins' owner Wayne Huizenga, this is your intervention.
It’s pretty clear how serious the problem is. Parcells was in discussion with the Atlanta Falcons, and they appeared close to finalizing a deal. Hearing this got Huizenga’s pulse racing, his palms sweating, and his body shaking involuntarily. He needed Parcells. Watching him on ESPN wasn’t enough. And, learning that Parcells would join the Atlanta front office was too much to bear. He had to do anything possible to get him. Anything.
To make a long story short, Huizenga got what he wanted. Whatever Parcells was offered by Atlanta, Wayne bested it. The signs of withdrawal are gone. Huizenga even gave his word that he won’t sell the team during Parcells’ four-year tenure as Executive Vice President of Football Operations.
A millionaire declines an opportunity to make more money? That’s irrational behavior, a sign of addiction. Makes you wonder how long Huizenga had his thing for Parcells.
Possibly it goes back to 1993. That’s when the New England Patriots introduced Parcells to the AFC East. It seemed innocent enough. Parcells was a two-time Super Bowl-winning coach. Who wouldn’t want some of that? Who could blame the Pats?
And while under Parcells’ trance, New England was euphoric. The second season resulted in a 10-6 record and a playoff appearance. Two years later the Patriots were in the Super Bowl. On the surface, all seemed good.
But behind the scenes, the situation had soured. In the 1996 NFL Draft, Parcells wanted a defensive player with the seventh pick overall. His desire was overruled in favor of wide receiver Terry Glenn. Parcells wanted to “shop for the groceries” and was looking for a way out.
That was provided by the New York Jets. New York’s insatiable desire for Parcells would not have developed if they hadn’t lost to the Patriots the last five times after winning the previous three meetings. Through secret negotiations Parcells was off to New York, leaving New England to deal with withdrawal.
It was not easy. The Pats said everything was fine, but the records said otherwise; 10-6 became 9-7, then 8-8. As for the Jets, they took over the head-to-head, winning four of the six games.
That was just a small part of the Jets’ success using Parcells. They quickly turned around and became a contender. New York even reached the 1999 AFC Championship, though they lost a halftime lead to the eventual Super Bowl Champions the Denver Broncos.
After three years coaching the Jets, Parcells had enough of coaching. He moved up to the front office for a year before heading out the door. The years without Parcells have not been the same. They had some success with Herman Edwards as head coach but not equivalent to the years with Parcells.
All the while the Dolphins saw the Parcells' effect up close. Maybe for a while they said they were happy Parcells was no longer with either of their divisional opponents. But curiosity was simmering in the back of the Dolphins’ mind: What if we had Parcells? Could he do the same for us as he did for the Patriots and Jets?
Keeping an eye on Parcells as the coach of the Dallas Cowboys made the ‘Fins even more insecure about their disappointments year after year while the ’Boys experienced a revival under Parcells’ influence.
We’ve learned that Miami had discussions with Parcells in the past, but nothing came of it before. Miami didn’t want to be known as not having the will power to resist the allure of Parcells. But after learning of the negotiations with Atlanta, the Dolphins finally caved in.
Miami wants Parcells for more than just a quick fix. The years since quarterback Dan Marino retired haven’t been great. They can’t get any lower than celebrating their first win of the season in the 15th week. They will have the first pick overall with Parcells as the architect. Whether he keeps the pick or trades it, expect the roster to be completely evaluated and overhauled. Head Coach Cam Cameron and his staff might not be safe either.
If it all works out, Miami can say goodbye to being a meddling team. In two or three years they could become the AFC East champs. Maybe the Dolphins become good enough to reach their first Super Bowl since 1984.
As for the Buffalo Bills, they never gave Parcells a try; they’re still hooked on Marv Levy.
Randolph Charlotin can be reached at lordrc@netzero.com. |
