Kraft, Parcells & BB
 

All Patsfans should take the time to check out the interview G Meyers did on WFAN with Francesa today, I don't know when it will be posted to their on demand but WELL worth a listen.


How the problems developed between Parcells and Kraft.

When Kraft decided he wanted BB to be his coach

Why Parcells retired as the Jets HC and BB became the coach for a day.

Great interesting stuff.

link to the show's on demand page:

Mike Francesa « CBS New York

re: Kraft, Parcells & BB
 

Gary Myers is not in my list of readable sports journalists, usually his columns in the Daily News are little more than cheer-leading for the NY teams. I missed part of the interview but know that he did get input from Parcells while Belichick turned down his request. I assume BB had a similar view of Myers as myself.

I don't know if Kraft granted him an interview, but much of the Kraft/Parcells/Belichick relationship is Parcells/NY perspective. Not that anything bad was said, other than Parcells didn't have the time of day for any conversation with Kraft because in his opinion he knew nothing about football and wanted to be involved. Parcells knew that his desire was not to make decisions but at least to know what was going on. Apparently Parcells just wanted him to give him his fat pay check.

Myers smoothed over the Parcells/Belichick fall out, and didn't offer much as to why they patched it up other than over dinner one night they decided it was stupid not to.

Not exactly riveting reporting. But then I could have been distracted driving through fog and mist on the way home.

re: Kraft, Parcells & BB
 

He had dinner with Kraft and Kraft's take was a big part of the interview.

Although Myers and Francesa are both Parcell's guys the interview was slanted to make BB into the bad guy if anything they showed how prickly Parcells was in his behavior and one nugget was Parcells saying of all the jobs he left the only one he regretted leaving was the Patriots.

You should listen instead of prejudging, it was VERY interesting.

re: Kraft, Parcells & BB
 

Unless you think a particular reporter/columnist/host cannot offer you any new information or perspective, it makes no sense to categorically ignore a writer/radio host.

re: Kraft, Parcells & BB
 

The interview has been posted at WFAN, about 40 min they start talking about the Pats about 5 min in, they start with some stuff on Landry, Jones and Johnson in Dallas.

re: Kraft, Parcells & BB
 

I listened.

Here's what I believe.

1. Parcells got Kraft to eat the penalty in his contract that required Parcells to buy his way out. He shortened Parcells' contract by a year and gave him an out. After the fact, there were rumors that Parcells had already talked to the Jets (and you know how badly Parcells would have wanted to stick it to the Giants by taking over the Jets).

2. Kraft was very reluctant to allow Parcells to conduct the draft in Spring of 1995 because he knew Parcells was out the door. This makes sense. When Parcells realized that Grier would be given the call on the first choice, he went ballistic and stormed out of the draft room.

3. After the Parcells team left Foxboro, Kraft had a three hour meeting in his car discussing things with Belichick. I think this is when Kraft knew he wanted Belichick as the next coach. This was in 1996. Reporters in New England noticed this conversation.

4. Because of the bang-up job Belichick did with the Jets, many teams came after him to become head coach. In particular, Belichick was wooed by the Raiders. The Jets, however, were on a Super Bowl run, so that bumped Belichick's pay by $1 million and guaranteed him he'd be the coach of the Jets after Parcells.

5. However, this was a perk for Belichick. It wasn't meant to tie him down to the Jets. Belichick had too much leverage in this instance for that contract to be held against him. It was offered in the first place to hold onto him as an assistant. He would have won that lawsuit as well since you can't force someone to accept a promotion.

re: Kraft, Parcells & BB
 

I found that the interview was more revealing that I expected. I expected a full all out Parcells ball washing. Francesca didn't disappoint. 13 years later and he's still carrying Parcells' water. However there were things that were revealed that are worth noting.

1. Whatever you think about Parcells' coaching and team building skills, he was and probably still is a world class assclown. Clearly we all know what kind of man Bob Kraft is. The way Parcells treated him with is wife and with the banker was just typical of the kind of character Parcells was.

2. When Parcells was with the Giants, THEY didn't trust him to "buy the groceries". When he was in NE they soon found out that THEY shouldn't trust him either. Nothing he did in Dallas or Miami gave one any indication that he should be given full control of the personnel. So I was wondering why Francesca was so willing to give Parcells all the credit for building the talent on those mid-90's teams.

3. I'm sure the Problems Kraft had with Parcells weren't entirely all Parcells' fault, but I would bet that most of it was. As we have seen Kraft has never been a hands on owner. He just wanted to kept in the loop. In other words shown some common courtesy. He key to BB's successful relationship with him is simple. He shows his boss some common courtesy.

4. I would have like it if BB HAD given Myers an interview. I'm sure BB would have had a lot to offer in the way of NFL history, and how to build a team that can stand the test of time.

5. Parcells is a out and out liar - He denied the Mara story, while Kraft had no reason to fabricate it, and Meyers got credible confirmation. That doesn't surprise me.

6. DISCLAIMER - I am NOT a Bill Parcells fan. I have always thought he was an egotistical self promoter, who took bad teams that had good drafts for a few years, than gave that team the short term discipline they needed.....and take all the credit.

IMHO. Parcells had just 2 worthy skills. One was to surround himself with great assistant coaches. The 2nd was knowing when to get out of town. Although he's 180 degrees opposite Rex in character and personality, he has one thing in common with him. His coaching style doesn't work long term and Bill was smart enough to realize it. That's why at the first sign of success, he was already planning to get out of Dodge.

I just wanted that out there in case someone might think any of my comments are biased....because they are.

7. And once again I'd like to thank the very discerning fans of the New England Patriots for NOT tainting the Pats HOF with Bill Parcells' presence.

re: Kraft, Parcells & BB
 

Not a fan of G Meyers at all. But that was a cool interview.

And Lol, at Beli being the only coach to not speak to Meyers.

I am sure it went something like this.

Meyers:"I am doing a book on coaches, I was wondering if we could sit down and talk"?

Belichick: http://www.the-coli.com/images/smilies/beli.png

re: Kraft, Parcells & BB
 

I found the parts that revealed Parcells arrogance interesting.

Refusing to acknowledge Myra Kraft,

Refusing to talk with Kraft's banker, when Kraft introduced him to Parcells,

His resentment that he wouldn't have unquestioned authority and didn't want to inform
Kraft of what he was doing, since he didn't have to with Orthwein, Parcells wanted
to be the virtual owner in that sense,

I was interested that Kraft was taken with BB when Parcells arrange the meeting in order to add BB to the staff, when he was fired by the Browns.

That idea that Parcells resigned and 'trap' BB with the Jets to keep him from going to the Patriots, explains the crazy BB presser when he resigned,

Kraft advising BB to learn to deal with the press when he was going to the Jets, to help him become a head coach.

BB knowing how Kraft want to be kept in the loop and calling him every day at 6:30am for a conversation. BB understands how to have a great relationship with this owner.

Overall reinforced what a great owner Kraft is. After dealing with the Sulllivan's for so longand tha other goof's before Kraft....

re: Kraft, Parcells & BB
 

I did say that I was distracted by driving in the fog, so what I did hear (sporadically) formed my opinion as much as any prejudice. Although I admit the latter dictated my description of Myers it didn't stop me from listening as best I could given the driving conditions. Guess we can all misjudge.