Control is main concern for Jones, Parcells
Posted on 12/23/2002 10:07:56 AM PST by MeekOneGOP
Control is main concern for Jones, Parcells
Sources say two are planning to meet again next week
12/23/2002
IRVING - The prospect of Jerry Jones and Bill Parcells coexisting under one roof has the entire NFL world talking. No one can believe it will happen. Except maybe Jones and Parcells.
According to sources close to both men, their five-hour discussion last week in a New Jersey airport included talk of everything from potential salary - Parcells wants at least $3 million per year - to control of personnel, which Jones has no plans of giving up.
Sources close to Jones and Parcells said Jones has already decided to fire coach Dave Campo after the Cowboys' season finale at Washington on Sunday. The sources said Jones and Parcells have another meeting planned for next week.
While Jones tried in vain to convince reporters Sunday that he had not made up his mind to fire Campo, Jones wasn't afraid to speculate on what life would be like sharing the stage with a high-profile coach that seemed to fit the description of Parcells.
"When you win, my experience has been there is room for a lot of spotlights," said Jones, who suggested Sunday that Parcells was the first to call him last week about possibly coaching in Dallas.
Sources close to Jones said if the second meeting with Parcells goes smoothly, Jones could make an offer and would expect a response from Parcells right away. Part of the reason is so that Parcells commits and doesn't get swept up in speculation about other coaching jobs. Jones is being advised not to let the situation drag on because of how Parcells and Tampa Bay carried out a protracted courtship only to have Parcells turn the Buccaneers down last year.
Parcells' record is littered with comments indicating he wants say over nearly all things football when he becomes a coach.
In 1996, Parcells was coaching in New England and wanted to trade down in the draft to take a defensive player - either Regan Upshaw or Tony Brackens. But Patriots management drafted receiver Terry Glenn seventh overall.
It became one of the reasons Parcells left New England, where he had to answer to a player-personnel director and vice president for business operations hired by owner Robert Kraft. Parcells went to the New York Jets, where owner Leon Hess allowed Parcells to have control of football matters.
"They want you to cook the dinner. At least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries," Parcells said before leaving the Patriots.
Jones said his hands-on role as owner/general manager, which includes everything from draft decisions to roaming the sidelines during games, won't change.
"I am what I am," Jones said. "I would have to change what I've been all my life. But I don't know that I'm what I'm perceived to be in terms of operating and functioning.
"I've had some good things happen when there was a lot of give and take and a lot of being receptive to good ideas and being sold on good ideas. I'm a salesman, and there's nobody who can get to me quicker than another good salesman.
John F. Rhodes / DMN Jerry Jones talks to the media about Bill Parcells prior to Saturday's game.
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"But the facts are, I'm the ultimate decision-maker as long as I own the team. And that's not at issue in any way that I know of for the foreseeable future."
Even if Jones said he won't change his role, he probably will have to change the way he pays coaches. Jones' head coaches have been among the lowest-paid in the NFL. But Parcells would change that.
"I've always thought coaching was important," Jones said. "But I've seen quote 'elite' coaches go into situations and not have success. So I don't think it's a magical solution. But certainly people who can motivate players and bring out the best in them, and can plan and organize and make strategic decisions, there are people who do that better than others, and those are very valuable."
Jones may be overlooking a key component of Parcells - his personality, which is often caustic and sarcastic. Jones tends to get along best with people who are upbeat and positive.
One source said Parcells would be willing to at least interview the Cowboys' current defensive staff, led by coordinator Mike Zimmer. Jones hinted at such Sunday.
"Those are things we have to consider," Jones said when asked if any assistants might stay in a coaching change. "I've just extended Zimmer [through 2004]. All of those things, you have to think about when you are sitting here, thinking about any changes. ... That will be a consideration."
Jones said he would be reluctant to change offenses for the fourth time in five years under a new coach but didn't rule it out.
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Three reasons Jerry Jones and Bill Parcells would work well together:
- Both have won Super Bowls and want to win more.
- Jones hasn't had a disciplinarian as coach since Jimmy Johnson.
- Jones would trust the decisions made by Parcells.
Three reasons Jerry Jones and Bill Parcells wouldn't work well together:
- Parcells wants more control than Jones is willing to give up.
- Parcells' caustic personality clashes with the upbeat Jones.
- Parcells believes the sideline is for coaches and players - not owners.
[AMEN !! - MeeknMing]
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AGE: 61
BORN: Aug. 22, 1941 in Englewood, N.J.
FACTS: NFL: Coached New York Giants (1983-90), New England Patriots (1993-96), New York Jets (1997-99), 15 seasons, 239 games. ... Regular-season record: 138-100-1. ... Postseason record: 11-6. ... Overall record: 149-106-1. ... Parcells reversed the fortunes of three NFL teams. ... After a 3-12-1 season (1983), he took Giants to playoffs twice as wild-Card. ... In 1986 led Giants to 14-2 record and defeated Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXI. ... Led Giants to NFC Eastern Division title in 1989. ... In 1990 won second world championship with dramatic victory over Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXV. ... Left coaching for two years, returning in 1993 with New England Patriots. ... Within two years led Patriots to playoffs after seven-year absence. ... Two years later, 11-5 Patriots were AFC representative in Super Bowl XXXI. ... In 1997 took over 1-15 New York Jets and led them to 9-7 record in 1997, 12-4 record and AFC Championship Game in 1998 for the best two-year turnaround of a 1-15 team in NFL history. ... NFL Coach of the Year 1986, 1994.
In his heart I think he was hoping the Giants would hire him again and just a few weeks ago Fassel's job looked like it was in jeopardy and the possibility was there. Then along comes December and Fassel as usual, starts looking good.
Remember the year that the Cowboys went 3-13? I was a lonely camper wearing a Dallas Cowboys jacket. Dallas is full of "fair weather" fans. You weren't and I wasn't either. I just lost interest after JJ bought the team. I wish a group of Texans would buy him out so we could hopefully regain respectability again. 'Go Cowboys'....
He probably wont though. If he cant reach a deal with Parcells, he probably will start going after Mariuchi(sp?) in SF. I get the feeling that he is going to go after a "big" name this time.
I certainly agree with you and JJones scares me when he goes into this mode.
The man is obviously half damn idiot and wouldsn't amount to a fart in the wind if he didn't own the Pokes.
If he could just put his ego aside and deal with rational thought, he could see the potential blow-up effect that Parcells or Mariucci for that matter could bring to the equation.
Heard today where he extended Lacewell for three more years, does this sound like a man ready to really change things?
Sources say Cowboys' owner also met with ex-Vikings coach Green
12/28/2002
IRVING - Jerry Jones met for a second time with Bill Parcells on Friday as the two continued to hammer out parameters for a possible deal to make Parcells the sixth coach in Cowboys' history.
Two sources close to Jones and Parcells said the Cowboys owner, son Stephen Jones, Parcells and his agent, Jimmy Sexton, met for six hours at the Garden City Club on Long Island, N.Y., and tried to work out the details of the coach-general manager relationship that would be employed if Parcells was brought to Dallas.
Friday marked the second meeting between Jones and Parcells in 10 days. The sources said they agreed to meet again after the season, probably early next week.
Cowboys coach Dave Campo has been told of his impending dismissal, which will be announced Monday or Tuesday, according to one source. That source said Jones told Campo he was going to meet with Parcells on Friday.
Two other sources said that Jones has met with former Minnesota Vikings coach Dennis Green about possibly becoming the Cowboys coach.
The Parcells sources said financial compensation continues to be a non-issue and that Parcells would be willing to work for a salary in the $3-4 million range per season.
"We talked for a few hours, and we're ahead of where we were," Parcells told The Record of Bergen County, N.J. "But it's still premature to say he will offer me the job. I think he has interview other people."
Sources close to Jones and Parcells said the two are focused on trying to get a deal done and that areas of control are starting to be defined. According to those sources, Jones is willing to give Parcells control over the hiring and firing of assistant coaches, which would be a first for Jones since Jimmy Johnson was coach from 1989-93.
One source said control of the scouting department is not an issue with Parcells as long as he has a strong say in draft decisions. Jones just gave longtime Cowboys scouting director Larry Lacewell a three-year contract extension.
Sources said Jones and Green had serious discussions and Green could become a candidate if a deal with Parcells falls through. Green, who runs the West Coast offense and beat the Cowboys by an average of 10 points the last three times he coached against them, is an analyst with ESPN.
"The job's not open, but if it was, I'd be interested," Green told ESPN.
Under a new rule approved by NFL owners, teams have agreed to interview at least one minority candidate when making a coaching hire. With Jones having satisfied that requirement by talking to Green, who is black, there is nothing standing in the way of hiring Parcells if the two can come to an agreement on how the team would operate with Parcells as coach.
After announcing the firing of Campo, Jones is being advised to make an offer to Parcells and secure a response immediately to avoid Parcells getting swept up in speculation about other possible job openings in the NFL, according to two sources.
Those openings could include Jacksonville, which has had three straight losing seasons under Tom Coughlin, a close friend of Parcells, and Detroit, which has five wins (two against Dallas) in two seasons under coach Marty Mornhinweg.
If Jacksonville and Detroit find themselves looking for new coaches, Jones could find himself in a bidding war for Parcells, which would be foreign territory for Jones. The highest salary Jones has paid to a coach is $1 million per season to Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer. Campo earns less than $1 million.
With Steve Spurrier getting $5 million per season as the first-year coach in Washington Sexton, could command upward of $5 million for Parcells, a coach who has won two Super Bowls.
Parcells has no interest in trying to be the highest-paid coach in the NFL, one source said. A source said Jones has no interest in a protracted courtship with Parcells in which other teams are vying for Parcells' interest.
If Parcells doesn't end up as Jones' man, speculation would undoubtedly turn to Green or to Seattle, where Mike Holmgren appears to be working his final days as general manager and coach of the Seahawks, despite a late-season surge that included back-to-back wins over Atlanta and St. Louis.
The fallback candidate for Jones appears to be Miami offensive coordinator Norv Turner, who served as Cowboys offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 1991-93. Jones has learned through a third-party that Turner would take the Cowboys coaching job if offered.
In Turner, Jones would be heading back to the timing-based passing attack that he has twice abandoned as owner/general manager of the Cowboys. Jones got rid of that offense when he hired Chan Gailey in 1998. He returned to it in 2000 under Jack Reilly and then dumped it after last season for the West Coast offense.
Happy New Years, my FRiend !
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