| Thursday, May 11
By Mark Cannizzaro
Special to ESPN.com |
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Most folks expected Bill Parcells to ride off into the sunset at the sound of the first bell at Saratoga Springs race track -- a passion Parcells has always felt eluded him because of his committed coaching career.
|  | | Al Groh will benefit from Bill Parcells' expertise in salary cap management. |
Few expected he'd continue his desire for football by staying in the game as a non-coach.
However, as has been Parcells' calling card throughout his Hall of Fame football career, he opted for the unexpected and decided to stay with the New York Jets as their director of football operations for at least this season.
While this was a surprise to many outside the Jets, ever since last month's draft Parcells had been dropping hints about how energized he was during the
draft process and how excited he was about the team's four first-round picks.
Parcells even acknowledged during a phone call to his office days before announcing he'd stay that he "misses" the game and he added, "I even
miss you guys," referring to reporters.
So, with Parcells staying, what does this mean for the Jets?
The first thing that must be clarified is that Jets coach Al Groh, the man Parcells hand-picked to succeed him, is happy about having the Tuna aboard, because he believes he can tap into his longtime friend's vast knowledge.
Secondly, Groh's biggest challenge is winning over the locker room, proving to the players that he can lead them to the same places Parcells could.
There are a lot of players who have privately questioned the Jets' decision to jettison star receiver Keyshawn Johnson to Tampa Bay for draft picks. Johnson was a popular player in the locker room, not to mention a significant producer on offense.
With Parcells standing behind Groh, the situation will perhaps smooth over the bad feelings the players might have about the Johnson trade. Also, Parcells' presence at Weeb Ewbank Hall might help Groh keep the team in line in terms of discipline, rather than having to battle the "substitute teacher syndrome" where players think they can run all over the replacement coach.
The Jets have a solid locker room with veteran leaders such as Vinny Testaverde, Curtis Martin, Kevin Mawae and Bryan Cox, so discipline shouldn't be a problem. However, the Johnson fallout could still linger.
Parcells also will help Groh and the Jets with personnel and the salary cap. Groh has been in a salary-cap crash course since his hiring, but there are many intricacies that are difficult to grasp. Parcells' experience can only help.
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I indicated some time ago that I would not abandon this franchise. I view my job very simply, to try to
get good players for the coach. I look forward to working with (new team owner) Woody Johnson and Al Groh in a collective effort to try to bring a
championship to New York. ” |
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— Bill Parcells |
Parcells' expertise also will allow Groh to concentrate on coaching his players and not become overwhelmed with much of the peripheral things.
The bottom line for Parcells is he's excited about the draft he helped engineer, and he'd like to see it come, at least partly, to fruition before he leaves. All this, too, while he makes a couple more million dollars.
"I indicated some time ago that I would not abandon this franchise," Parcells said. "I view my job very simply, to try to get good players for the coach. I look forward to working with (new team owner) Woody Johnson and Al Groh in a collective effort to try to bring a championship to New York."
Parcells will not be a thorn in Groh's side, nor will he butt in when not asked. Groh is very willing and welcoming of Parcells' help. During the Jets'
rookie minicamp, Parcells was on the sidelines throughout the practices and, afterward, he sought certain players out to tutor them on specific things.
How long will Parcells stay? That's difficult to answer. It'll depend on how well he adapts to the front office way of life, something that's very new to him. He'll no longer have that rush of game-day adrenaline -- something that was always like a drug for Parcells.
Being apart of the team while not being on the sidelines might prove to be tough for a guy like Parcells, who was so involved as a coach.
Vince Lombardi found it very difficult as an executive in Green Bay, and he eventually went back to coaching in Washington. The same thing happened to
Tom Flores, who left the Raiders' front office to coach in Seattle, and Bill Walsh, who has found it hard to stay out of coaching in San Francisco without
interfering.
The belief here is Parcells will definitely not drift back into coaching like some of the above-mentioned did. He'll probably stay around a year or two and make his transition into the civilian life of a golfer and horse racing enthusiast.
Until then, however, Parcells will try to win that championship for the Jets he couldn't win while on the sidelines. That, however, brings us to another
issue: Who's team is this?
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I'm happy to have Bill here as a resource to me. Who wouldn't want a Hall of Fame coach to talk ball
with? ” |
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— Al Groh |
If the Jets do win a title this year, will it be viewed as Parcells' team or Al Groh's?
Certainly there'll be those who say it's Parcells' team and that his presence as the director of football operations helped put the team over the
top. Groh, then, would be sold short for the job he did.
These are not problems for Groh, a nearly egoless man who completely understands the dynamic. Groh, who's not intimidated whatsoever about having
Parcells aboard, would welcome such a dilemma.
"I'm happy to have Bill here as a resource to me," Groh said. "Who wouldn't want a Hall of Fame coach to talk ball with?"
As for Parcells' television career in waiting, a primary reason he stayed away from becoming a Monday Night Football analyst was the air travel. Flying always has been a necessary evil for Parcells, who detests getting on an airplane. The Monday night job would have required once-a-week flight travel from August to January.
As for one of the studio jobs, such as the ESPN opportunity, it wasn't a good fit for Parcells, who might have gotten lost in the large-format studio
layout.
Davis, Mobley on comeback trail
Good news for the Broncos, who are readying themselves for a comeback from the horrible disappointment of 1999: Running back Terrell Davis, coming off reconstructive knee surgery, has looked good in workouts.
| |  | | Davis |
Davis recently contended that he's faster than he was before he injured his knee last October. He's also planning to play seven pounds lighter than his previous
217 pounds.
Linebacker John Mobley, who's also returning from a similar knee injury, has been coming along a little more cautiously than Davis, but there is still optimism for a full recovery.
"They came back exceptionally quick," coach Mike Shanahan said of the two.
Belichick denied by old boss
Although Bill Parcells and Robert Kraft have supposedly ended their feud, Parcells recently denied Patriots coach Bill Belichick permission to speak
with Jets talent scout Lionel Vital about an opening in the Patriots' personnel department.
The Jets felt Vital wasn't in line for a career-advancing title that would justify such a move. The Patriots, meanwhile, are trying to come up with a
title for Vital that would force the Jets to grant permission. The Patriots want Vital to talk about the vacancy left when national pro scout Dave Uyrus was fired last week.
Vital scouted for Belichick with the Cleveland Browns from 1991-95 and came to the Jets in 1997 after a year with the Baltimore Ravens.
Ravens preparing for Lewis replacement
With Ray Lewis' trial scheduled to begin shortly, the Ravens are seeking linebacking help in the event Lewis, who has been accused of double murder, doesn't return. One player Baltimore is looking into is Packers strongside linebacker George Koonce.
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| Koonce |
Along with the 31-year-old Koonce, the Ravens are looking at former Rams middle linebacker Lorenzo Styles, 26, and former Panthers outside linebacker Steve Tovar. Styles and Tovar, 30, are free agents while Koonce is under
contract in Green Bay.
Koonce, however, was not invited to the Packers' minicamp and is expected to be released after June 1. Another productive linebacker who could be
available after June 1 is the Jets' Roman Phifer. The linebacker-deep Jets
must pare $2 million off their salary cap just to sign their draft picks.
"From the moment the season has ended, Brian Billick has said we needed to shore up our linebacking corps, and we will look at several options," Ravens VP of player personnel Ozzie Newsome said.
Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post writes an AFC notebook every other Thursday for ESPN.com. |  |
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