Posted on 06/07/2004 8:37:18 PM PDT by freedom44
IRVING, Texas -- Bill Parcells apologized Monday for calling the surprise plays used in practice "Jap plays," saying the remark was inappropriate.
The Dallas Cowboys coach was talking to reporters at the team's minicamp about how his quarterbacks coach and defensive coordinator try to outdo each other when he made the comment, an apparent reference to Japan's 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.
"You've got to keep an eye on those two, because they're going to try to get the upper hand," Parcells said about quarterbacks coach Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. "Mike wants the defense to do well, and Sean, he's going to have a few ... no disrespect for the Orientals, but what we call Jap plays. OK. Surprise things."
After a murmur in the room of reporters, which included a Japanese journalist, Parcells repeated, "No disrespect to anyone."
"Bill Parcells is a brilliant coach," John Tateishi of the Japanese-American Citizen's League, a national civil rights group told DallasNews.com. "Unfortunately, he is ignorant about racial slurs. I take great offense by what he said. Parcells ought to know better. He sorely needs more education on what is offensive and non-offensive to Japanese-Americans. I am shocked that he would say this."
Cowboys spokesman Rich Dalrymple apologized on behalf of the organization, and Parcells later issued a statement.
"Today during my news conference I made a very inappropriate reference, and although I prefaced it with the remark, 'no disrespect to anyone intended,' it was still uncalled for and inconsiderate. For that I apologize to anyone who may have been offended," he said.
Cowboys spokesman Rich Dalrymple said the "organization apologizes to anyone who may have been offended."
Akira Kuboshima, editor of American Football Magazine in Japan, said he wasn't offended, though he knows many Japanese will be.
"There is a lot of chance for someone to feel offended," Kuboshima said. "To me, it was no big deal."
Parcells spoke to Kuboshima, offering what the reporter perceived to be an apology. Kuboshima said he was surprised more by the reaction of other reporters than the comment.
That comment was only part of Parcells' 45-minute session with reporters, in which he also talked about the team's quarterback competition, players at several positions and some of the new additions.
He said he isn't going to be as patient in his second season with the Cowboys.
After three straight 5-11 seasons, the Cowboys went 10-6 and reached the playoffs in their first year under Parcells. Still, he expects better in 2004.
"That doesn't mean we'll win more games," Parcells said. "That just means I think from head to toe that we have a chance to be better. I really believe that."
Wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson, who had two of his Pro Bowl seasons for Parcells while with the New York Jets, came to Dallas in a trade with Tampa Bay.
Vinny Testaverde was reunited with his old coach last week, leaving the Jets as a free agent. The 40-year-old quarterback will compete for the starting job with incumbent Quincy Carter and serve as a mentor to Drew Henson, who was added this spring after he quit professional baseball.
"These guys that were here last year, they've already bought into it. From that alone, we'll be a better team," running back Richie Anderson said. "We already know what to expect. He's not going to allow certain things to happen or go on."
I love that word nothing stingy about it
What always makes me laugh about incidents like this is that it was supposedly wrong for Parcells to utter the word "Japs" because it's considered a racial slur, but then the media turns right around and prints this very same word in it's newspapers and on it's websites. If it's a racial slur to use the word "Japs", then the media, by using the word "Japs" in it's coverage of the Parcells incident, is using a racial slur.
Off to the Sensitivity Gulag with him!!!
It is also offensive to say Brits. Everybody please say British instead.
The NFL would have PR nightmares by the thousands if every NFL coach and player were quoted accurately. No wonder they pressured ESPN to drop "Playmakers".
At least Tuna conducts legal practices. The "Gints" have a lot to prove after the way they quit last year.
I'm a life-long Raiders fan that lives about 3/4 mile from the Cowboys complex. I'm rooting for the Tuna, because I'm looking to sell in a year, and there's plenty of Cowboy fans that want to live in Valley Ranch.
Nip Left!
12-7-41!
Hut Hut Hut!
And, whooooooooooo the bleep cares? The NFL needs MORE ''Jap'' plays, not fewer; it's become disgustingly predictable for 90%+ of the game and the games.
Imagine, for example, even a gimpy Warner in the same backfield as Michael Vick -- what havoc might THAT pair wreak, eh, with a bit of imagination on the coaches' parts (well, given a couple of better receivers, too...)?
Cowboy fans should hand all season tickets over to the homeless...
Hang Vinny Testaverde in Effigy...(or downtown Dallas)
GO GINTS!
Apparently using an adjective cancels the offending nature of the remark.
I purposely made a racially non-racial post just for fun.
That was a wise apology, but I don't think his subsequent comments that the NFL was going to "Jew me out of $25,000" helped his case.
They can probably use this as an excuse to jew him out of several thousand.
And no longer should we say "American" anymore.
From now on we shall use the full title...
"The best people on the Earth who just so happen to live in America"
:pppppp
Beat ya by five seconds!
Yea, but like the finest country clubs of the 50s I decided to keep the jews out of it.
Somewhere the chutzpah factor has gone down since it's been sucked into Japan.
ROTFL! No one can say anything any more! We have just gone nuts in this country.
Great! Now you've gone and offended the "mentally challenged." :)
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