Tuna has lots to own up to: He grudgingly must defer
By Michael Felger/ NFL Notes
Boston Herald Patriots Beat Columnist
Sunday, August 27, 2006
We all realized the Terrell Owens signing in Dallas could be problematic.
We were right, of course, but only to a point. The receiver has gone straight from problem child to unmitigated disaster.
It’s gotten so bad you almost feel sorry for Bill Parcells. Almost. After all, anyone who goes to work for Jerry Jones and accepts not having final say in personnel matters deserves whatever he gets.
Parcells made his bed. Now he’s lying in it.
Make no mistake, Owens’ painstakingly slow return from a hamstring injury is nothing more than a control ploy against the Hall of Fame coach and notorious taskmaster. Parcells demands that his players practice to play (what a novel concept). Owens is used to setting his own schedule. Now each guy has met his match.
Parcells doesn’t need this, not at this point in his career. At 65 and entering his 19th season as an NFL head coach, the Tuna is probably looking at one more title run, one more $5 million salary and then a gentle retirement to Jupiter, Fla. While Parcells signed a two-year extension this offseason that will keep him under contract in Dallas through 2007, we all know any season could be his last. Parcells has never finished an NFL head coaching contract, so why would he start now, especially with the mess he has on his hands?
Parcells has handled headache talents in the past (Lawrence Taylor, Terry Glenn), but Owens represents another level. This is no way to ride off into the sunset.
Want to hit a coach like Parcells or Bill Belichick where it hurts the most?
Talk about your injury.
Every day.
Want to show your coach you have no regard for his way of doing business?
Draw attention to yourself while not practicing.
Every day.
Again, it’s hard to feel sorry for Parcells. When he took the Cowboys job three years ago he knew full well he wouldn’t have full control of his roster. According to NFL sources familiar with his contract, those powers rested with owner/general manager Jones from Day 1. It was only a matter of time before Parcells was saddled with players he didn’t choose. That time has come.
You have to wonder why Parcells would put himself through it. After all, if Parcells really didn’t care about “picking the groceries,” he never would have left New England. If he wasn’t so concerned with power, he would have simply handed the GM title to Belichick when he wanted his protege to succeed him as coach of the Jets following the 1999 season.
So why is Parcells allowing himself to get run over in Dallas?
Did we mention the salary?
Meanwhile, Owens has missed 16-of-28 practices and hasn’t played yet this preseason. You know Parcells would love to keep him on the sidelines until he starts practicing on a daily basis.
But now the coach has to take into account a question he must have sworn he would never ask himself again:
What does the owner want?
Boston Herald Patriots Beat Columnist
Sunday, August 27, 2006
We all realized the Terrell Owens signing in Dallas could be problematic.
We were right, of course, but only to a point. The receiver has gone straight from problem child to unmitigated disaster.
It’s gotten so bad you almost feel sorry for Bill Parcells. Almost. After all, anyone who goes to work for Jerry Jones and accepts not having final say in personnel matters deserves whatever he gets.
Parcells made his bed. Now he’s lying in it.
Make no mistake, Owens’ painstakingly slow return from a hamstring injury is nothing more than a control ploy against the Hall of Fame coach and notorious taskmaster. Parcells demands that his players practice to play (what a novel concept). Owens is used to setting his own schedule. Now each guy has met his match.
Parcells doesn’t need this, not at this point in his career. At 65 and entering his 19th season as an NFL head coach, the Tuna is probably looking at one more title run, one more $5 million salary and then a gentle retirement to Jupiter, Fla. While Parcells signed a two-year extension this offseason that will keep him under contract in Dallas through 2007, we all know any season could be his last. Parcells has never finished an NFL head coaching contract, so why would he start now, especially with the mess he has on his hands?
Parcells has handled headache talents in the past (Lawrence Taylor, Terry Glenn), but Owens represents another level. This is no way to ride off into the sunset.
Want to hit a coach like Parcells or Bill Belichick where it hurts the most?
Talk about your injury.
Every day.
Want to show your coach you have no regard for his way of doing business?
Draw attention to yourself while not practicing.
Every day.
Again, it’s hard to feel sorry for Parcells. When he took the Cowboys job three years ago he knew full well he wouldn’t have full control of his roster. According to NFL sources familiar with his contract, those powers rested with owner/general manager Jones from Day 1. It was only a matter of time before Parcells was saddled with players he didn’t choose. That time has come.
You have to wonder why Parcells would put himself through it. After all, if Parcells really didn’t care about “picking the groceries,” he never would have left New England. If he wasn’t so concerned with power, he would have simply handed the GM title to Belichick when he wanted his protege to succeed him as coach of the Jets following the 1999 season.
So why is Parcells allowing himself to get run over in Dallas?
Did we mention the salary?
Meanwhile, Owens has missed 16-of-28 practices and hasn’t played yet this preseason. You know Parcells would love to keep him on the sidelines until he starts practicing on a daily basis.
But now the coach has to take into account a question he must have sworn he would never ask himself again:
What does the owner want?
posted by The Gryphon at 8:02 PM
<< Home