How the Heck Did Bill Parcells NOT Get Elected Into The Hall Of Fame?!?

[Brian Damage]

What the heck is that??? Biggest Hall of Fame Snub in my opinion!

[Mr. Television]

I agree Brian. Bill Parcells should have been voted in. That was a no brainer. Some think that maybe because of the way he treated some in the media...they held grudges. I don't know. All I do know is that he took 4 different teams to the playoffs, appeared in 3 SB's and won two of them. If that isn't a HOF coach, I don't know who is.

[Brian Damage]

Originally Posted by Stuck In The '70's

I agree Brian. Bill Parcells should have been voted in. That was a no brainer. Some think that maybe because of the way he treated some in the media...they held grudges. I don't know. All I do know is that he took 4 different teams to the playoffs, appeared in 3 SB's and won two of them. If that isn't a HOF coach, I don't know who is.

Well said Sonny, I just don't get it. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is a Sham as far as I am concerned.

[Mr. Television]

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/stor...-bill-parcells

No Parcells? Shame on Hall of Fame
Never mind those two Lombardi trophies; coach evidently changed jobs too often



Cimini By Rich Cimini
ESPNNewYork.com

INDIANAPOLIS -- When Bill Parcells came up for discussion Saturday during the Hall of Fame selection meeting, the 44-member committee spent nearly an hour debating the pros and cons of his candidacy, according to people in the room.

Parcells should've been a slam dunk, should've been sent to Canton on roller skates (to use one of his favorite expressions), but dissenters on the committee were bothered by his itinerant career path, one person said.

In other words, his job hopping; he was the head coach of four teams.



That was a ridiculous reason to keep Parcells out of the Hall of Fame.

No doubt, Parcells, now an ESPN studio analyst, never was very good at saying goodbye. His departures ranged from shocking (New York Giants) to acrimonious (New England Patriots) to awkward (New York Jets) to just plain weird (Dallas Cowboys).

OK, the man didn't do tearful farewells. He was mercurial, to say the least. But that shouldn't be a blemish on his coaching record. The record is the record: He won two Super Bowls with the Giants, won an AFC championship with the Patriots, led the Jets to the AFC title game and might have done the same for the Cowboys in the NFC if Tony Romo hadn't bobbled the snap on a chip-shot field goal.

Parcells is the only coach in history to take four different teams to the playoffs, so he evidently was doing something right in between job hops.

Parcells rebuilt franchises. The Patriots and Jets were in horrible shape when he arrived, and soon he had them competing for titles.

Parcells established an impressive coaching tree. Two of his disciples, Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin, are competing Sunday in Super Bowl XLVI. Belichick has three Super Bowl rings, and another Parcells protege, Sean Payton, won a ring with the New Orleans Saints.

Parcells was one of the three best coaches of his generation. The others were Bill Walsh and Joe Gibbs, both in the Hall of Fame. Parcells was 1-0 against Gibbs in the postseason, a dominating win in the NFC Championship Game, and he was 2-1 against Walsh.

Walsh was perhaps the greatest offensive mind in history, with perhaps the greatest quarterback, Joe Montana, and he managed only three points in back-to-back playoff losses to the Giants in 1985 and 1986.



You could make the argument Parcells was more deserving of enshrinement this year than Curtis Martin, his beloved running back. The other modern-era players going to Canton are Dermontti Dawson, Chris Doleman, Cortez Kennedy and Willie Roaf.

Do you know how many Super Bowl championships they've won? Zero.

Parcells has two titles. Winning still matters, doesn't it? He won in 1986 with the defensive-minded Giants, and he rebuilt the core of the team and won again in 1990, doing it with a backup quarterback, Jeff Hostetler, taking over for the injured Phil Simms.

But Parcells doesn't get in, not in his first year as a finalist. Oh, he made the final 10, but that's little consolation. Either you're in or you're out.

Parcells, reached Saturday night by ESPNNewYork.com, was willing to talk about Martin, not his own situation. He sounded disappointed, and he had a right to be. The committee made a mess of this. The selection process is flawed and political, and this time it got Parcells.

Bad job.

[Brian Damage]

Great article Sonny and so dang true! You are either a Hall of Famer Or You aren't. Bill Parcells is....Period!

[Tweety]

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

Well said Sonny, I just don't get it. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is a Sham as far as I am concerned.

The Pro Football HOF is a total sham. It's easily the most screwed up of any of the major sports HOFs.

e.g. Jerome Bettis is the #6 rusher in NFL history, The top 18 rushers (O.J. Simpson is 18th) are all in the HOF except Bettis (#6), Edgerrin James (#11, not yet eligible), Fred Taylor (#15, not yet eligible), and Cory Dillon (#17, retired in 2006).

After Simpson (on the all time rushing list), we're down to guys who have almost 3,000 fewer yards than Bettis had.

In what other sport does the #6 guy in a major, major, MAJOR category not get voted into the HOF on the first ballot? (Well, baseball did screw up w/Tim Raines)..

Bettis is also #10 all time in rushing TDs (actually, he's tied for 10th w/fellow Steeler Franco Harris).

Just ridiculous.

Being a Steeler fan, I also remember how long it took guys like Swann and Stallworth to make it. Statistically, those guys both took plays away from each other, but they were the greatest Super Bowl performers ever among WRs, up to and including Jerry Rice.

But the football HOF is an absolute joke. And I'm not sure the names of the voters are made public. Occassionally someone lets it slip that they have a vote (or have had a vote in the past), but I don't think we really know who selects the inductees.

And yes, Parcels should definitely be in as well.

[Mr. Television]

I can name a whole bunch of Cowboys from Landry's 70's teams that aren't in. I'd be surprised if they ever do get in. As for Parcells, the guy deserved to be in the HOF after he retired with the Giants. What he did with the Patriots, Jets and Cowboys should have been icing on the cake.

[Brad Russ]

Bill Parcels is one of the 5 greatest coaches in the last 40 years or so in my opinion. Not putting him in the HOF would be like college basketball not putting in Bobby Knight, or the NBA not putting in Lenny Wilkins. I have seen the names in the NFL HOF, and 80% of them aren't worthy to lace Parcell's shoes. Bone head move NFL!!

[Tweety]

Originally Posted by Stuck In The '70's

I can name a whole bunch of Cowboys from Landry's 70's teams that aren't in. I'd be surprised if they ever do get in. As for Parcells, the guy deserved to be in the HOF after he retired with the Giants. What he did with the Patriots, Jets and Cowboys should have been icing on the cake.

Excellent, excellent point about the 70s Cowboys. Several players from those Super Bowl teams should be in.

It's possible that their relative lack of recognition might be in part because of their two SB losses to Pittsburgh (a theory I've heard on more than one occasion), but on the other hand, it may also be because of Dallas' general attitude about being "America's Team". I don't know who these voters are, but I'm sure that not many of them are from Dallas... and so their idea of getting back at the Cowboys is to keep some of those guys out of the HOF.
Dallas, as an organization, was not well-liked around the country during that time. They're probably still not, but hatred for the Cowboys was at an all time high in the 70s because they were so good.

I'm a Steeler fan, but even though I hated the Cowboys as a kid, I respected the heck out of them. Even though I thought the Steelers were a better team both times, I was very worried about those SB's, because those Cowboy teams, especially when Staubach was on the field, always knew they could win, and they always played a full 60 minutes of football, no matter what the scoreboard read.

I think that Staubach, Dorsett and Randy White might be the only main guys from those Cowboy-Steeler SB teams that made the HOF. Well, Mel Renfro and Rayfield Wright are in, although their prime was more in the 60s and early 70s.

Cliff Harris should probably be in (Lambert SB10 might have kept him out). Charlie Waters is marginal. Too Tall Jones, Drew Pearson should probably be in. Tony Hill is more marginal. Pearson and Hill also took plays away from each other. And I don't remember all of their OL and DL by name, but both lines were so good, I'm sure they had more than one legitimate HOFer (White).

[MrCleveland]

Hall Of Fames are dumb!

As a fan of Rock Music...I'm upset with The Rock Hall of Fame because many bands get snubbed every year that HAVE talent, like Chicago and The Moody Blues!

[Tweety]

Wanna know who I think the biggest screw up was in terms of guys who are IN the HOF?

Joe Namath, easily. He played 13 seasons, although in four of those, he was limited to between 4 and 6 games because of injuries.

As a rookie in 1965, 18 TD, 15 INTs. Second year 19 TD 27 INT. After his rookie year, he was never again in the plus department when it came to TD/Int (for career totals that is)

Career total of 173 TD and 223 Int

His only other positive year was 1969 (the season after the SB win) when he threw for 19 and 17.

Had a high of 74.3 for a passer rating. Granted, Shea Stadium was not a good place for a QB to play.

Namath is in the HOF for one reason. He was famous.

Even in the SB against the Colts, he was 17-28 206 No TD No Int. Those were actually his numbers through three quarters, because he never threw a pass in the 4th quarter, it was literally all running plays for the Jets. Matt Snell won the game by rushing for 121 yards (and scoring the Jets' only TD) on 30 carries, but Namath was the MVP.

But I guess it is called the Hall of FAME, and really, who was ever more famous than Namath?

[Tweety]

Originally Posted by MrCleveland

Hall Of Fames are dumb!

As a fan of Rock Music...I'm upset with The Rock Hall of Fame because many bands get snubbed every year that HAVE talent, like Chicago and The Moody Blues!

I think the problem w/both groups is that not only could they sing, but they were all very talented musicians. That's a double-whammy, and it just doesn't cut it these days.

But yeah, I don't follow the R&R HOF (probably because I knew it would be a joke from the start), but when I heard that after all these years that neither of those groups were in, I thought "yeah, what a joke".

[Mr. Television]

Originally Posted by Tweety

Excellent, excellent point about the 70s Cowboys. Several players from those Super Bowl teams should be in.

It's possible that their relative lack of recognition might be in part because of their two SB losses to Pittsburgh (a theory I've heard on more than one occasion), but on the other hand, it may also be because of Dallas' general attitude about being "America's Team". I don't know who these voters are, but I'm sure that not many of them are from Dallas... and so their idea of getting back at the Cowboys is to keep some of those guys out of the HOF.
Dallas, as an organization, was not well-liked around the country during that time. They're probably still not, but hatred for the Cowboys was at an all time high in the 70s because they were so good.

I'm a Steeler fan, but even though I hated the Cowboys as a kid, I respected the heck out of them. Even though I thought the Steelers were a better team both times, I was very worried about those SB's, because those Cowboy teams, especially when Staubach was on the field, always knew they could win, and they always played a full 60 minutes of football, no matter what the scoreboard read.

I think that Staubach, Dorsett and Randy White might be the only main guys from those Cowboy-Steeler SB teams that made the HOF. Well, Mel Renfro and Rayfield Wright are in, although their prime was more in the 60s and early 70s.

Cliff Harris should probably be in (Lambert SB10 might have kept him out). Charlie Waters is marginal. Too Tall Jones, Drew Pearson should probably be in. Tony Hill is more marginal. Pearson and Hill also took plays away from each other. And I don't remember all of their OL and DL by name, but both lines were so good, I'm sure they had more than one legitimate HOFer (White).

I do think you're right. I looked up the all decade 1970's team which is voted by the HOF selection committee. 3 Cowboys, Drew Pearson, Cliff Harris and Harvey Martin are on the first and second teams but aren't in the HOF. Most of these players are though.

The Doomsday Defense was one of the most famous defenses of the 70's and only Randy White is in there from that group. I remember watching those SB's with the Steelers. That's around the time I became a Cowboys fan. If Jackie Smith had caught that TD pass from Roger in SB Xll, things might have been different. Talking about breaking the hearts of Cowboys fans. lol

[Mr. Television]

Originally Posted by Tweety

Wanna know who I think the biggest screw up was in terms of guys who are IN the HOF?

Joe Namath, easily. He played 13 seasons, although in four of those, he was limited to between 4 and 6 games because of injuries.

As a rookie in 1965, 18 TD, 15 INTs. Second year 19 TD 27 INT. After his rookie year, he was never again in the plus department when it came to TD/Int (for career totals that is)

Career total of 173 TD and 223 Int

His only other positive year was 1969 (the season after the SB win) when he threw for 19 and 17.

Had a high of 74.3 for a passer rating. Granted, Shea Stadium was not a good place for a QB to play.

Namath is in the HOF for one reason. He was famous.

Even in the SB against the Colts, he was 17-28 206 No TD No Int. Those were actually his numbers through three quarters, because he never threw a pass in the 4th quarter, it was literally all running plays for the Jets. Matt Snell won the game by rushing for 121 yards (and scoring the Jets' only TD) on 30 carries, but Namath was the MVP.

But I guess it is called the Hall of FAME, and really, who was ever more famous than Namath?

And as far as coaches I'd go for Weeb Ewbank. I know why he's in the HOF. He was the coach in 2 of the biggest games in NFL history. He does have 3 NFL titles. But overall he only has about a .500 record as a coach.

[Tweety]

Originally Posted by Stuck In The '70's

I do think you're right. I looked up the all decade 1970's team which is voted by the HOF selection committee. 3 Cowboys, Drew Pearson, Cliff Harris and Harvey Martin are on the first and second teams but aren't in the HOF. Most of these players are though.

The Doomsday Defense was one of the most famous defenses of the 70's and only Randy White is in there from that group. I remember watching those SB's with the Steelers. That's around the time I became a Cowboys fan. If Jackie Smith had caught that TD pass from Roger in SB Xll, things might have been different. Talking about breaking the hearts of Cowboys fans. lol

Yeah, I forgot to mention Harvey Martin. Definitely HOF caliber!

Re: Jackie Smith... even I, as a Steeler fan, really felt bad for Jackie Smith in that game. The guy spent most of his career (the first 15 seasons) with the (extremely) lowly St. Louis Cardinals. Held just about every record for tight ends up to that time. In his 16th and final season, he finally gets a chance to get to the Super Bowl, and with everybody watching, has a Staubach 10 yard pass hit him between the numbers before bouncing away. Not to make excuses, but Staubach's pass was not perfect. Smith's feet went out from under him near the back of the end zone, and he tried to make the catch as he was falling down. It hit him in the chest, a catchable ball, but I think Staubach short-armed the throw just a little.


Smith came up in '63, about 4 or 5 years before I started following football.. so I didn't realize just how good he was all those years. No internet of course, and no football encyclopedia with stats to look up. It wasn't until after that game (SB 13) that we really started learning a bit about his long and distinguished career.

lol, having said all that, I was glad he dropped the ball when he did!