| | HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- As the same players who rallied around
him sat in stunned silence, Bill Parcells told them it was over. He
was through coaching because he no longer could make the total
commitment to the job.
"I read a little message to the players and I told them you
can't fool yourself," Parcells said in resigning Monday as coach
of the New York Jets. "Could I coach 16 more games? Yeah, I could
probably do it, or 32 or 48. But you have to have the committed
effort to do it and want to do it at the level I would want to do
it at.
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Monday, Jan. 3
Bill Parcells is the best coach in the NFL, and I don't think there is too
much argument from anybody. You could put Mike Holmgren, Dennis
Green and Mike Shanahan in that category, but Parcells is at the top of
the list.
With that in mind, I think we are losing a great coach and teacher. This
year he took a team with injuries to key players like Vinny Testaverde
and kept them battling throughout. Parcells gets the most out of
players. He can make an average player good and a good player great. I
love Parcells. I like his personality and sense of humor. Sometimes he
can be abrupt, and he has his moments. But as a coach, there is nobody
I respect more than Parcells.
I think the Jets are going to be losing out on something special. I would
have loved to see Parcells back next year with all the troops healthy and
another free agent or two to see where he could take them. He is one of
the true difference-makers in the NFL.
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"I demanded a lot from the players in terms of commitment, and
they have a right to expect the same from me. And at this point in
time I just don't feel like I could give it the way that I know it
has to be given to be successful.
"This job has turned into a 365-day-a-year job and it's
difficult, because I've been doing it for 15 years in this league
and I think it is time. In fact, I know it is time."
With that, the man who turned around three franchises -- taking
the Giants to two Super Bowl crowns and the Patriots to an AFC
title before joining the Jets in 1997 -- stepped into the front
office with a career record of 149-106-1.
He turned it over to Bill Belichick, Parcells' defensive
coordinator for 14 seasons and 37-45 in five seasons as head coach
with the Cleveland Browns.
But Belichick had a stunner of his own: He resigned Tuesday after
one day as coach, citing uncertainties over his place in the
organization of the team, which is in the process of being sold.
The Patriots, from whom Parcells departed in a bitter contract
dispute in '97, tried to contact Belichick on Monday about
replacing the fired Pete Carroll. But because Parcells told Jets
president Steve Gutman after Sunday's 19-9 victory over Seattle
that he was resigning, Belichick already was the Jets' head coach
Monday, based on a contract signed in '97 and updated last January.
Belichick received a $1 million bonus at that time.
"I just can't do what I need to do here," Belichick said.
"There are a lot of unanswered questions here. I have been
concerned about it since Leon Hess died (in May). ... I had no
clear direction of where I am going in the organization.
Parcells seemed energized by the way the Jets rallied from a 1-6
start caused, partly, by major injuries. He was especially
invigorated by the rapid development of quarterback Ray Lucas, who
replaced the ineffective Rick Mirer; the team lost starter Vinny
Testaverde in the opener with a torn Achilles' tendon.
New York won seven of its final nine games and won five times
against playoff teams, including the final four games.
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Man in the Glass |
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The poem Parcells read to his players on Monday:
When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day
Just go to a mirror and look at yourself
And see what that man has to say
For it isn't your father, mother or wife
Whose judgment upon you must pass
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one staring back from the glass
Some people may think you're a straight-shootin' chum
And call you a wonderful guy
But the man in the glass says you're only a bum
If you can't look him straight in the eye
He's the fellow to please, never mind all the rest
For he's with you clear up to the end
And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the man in the glass is your friend
You may fool the whole world down the pathway of life
And get pats on the back as you pass
But your final reward will be heartaches and tears
If you've cheated the man in the glass
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Yet Parcells said that rally only firmed up his decision to stop
coaching.
"If we hadn't finished the way we had, I think I probably would
have considered even more strongly staying on," he said. "But
being the way we finished, on a positive note and knowing that the
team felt positive about it ...
"I think one of the things I have always tried to pride myself
on is that if I did go someplace, when I left there that it was a
better operation," he said. "I feel that way now."
The players generally were stunned by the announcement. While
they all vowed their support of Belichick, they believed the
second-half turnaround had convinced Parcells to keep going.
"At least I won't have to hear him tear me up every day,"
Lucas said, laughing. "It's tough. When he finished talking, he
walked out and we were all sitting there like ...
"My opinion was I would be shocked, but it was heartfelt when
he told us. I know it hurts him a lot."
Lucas, a special-teamer for most of his first two-plus NFL
seasons, not only finished third in AFC passing statistics, but he
erased concerns about the position for next season if Testaverde
has any setbacks.
He credits Parcells for allowing him to do that.
"He gets the most out of players," Lucas said. "Guys who
nobody gives a chance he gives a chance, and they always seem to
come out on top. There are guys people say not to waste your time
on and he wastes his time and the guys come through."
Now it is Parcells who is through.
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ALSO SEE
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Belichick stuns Jets, resigns as coach
Carroll fired in New England
Packers fire Rhodes after just one season on job
Ratto: The bar has been raised
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Bill Parcells says his coaching days are over.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Keyshawn Johnson says Bill Parcells won't coach if he can't give it 100 percent.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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