Giants to Parcells: No thanks, but we'll talk to your son-in-law!

I love this. Pioli says no to interviewing to be Giants GM. Meanwhile, Parcells, as usual, is putting out feelers for the same job.

http://www.nj.com/giants/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/116832097233500.xml&coll=1

RAFOLO AND PAUL NEEDELL
Star-Ledger Staff

The Giants have rebuffed an overture from Cowboys coach Bill Parcells about returning to the organization as general manager, according to a high-ranking NFL executive familiar with the team's thinking.

Parcells had informed the Giants through an intermediary that he would be interested in returning to the organization to replace the retiring Ernie Accorsi, according to two NFL executives and a player. The sources requested anonymity because of the private nature of the search.

The revelation came after the Giants were snubbed by Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli. As reported in yesterday's Star-Ledger, the Giants planned to interview Pioli and were granted permission from New England. But yesterday Pioli declined to be interviewed, saying in a statement he will remain with the Patriots "for personal reasons."

He declined to be more specific.

Parcells' status with Dallas is unclear after Saturday night's wild 21-20 loss to the Seahawks. The Cowboys, who were seen as Super Bowl contenders just a month ago, lost when quarterback Tony Romo fumbled the hold of a 19-yard field-goal attempt with 1:19 remaining.

It was a fitting end to a tumultuous season that included plenty of tense moments involving wide receiver Terrell Owens, the benching of then-starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe and a collapse at season's end that cost the Cowboys the NFC East title.

Owner Jerry Jones has said he wants Parcells, 65, back as coach. Parcells' contract requires him to make a decision by Feb. 1.

"I'm going to take a look at things, take a look at what we need to do and see where we go," Parcells said after the loss to the Seahawks.

Parcells, who coached the Giants to Super Bowl titles after the 1986 and 1990 seasons, has one year remaining on his contract, so he can't leave to coach the Giants without compensation. Jones would likely block such a move to a division rival anyway, but he could leave to become general manager of another team because that is considered a promotion.

Parcells has also coached the Patriots and Jets. He did not return a message left on his cell phone last night.

A return to the Giants would give Parcells, who grew up in Oradell and has long had a house at the Jersey Shore, a chance to end his Hall of Fame career close to home.

But the Giants appear to be looking for a younger candidate who would stay in the job for the long term. Pioli, 41, would have fit the profile and was the leading outside candidate. Pioli, along with Patriots coach and former Parcells assistant Bill Belichick, have constructed a dynasty in New England that includes three Super Bowl wins.

Pioli is married to Parcells' daughter, Dallas.

Former Texans general manager Charlie Casserly also interviewed with the Giants, but is considered a long shot.

Inside the organization, the No. 1 option is director of player personnel Jerry Reese.

It's unclear if Reese, 42, would have won a battle for the job with Pioli. But Reese is highly regarded by team president John Mara, treasurer Jonathan Tisch and executive vice president Steven Tisch -- the three decision-makers in this process.

 

Is there a head coach that was an excellent GM, too?

 

bill walsh. bill belichick. they both had/have their right-hand personnel men, but made all final calls on draft and pro personnel decisions.

 

That's one every generation of coaches. Parcells wouldn't be a good GM, Gibbs is a terrible GM.

As a Giantsfanboy, I'd like to see them hire a GM and let that person pick the head coach.

 

What a tabloid story that Star-Ledger piece was. What a tabloid reporter that Paul Needel is. I mean, that story could not be more tabloid. Anonymous, single source. How tabloid.

 

Parcells named his daughter Dallas?

 

Do you have something against Needel? I can't remember the last time there was a story along these lines that had sources who actually wanted their names used. And by the way, he had three sources, not one.

 

Chuck Noll?

No one has done both solo with great effect since true free agency hit the league. Pioli is a big part of Belichick's success in NE.

 

hey, at least spell the guy's name right. i believe the byline reads N-E-E-D-E-L-L.

 

what i want to know is how the star ledger found a one-named reporter? is rafolo really so big that he can just use the one name?

 

Noll didn't have total control. The Rooneys would still over-rule him if the scouts insisted Noll was wrong.

Best example came in 1972: Noll wants to draft a stocky fullback by the name of Robert Newhouse, who went on to be a decent player with the Cowboys. The scouts want a more athletic fullback from Penn State by the name of Franco Harris, who went on to be just a bit better for the Steelers.

Noll lost the debate, but that defeat helped his teams win four Super Bowls. Noll was a very intelligent man who had and I'm sure still has a tremendous knowledge of football, but he still needed his team's scouts and ownership to save him from a huge mistake.

Noll gets a lot of credit for building the Steelers of the 70s and he deserves most of it, but that dynasty was built on having superior scouting to most of the other teams in the NFL back when great players used to slip through the cracks more regularly and fans didn't sit and watch the draft with Mel Kiper's books. Most Steelers fans had no idea who Joe Greene was when the team drafted him.

Teams are much better off with a coach and a GM. Give the coach a lot of input, but not total control.

 

It's a Brazilian-soccer thing.