Place an Ad Calendars Classified Forums Sports Weather

sptimes.com Text-only News sections Arts & Entertainment AP The Wire Business Citrus County Columnists Floridian Hernando County Hillsborough Letters Movies Neighborhood Times News Update North Pinellas North of Tampa Obituaries Opinion Pasco County South Pinellas Sports State Tampa Bay TV Times World & Nation  Find your local news section Weekly sections Brandon Times City Times Homes Outdoors Perspective Personal Tech Taste Travel Weekend Xpress Special Sections Arena football Buccaneers College football Devil Rays Lightning Police reports Schools Seniority Subscriber Services Subscribe Renew Help Advertise Place an ad In print Online Market Info Join Us Internships Scholarships Times Jobs Contact us

Fiasco

WHAT HAPPENED? For the second time in a decade, Bill Parcells rejects Tampa Bay saying he's "retired for good.''

By RICK STROUD and ROGER MILLS
© St. Petersburg Times
published January 19, 2002

TAMPA -- Bill Parcells is the Bucs' runaway bride again.

• Reaction • Dungy talks to Carolina; Bucs return 'doubtful' • Shouldn't they have seen this coming? • Gimme Five • So who's next? • What they are saying about Parcells

For the second time in a decade, the two-time Super Bowl coach left Tampa Bay's franchise at the altar, telling Bucs owners Friday he would not accept their head coaching job.

"It was an appealing offer, but I just don't want to try and do this for only one or two years and I just don't think I can make the commitment," Parcells said Friday night. "There's nothing else about it. There's nothing else to it. I know how hard it is to do these jobs as well as anybody. I just hope people now believe I'm retired for good."

Although stunned by the news, the Bucs said Friday night that the team already has a short list of coaching candidates and would begin contacting them immediately.

"In our continued pursuit of a championship, we remain confident that our new coach will utilize the solid foundation we have built to achieve our goals," Bucs executive vice president Joel Glazer said in a statement Friday.

Parcells, 60, had come under heavy criticism recently for his role in making a tentative agreement on a five-year deal to coach the Bucs even before they lost 31-9 in the NFC wild-card game last Saturday in Philadelphia.

On Monday night, the Bucs fired coach Tony Dungy and immediately began laying the groundwork for Parcells' arrival by asking general manager Rich McKay to assume a new position as team president.

Parcells had also begun assembling his coaching staff and contacted assistants under contract with other teams, a move that prompted the NFL to investigate the Bucs for tampering violations.

He also learned Tuesday that he was nominated as a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but Parcells said he was not worried about tarnishing his legacy.

"No, not really. I don't think so," said Parcells. "I'm obviously aware of it. I'd not be telling the truth if I said I wasn't hopeful. But I don't think I have a very good chance. Most people are still skeptical, but they shouldn't be anymore. But there's nothing I can do about that."

Not only did Parcells leave the Glazers seething over his withdrawal to coach the Bucs, but he left them looking foolish and without many options.

Because they were certain Parcells would coach the Bucs, the Glazers never nibbled on former University of Florida coach Steve Spurrier, who this week signed a five-year, $25-million contract to coach the Washington Redskins.

Spurrier badly wanted the Bucs job and would have been the offensive strategist the team lacked, but he figured Parcells already had sealed the deal with the Bucs.

Tampa Bay wasted no time dismissing Dungy, the winningest coach in Bucs history who had taken them to four playoff appearances in five years.

Meanwhile, the Bucs are left to pick from the head coaching candidate leftovers in a search that is bound to be headed up by McKay. The list could include San Diego Chargers offensive coordinator Norv Turner, former Redskins coach Marty Schottenheimer, Jets defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell and Louisiana State coach Nick Saban, among others.

Saban recently signed a $1.7-million a year deal with the Tigers, but the contract reportedly does not include a buyout clause and he could be persuaded to leave college football for a price.

But don't expect Dungy to reappear on the Bucs sideline. He has been invited to the White House by President Bush on Monday to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day and will then go to the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. Dungy will interview next week for the head coaching job with the Indianapolis Colts and Carolina Panthers, where he is considered a leading candidate.

Dungy laughed when told Friday that Parcells had withdrawn but declined comment.

Wherever Dungy lands, he's likely to now raid the Bucs staff for his defensive assistants.

"He's been special to us and is a great man to work for," said Bucs defensive line coach Rod Marinelli. "The biggest thing for me is to be patient and let things settle down. But I do feel a tremendous loyalty to Tony Dungy."

News of Parcells' rejection of the Bucs offer came shortly after the Jets held a 5 p.m. conference call to announce that assistant general manager Mike Tannenbaum was remaining with the team.

Tannenbaum, Parcells' hand-picked general manager if he came to Tampa Bay, completed a two-day interview in Tampa with the Glazers and returned to New York on Thursday night.

The Bucs received signals that the deal might be falling apart earlier that day.

McKay received a letter from top NFL lawyer Jeff Pash, warning the Bucs of possible sanctions for tampering if Parcells attempted to hire coaches under contract with other teams.

"All that Pash stuff, that was a bunch of bull," said Parcells.

Parcells also used his weekly radio show Thursday to reveal that he was wavering over whether to return to football.

"And look how many people wrote it was a done deal. Now what are they going to write? It wasn't set," said Parcells. "The thing was way ahead the whole way."

The Times reported last Friday that Dungy would be fired if the Bucs failed to at least reach the NFC Championship game. In addition, the story said Parcells already had a tentative agreement to coach the Bucs.

Less than 24 hours after firing Dungy, the Glazers had Tannenbaum in Tampa ready to take the GM job and planned to move McKay to team president. The Bucs refused to grant the Redskins permission to interview McKay for their general manager position and McKay called a news conference to clarify his role, saying he would be willing to see if he could work for Parcells.

It turns out, the smartest move the Glazers made was holding onto McKay, who will be charged with the task of finding a head coach.

"It's hard for me to believe that (Parcells is) not going to be the coach after everything that has been said and done over the past few days," said Bucs Pro Bowl linebacker Derrick Brooks. "It's just hard for me to believe.

"You don't react. You sit tight and you wait for the next chapter. Nothing surprises me anymore (since) I've been in this league a long time. I know, especially with those types of decisions, decisions that are above our heads, all we can do is accept what is handed down. We're professionals and have to play no matter who's the coach."

Parcells' cold feet leaves Bucs owner Malcolm Glazer and his sons in the same place where the late Hugh Culverhouse stood 10 years ago. After the '91 season, Culverhouse thought he had a deal with Parcells and called a news conference to announce his new coach. But at the last moment, Parcells pulled out and left a shaken Culverhouse "at the altar."

Two days later, Parcells changed his mind and a meeting was arranged with Culverhouse in Virginia. But the Bucs owner wasn't walking down any more aisles alone and hired Sam Wyche.

Still angered by the Glazers' handling of Dungy, Bucs players said the family probably got what it deserved.

"That has crossed my mind. As soon as Tony told me he was no longer my coach and the manner with which his firing was handled, then (bad luck) came to the forefront of my mind," said Brooks.

Of course, who knows if Parcells is really done flirting with the Bucs? The Glazers might throw more money at him and his heart for coaching may quiver again.

He's just not very good at I do's.

"You know, it's about integrity and doing things right," said Bucs defensive end Simeon Rice. "If you have that, and do things right, then you can't look bad. Tonight, we look bad."

- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright