E-GIANTS
Dave Klein was the Giants' beat writer
for The Star-Ledger from 1961 to 1995.
He is the author of 26 books and he is one of
only four sportswriters to have covered all the Super Bowls.
Dave has allowed TEAM GIANTS to reprint some of his articles.

PERHAPS JUST A BLATANT SORT OF RUMOR - WHERE THERE'S SMOKE, THERE'S PARCELLS

By Dave Klein
First of all, and probably most important, this is not confirmed in any way. It is a wildly speculative rumor that just grew wings (perhaps only one wing, come to think of it) and in the end it will probably not happen.

But what is starting to circulate is a report that Bill Parcells, who will be 70 years old on Aug. 22, has quickly grown bored with his latest non-employed life and might consider returning to head coaching in the NFL.

Where? Aah, there's the catch.

Wait for it. Wait for it.

THE GIANTS.

No way, you say, and no way is probably the right answer. He has been there, done that, conquered all the challenges, emerged as a two-time Super Bowl champion. Then he left, abruptly, in 1991, leaving the team that gave him his first head-coaching opportunity.

Just flat-out left. The late general manager, George Young, the man many thought was responsible for this shocking act of impulse, had no idea that their many feuds would produce so dramatic a reaction. "The first I knew of it," he said that day in May, when the announcement was made, when Tuna said he was just going to go fishing, "was when I walked past his office and saw cartons on his desk, saw him putting his things in them."

So Tuna left, leaving in his wake somebody named Ray Handley, a hastily-picked replacement from the staff of assistants, and we all know how drastically that turned out.

But Tuna's "going fishing" adventure didn't last very long. He appeared as an on-camera analyst for ESPN. That lasted two years until he became head coach in New England - then in New York with the Jets, then in Dallas. Finally, he became a sort of super general manager in Miami, a title that called him "Director of Football Operations."

And now, presumably as of October of last year, he is no longer with the Dolphins. He didn't get fired. He quit. He always makes that decision.

"Bill Parcells is in no way employed at this time by the Dolphins," said a team spokesperson. "His name does not appear anywhere in our team directory. He is no longer being paid, although he has a contract that he can opt to buy out at his discretion. But the bottom line is that he is free to work for any other franchise."

Well, the other day, talking on the phone with a guy who used to play and somebody who should know something about Parcells, the question came out of the blue:

"So, do you think he's going to coach again?"

"He? Who?"

"Parcells."

"You're kidding."

"I don't know anything about it," he said, "but I heard he wants the Giants again. Something about unfinished business."

Well, sir, the Giants have a coach. His name is Tom Coughlin and once upon a time he worked for Parcells with the Giants as coach of the wide receivers. But he is not going to coach for long; he is going to be 65 and has skated on somewhat thin ice for the last few seasons. In fact, he might not want to coach again after the 2011 season is done (if there is going to be a 2011 season at all).

Coughlin won a Super Bowl (only Parcells can claim that for the franchise). But if he comes back, it would be extremely difficult for general manager Jerry Reese to stay -- unless Tuna has mellowed significantly enough to finally accept the definition of the two positions as explained once by Young -- "My job is to put players on the field; his job is to coach them."

The Parcells tree has many, many branches. Among those currently employed as head coaches in the NFL are Bill Belichick (New England), Coughlin (Giants), Sean Payton (New Orleans), Tony Sparano (Miami) and Todd Haley (Kansas City). Another, Mike MacIntyre, is head coach at San Jose State.

Another list of those who worked under him and became head coaches but are currently not in the same job includes Handley, Chris Palmer, Al Groh, Romeo Crennel, Charlie Weis and Eric Mangini.

One of the final acts of the late team president Wellington Mara, in late 1993 after the departure of head coach Jim Fassel, was to summon his eldest son, John K. Mara (now team president) and then general manager Ernie Accorsi to his office and say, in so many words:

"Go out and bring back a head coach, as long as it's Tom Coughlin."

Mission accomplished, and now is it time for Coughlin to be replaced by his mentor?

Remember, this just a silly rumor - unless it isn't.

Check out Dave's website at E-GIANTS where you can subscribe to his newsletters which run much more frequently than what is available here.
- Team Giants

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