Tag: Bill Parcells (Page 6 of 7)

Firing Mike Shanahan: The Aftermath

Here’s a look at what some columnists are saying in the wake of the Denver Broncos firing head coach Mike Shanahan:

– With Shanahan out of the picture, Dave Kreiger speculates that the Broncos could turn to John Elway as their next head coach. (Rocky Mountain News)

– Jason Cole notes that Shanahan would be a perfect fit for the dysfunctional Dallas Cowboys. (Yahoo! Sports)

– Woody Paige throws out the names of Bill Parcells, Bill Cowher, Steve Spagnuolo, Jim Schwartz, Rex Ryan, Raheem Morris, Josh McDaniels, Mike Leach and Pete Carroll as possible replacements for Shanahan. (Denver Post)

– Tom Curran writes rather bluntly: Shanahan deserved to be fired. (NBC Sports)

– Arash Markazi writes that Shanahan is currently unemployed because in the end, he couldn’t meet his own goals. (SI.com)

Is Bill Parcells getting the itch to coach again?

According to the Newark Star-Ledger, Bill Parcells might be interested in returning to the sidelines as a head coach in the near future.

One other tidbit I gathered this morning is that a certain former coach of the Giants, Patriots, Jets and Cowboys has the itch to coach again. That’s right, a source has told me Bill Parcells is telling those close to him he would consider a return to the sidelines. I’m guessing it would have to be the right opportunity for a premier franchise (Jets again????). Parcells has an out in his Dolphins contract if Wayne Huizenga sells the team, which apparently is going to happen. So far, reports have Parcells potentially jumping ship to be the GM of another franchise. But I’m hearing he would also like to coach the talent he selects.

This shouldn’t surprise anyone – especially with a couple of franchises ready for a complete overhaul. Parcells loves to take coal and polish it into a diamond, which he did in just one season this year in Miami. With the Browns, Lions and Jets in need of a head coach, its no wonder Parcells may want to coach again. (Although I wouldn’t get too excited if I were a Lion fan, because William Clay Ford Sr. already gave the GM job to Martin Mayhew on Monday and the “Big Tuna” probably wouldn’t return unless he had complete control.)

You stay classy Chad Pennington

Chad PenningtonMiami Dolphins’ quarterback Chad Pennington has to be one of the classiest guys in the NFL.

Here’s a guy that was dropkicked out of New York about a millisecond after the Jets acquired Brett Favre. He then goes to the Dolphins and not only helps lead one of the best turnarounds in NFL history, but also schools Favre on his home field in a must-win situation for both teams.

Following the Fins’ 24-17 victory Sunday over the Jets, Pennington was asked (in so many words) after the game by a sideline reporter about whether or not the win was sweet revenge on a team that booted him in the offseason. Instead of taking the opportunity to take a shot at his former team, Pennington thanked the Jets for allowing him to become a free agent and start somewhere else. The comments were more than just a player taking the high road to avoid controversy – he was truly sincere.

And granted, it’s not like Pennington lit the world on fire when he was in New York, but he always played hard for the Jets, and often played hurt. Pennington’s story is one of the season’s best.

The Dolphins turnaround from 1-15 to AFC East Division champs is unbelievable. The job Bill Parcells and first-year head coach Tony Sparano did this season was impressive and you get the feeling that Miami isn’t done, although they certainly have a tough first-round matchup with the Baltimore Ravens.

On a semi-related topic – is Brett Favre done? His comments in his post game press conference made it appear that he won’t be coming back next year, but this isn’t the first time he’s hinted at hanging it up at the end of the regular season game in which his team failed to reach the postseason.

Either way, he played like absolute crap on Sunday. His receivers didn’t help him out in some cases, but his three interceptions were brutal and probably cost the Jets the game. When you look how inspired Pennington played compared to Favre, one has to wonder if this is officially the end of Brett’s legendary career.

Parcells, Dolphins control their own destiny

Chad PenningtonIt’s amazing how just one offseason can turn around the fortunes of an entire franchise. This time last year, the Miami Dolphins had just one win to its name. One season later, they now control their own destiny in the AFC East after beating the Kansas City Chiefs 38-31 in dramatic fashion.

For all the Raiders, Lions, Rams and Chiefs fans out there – it can happen. Your team can turn things around in just one offseason. But they’ll have to use the Dolphins as a blueprint. They hired someone with a football background in Bill Parcells, who had turned losing teams into winners before. Then they allowed him to do what he does best – put the best people in place to succeed.

He hired a no name in Tony Sparano, who didn’t have a great resume or wasn’t a big name, but Parcells knew he was a football coach through in through. Then the Big Tuna had a solid draft, which focused on rebuilding the offensive line after Miami selected Jake Long with their first overall pick. Then Parcells parted ways with players that no longer fit the long-term plans in Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas. Then he found a veteran quarterback that knew the offensive system and could succeed right away.

Now the Dolphins are 10-5 and after everything mentioned in the above paragraph, can we really be that surprised? Well okay, sure we can. The players still had to execute and Parcells’ master plan still had to come together. But regardless, we shouldn’t be too surprised that Parcells changed the fortunes of a franchise as quickly as it does for him to leave it in the lurch a couple years later – because he’s a born winner.

What was most impressive about Miami’s victory on Sunday was that they won after they received push back. Kansas City challenged them for four quarters and the Dolphins survived. Considering the Chiefs’ dud season and Miami’s desire to be a playoff team, the Dolphins should have cruised to victory. But winning isn’t easy in the NFL and Miami won a game they were supposed to. Case closed.

The Dolphins have just one more victory to earn if they want to put the icing on the cake. A win over the Jets next week in the Meadowlands would allow them to clinch the AFC East crown, which is amazing considering they were the doormats of the division just one season ago. Their magical ride isn’t over, but they’ve certainly put themselves in position to succeed – just like Parcells did in the offseason.

GM Carl Peterson done in Kansas City

Chiefs fans got an early Christmas present Monday night when it was reported that general manager Carl Peterson will resign at the end of the season.

Kansas City Chiefs Chairman Clark Hunt today announced that Carl Peterson will step down as President, General Manager and Chief Executive Officer at the end of the 2008 season.

“On behalf of my family and the entire Kansas City Chiefs organization, I want to thank Carl for his two decades of service to the Chiefs,” Hunt said. “Both Carl and I agreed that immediately initiating the search for the next Chiefs General Manager would be the best thing for the future of the organization, and he will be resigning following the 2008 season.”

Peterson joined the Chiefs in 1989, and guided the club through one of the most successful eras in its history. During his 20 years at the helm, the Chiefs amassed a 176-141-1 record, won the AFC West four times and reached the AFC Championship Game in 1993.

Hunt said the search for a new General Manager will begin immediately. Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Denny Thum will serve as the Chiefs interim President and General Manager.

Chiefs fans have to appreciate what Peterson did in the 90s, because he did construct some solid teams. That said, his moves of late have been disastrous and his unwillingness to fix the offensive line over the years has doomed this team’s chances of survival. The Dolphins and Falcons turned their fortunes around in just one season and they did so by first hiring quality football men in the front office (Bill Parcells and Thomas Dimitroff, respectively). The Chiefs can do the same thing, but it all starts with Clark Hunt finding the right GM to rebuild through the draft.

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