I have to admit, this one caught me by surprise.
“In the early 1990s, the Patriots were in disarray,” said Kraft.
We had never had a head coach with his credentials.
He was a master motivator and always got the most out of his players.
Those are memories I will never forget and achievements worthy of this honor.
I concede that every word of this statement is correct.
Parcells is an all time great coach.
All that is true.
Here’s what I had to say five years ago:
Let’s get one thing straight.
I loved Parcells when he was here.
I was all in on Tuna.
I got a framed picture of him for gift one Christmas.
So let’s be clear on my appreciation for the guy.
Let’s just not whitewash his record in New England.
So they’re padding the resume of his successes and ignoring his failures.
At best, his time here was inconsistent.
At worst, his motivation came and went, and the team reflected that.
…
His record here was 32-32 in the regular season, 2-2 in the postseason.
If you want to give him a pass for his first year here, you have every right.
He took a 1-15 team and through force of will dragged them up to a new and improved 5-11.
That 6-10 clusterfudge with a team that had been in the Wild Card round the year before.
(Hold that thought; more on that later.)
So did another coach.
Ray Berry made them respectable.
And back to the playoffs the year after that, going 11-5 each time.
But not before going 48-39, .552.
Thats 16 more wins to just 7 more losses than Parcells had in New England.
Plus Berry was 3-2 in the postseason.
It just means you’ve read his autobiography and listened to his interviews.
Yes, he took the team to Super Bowl 31.
But he was distracted and already checked out and focused on his new job with the Jets.
And the team’s performance reflected it.
But they are a consideration.
To my way of thinking, nothing has changed.
Other than Parcells' and RKK’s perspectives on the time they spent together.
Things were bad between them for a long time.
But as people age, tempers cool.
Old adversaries learn to respect each other.
Sometimes even look back on their beefs like they were the glory days.
Right up to the day they both died, July 4, 1826.
Exactly 50 years to the day they signed the Declaration of Independence.
In fact, Adams' dying words were “Jefferson lives.”
So I’m not about to set myself on fire over this.
It wouldn’t be my choice.
Anyway, congratulations to Duane Charles Parcells.
That acceptance speech is going to be Must-See TV.
