Before Bill Belichick roamed the New England sidelines and led the Patriots to Super Bowls, it was his mentor Bill Parcells who made the franchise relevant in the 1990s.
Now another of Parcells's pupils--deposed Saints coach Sean Payton--is reaching out in hopes that he'll stand in for Payton in New Orleans as he serves out his year-long suspension. Sounds like a worthwhile solution? A big splash, right? Wrong.
In this case, the Big Tuna is a fish the Saints shouldn't reel in. Parcells hasn't been very successful recently. He hasn't been a head coach since 2006, and he hasn't won a playoff game since 1998.
New Orleans is a team that put itself in the crosshairs of Roger Goodell and is now facing the consequences. When you get hit with penalties like New Orleans has incurred, you go about your business quietly and try not to ruffle any more feathers. You don't need the spotlight on the team any more than it exists now.
From an organizational standpoint, why is this conversation even happening? You have a Super Bowl-winning head coach in Payton who will undoubtedly be the head coach when the suspension ends. Why would the Saints rent Parcells for a year?
Sean Payton has a strong personality, but he's nothing compared to Parcells. He's the coach who once referred to Terry Glenn as "she" while he was with the Patriots and called Terrell Owens "the player" during his time with the Cowboys.
Parcells is not only unafraid of calling out players; he's also publicly questioned management. When he felt he wasn't getting enough of a say in New England's personnel decisions, he took a shot at Robert Kraft, saying "They want you to cook the dinner; at least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries."
When it comes to the Saints players, bringing in Parcells -- or anyone from the outside -- is a tricky proposition. No matter how much respect a coach like Parcells has garnered, it's hard to imagine that the players would welcome him with open arms.
Nobody likes a substitute teacher. A lot of the Saints will look at Parcells that way. When a team goes through adversity, players can become even more tight-knit and less likely to accept an outsider. It's also difficult to believe that Parcells would come in and be a caretaker for anyone.
Head football coaches, especially successful ones, are control freaks. They do things their way. Parcells is not going to stand in front of the Saints at their first team meeting and say, "Now, I don't want to change how things are done around here. I just want to help guide you guys through this rough patch."
No, he'll come in and try to remake the Saints in his image. Also, why would he even consider returning to the sidelines? Parcells will be 71 when the season begins, not necessarily a great age to be an NFL head coach, especially for a franchise in such turmoil. Another year of coaching would also put off Parcells' Hall of Fame chances for an additional five years.
Parcells is football's version of Larry Brown. Both are Hall of Fame-caliber coaches. The two specialize in reclamation projects, but they never stay with teams very long. They come into bad situations, shake things up and improve their teams' fortunes right away. Then the shine wears off and the coaches move on.
The Saints don't need the kind of help Parcells can give. They still have Drew Brees and a division-winning roster behind him. They were a defensive stand away from hosting the NFC Championship game.
New Orleans needs a caretaker this season, and there are qualified candidates. Offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael, a Boston College grad from nearby Framingham, has worked closely with Brees over the past few years and deserves the opportunity to show what he can do as a head coach.
Steve Spagnuolo, the Saints' new defensive coordinator, might still be the Rams' head coach if Sam Bradford hadn't had an injury-plagued sophomore season. In any case, he has head coaching experience and could lead New Orleans. Even considering Brees as a player-coach is a better option than bringing in Parcells.
The indefinitely-suspended Gregg Williams reportedly used to tell Saints defenders, "Cut off the head, and the body will die." One can appreciate how the Saints brass is now trying to disprove that edict, but Bill Parcells is not the answer.
The Saints have enough self-inflicted wounds.
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