Parcells and the Cowboys

The best Bill Parcells anecdote was from Phil Simms. Parcells was notoriously hard on players, but one time before a big game, Parcells took Simms aside and said, "Phil, if you don't throw two interceptions today, you're not trying hard enough." That really loosened Simms up, and he went on to have a great game. We can't let fear of mistakes control us. I don't think, however, the Parcells always gave that impression.

As far as the Cowboys vacancy goes with Parcells retiring, I think the biggest obstacle to getting a good coach is owner Jerry Jones. He is too heavily involved in the management of the team, and will acquire players the coach doesn't even want. In that sense, it might be one of the most frustrating jobs in the NFL. Not as bad as the Raiders and working for Al Davis, of course. And there are some other owners who are too hands-off like the Fords in Detroit, who are allowing a once-competitive Lions franchise to have one of the worst decades any pro sports franchise has ever had under GM Matt Millen.

If the president of a company came up through the ranks in the marketing division, he's in no position to micro-manage the engineers; compared to the experts, he has no idea what he's talking about. Similarly, an owner who hadn't been a player, coach, and/or scout himself really has no business making personnel decisions.

It's a shame, because head coach of the Dallas Cowboys should be the #1 job in football.

On the upside, the Cowboys can start fresh. For too long they've been plugging holes with players and coaches who made names for themselves elsewhere, such as Parcells, Testeverde, Bledsoe, and Owens. With young Tony Romo at quarterback, perhaps the Cowboys can develop a new face with players and coaches who make names for themselves as Cowboys.