Parcells - Get Up or Get Out?

I have been a Cowboys fan since 1972. Diehard Cowboys fan. That was a great time to become one, too, with Staubach and Doomsday and Drew and Preston and Tony Dorsett and all the guys on those great teams.

I learned to loathe the Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles, St. Louis Cardinals and of course, the New York Giants. I didn't like their fans or their players. To this day, I don't like to watch Jaworski or Theissman as analysts. It's just old habits.

I didn't like their coaches. And of course, one of those coaches was Bill Parcells. Even when Parcells went to the Jets, those emotions remained. I couldn't bring myself to root for Joe Gibbs in his racing endeavors. When the Cowboys signed Randall Cunningham as backup to Troy Aikman, I never did like it. I rooted for the guy when he played for the Cowboys, but never liked him.

Players and coaches changed teams. I knew that. Still know it. And now with free agency, there's even more change. It's not uncommon at all to find guys that have played on 4 to 5 different teams.

But this article is about a coach, not about players. Specifically, Coach Bill Parcells. When Jerry Jones fired Dave Campo and handed the reins to Parcells, I was not happy. My mind's eye simply couldn't see Parcells pacing the Dallas sideline. He was the enemy. Sure he had the credentials. And we needed the credentials, badly. But he once coached the Giants. Ewwwwwww

But being the fan I am, I bolstered the courage to get behind him and give him my support, if not my total trust. First, we had the Quincy Carter year. And a One and Done playoff experience. Then the QB controversies and then Parcells was getting his old players in, reminding me in some twisted way like the next Rocky movie. Even this season, we've seen quarterback changes.

But what I want to talk about is play calling and coaching. The Cowboys have been a mediocre team for many years. Eleven years ago, in another millenium and with another coach, the Cowboys won a SuperBowl. Since 1995, they have struggled. Parcells arrival led expectations to soar that we were two or 3 years away from a SuperBowl appearance. Of course, that hasn't happened yet. After a couple years as head coach in Dallas, I started liking Parcells. I don't know how or why it happened, it just did.

Last night, Sean Payton, now head coach of the Saints, formerly assistant coach under Parcells for the Cowboys, just embarassed the Cowboys. When Payton was here, many accused him of being too conservative offensively. Last night should have shut that argument up once and for all. Over 500 yards and 42 points is not conservative. Hammering the nail in the coffin with an onside kick when you're 20 points ahead is not conservative.

Where was that kind of play calling last year? Obviously Payton didn't suddenly become annointed by the football genies into greatness.

On the other side of the ball in Dallas, Mike Zimmer has been coaching the defense. His playcalling during Parcells' first year was incredible. With a bunch of not so outstanding players, he created an NFL #1 defense. Since then, the playcalling has become very conservative. Rushing the passer appears to be an afterthought. "Bend, don't break" is the buzzword. The problem is, they do break.

For some reason, there are players like Roy Williams who are not playing to their strengths. They're in the wrong place to truly use their talents. Williams is in pass coverage, when everyone admits he's better as a run blocker. The Cowboys are in their second year of 3-4 defense, a style Zimmer hadn't coached previously, so some of it could be simply ignorance of the nuances of the 3-4. We saw glimpses of how good that defense could be if given the leeway to be aggressive, not conservative, in the Indianapolis Colts game. The Colts were the hot offense and the Cowboys stayed in Manning's face the whole game. Why they didn't do that last night with the Saints, also a hot offense, we'll never know.

But I have an opinion. I think Parcells is keeping a bridle on both the offensive coaches and the defensive coaches. Too tight of a bridle. After seeing the offensive performance the Saints had last night, you can't call Payton conservative. After seeing that Colts game this year, you can't call Zimmer conservative or ignorant. I don't for a minute think Zimmer suddenly popped up with one great defensive game, enough to beat an unbeaten playoff bound team, all at once. That wasn't a fluke. That game was planned to be that way. And I don't think Zimmer would have one great game like that and not do similar things in other games, in hopes of having another great game.

No, something else is happening. I think Parcells' idea of managing a game, working the time clock to your advantage, playing conservative ball control football is a great idea. Until you're getting beaten 42-17. Then you simply have to say that what you're doing is just not working.

Parcells on several occasions this year has looked like he was ready to scream. His team in some games have looked like a bunch of undisciplined hooligans. Last night's game is the best example of that so far this year. I have a couple theories why I think all this is happening.

Theory #1: Parcells is just hung up on the past too much. Hiring several of his former players is the clue. Testaverde and Bledsoe. Everyone knows both of those guys were past their prime when he hired them. Neither of them were going to improve from game to game. And neither were the longterm solution at QB. Parcells was just confortable with them. And he planned games based on their declining abilities. Meaning more conservatively. Has the game passed him by? I'm beginning to think it has. We haven't seen the Cowboys go into the locker room at halftime and come out a different team in the 2nd half. Last night, the 2nd half was simply a continuation of the first half. What didn't work in the first half, still didn't work in the second. What did work wasn't tried very often. There's just something fundamentally wrong with that strategy.

Theory #2: Parcells has lost control of his team. I think this began with the hiring of Terrell Owens. The Bill Parcells of old would not have completely ignored that alleged drug overdose by Terrell Owens without having some kind of comment directly to Owens. The Bill Parcells of old wouldn't have let that "naptime" celebration of Owens after a touchdown go with no punishment. The celebration cost the Cowboys 15 yards on the ensuing kickoff, if you remember. The Bill Parcells of old wouldn't have put up with Owens saying he disagreed with Vanderjagt's firing, a snide comment about being asleep in team meetings and missing what Parcells said about playoff contenders, and an interview in which he said he "felt like he was faking it" during games. No, the Bill Parcells of old would have a comment in each of those instances.

I think Jerry Jones forced Owens on Parcells. And Parcells is having to suck it up and play all the shenanigans that come with Owens. And other team members are seeing all this. For a long time this season, the Cowboys were the most penalized team in the league. An undisciplined team isn't going far. And once again, the Cowboys were very undisciplined last night.

I believe this will be Parcell's last season. I'm not predicting that, simply telling you that I fully expect it. I've proven I'm no prophet, so take it at face value. But I believe he's had enough. Win, Lose, or Draw, I believe he'll retire this season. Games like last night take too much of a toll on him these days. He's comfortable and I think he has lost that competitive edge. So it is time for him to retire. For his sake and for the Dallas Cowboys' sake. He'll go back to New Jersey and do what old coaches do. Become a talking head or just play golf and bet on the ponies. I wish him well.

Now, what that does to the future of the Cowboys is anyone's guess. In the meantime, let's hope the players get their heads out of their asses and get the job done going into the playoffs. Trying to mold this team into a mirror of the Giants during Parcells' tenure hasn't worked. Different personnel, free agency, different schemes have all pushed the game beyond Parcells' reach, I think. It's up to the players now to get the motivation required to get them far in the playoffs. I don't think Parcells will do much more than ride the bus.