The Snubbed Tuna: An NFL Fan's Nomination for Bill Parcells
(I'd like to think I was responsible for The Tuna getting in this year...)
by Brian Scala
February 6, 2012
February 6, 2012
Dear Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee,
In this day and age of instant feedback via Twitter and Facebook, I have decided to take a slightly archaic approach and direct my grievance to you the old fashioned way.
For the better part of my 35 years, I have been an ardent fan and supporter of Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells. Please note that if you were one of those who voted for Bill Parcells for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I offer my sincerest thanks and praise. Please feel free to disregard the remainder of my missive, as you clearly display the requisite intelligence and common sense necessary to be a member of the selection committee.
If you did not vote in favor of Bill Parcells, I wonder what football games you have watched since 1983. I honestly cannot fathom what more a player, coach or executive can do to warrant induction for pro football's highest individual honor. On the off chance that you are unaware of Parcells' accomplishments, I offer a brief summary: 2 Super Bowl wins (1986, 1990), 1 additional AFC Championship (1996), 8 separate Coach of the Year awards, 10 seasons of playoff appearances and winning records in 13 of 19 seasons as a coach.
I now offer a brief elaboration. Parcells took three unquestioned laughingstocks (Giants, Patriots, Jets) and transformed them into unquestioned winners. He later restored the Dallas Cowboys as a playoff contender. He was the second coach in NFL history to lead two separate teams to a Super Bowl. He coached in three Super Bowls with three separate starting Quarterbacks (Simms, Hostetler, Bledsoe). Three of his former assistant coaches have gone on to win Super Bowls (Belichick, Coughlin, Payton).
He drafted and coached Lawrence Taylor, who is generally regarded as the greatest defensive player in NFL history. Additionally, he was the Executive Vice President of Football Operations for a Miami Dolphins team that not only won a division title in 2008, but orchestrated the greatest single-season turnaround in NFL history. That alone is evidence that everything Bill Parcells touches turns into gold.
(Marc Serota/Getty Images)
Despite all of aforementioned accolades, Parcells remains a football icon who is greater than the sum of his parts. Newly-elected Hall of Famer Curtis Martin credits Parcells for his entire playing career. Bob Knight and Tony LaRussa consider him a friend and equal. With all due respect to the members of this year's Hall of Fame Class, none of them had a two-hour documentary about their life and career broadcast on the NFL Network. Bill Parcells did. He has touched the lives of countless individuals and has become a part of pop culture. Conan O'Brien once suggested that Iraq would become the most powerful nation in the world in short order if Parcells were to lead them. All kidding aside though, the biggest joke of all is that Bill Parcells is not a Pro Football Hall of Famer today.
I do not agree with the generally-random nature of the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection process. The Hall of Fame website clearly states that "Any fan may nominate any qualified person who has been connected with pro football in any capacity simply by writing to the Pro Football Hall of Fame." Am I to believe that no one who has watched the game since 1983 spoke on Parcells' behalf? Even still, the final decisions are left to a committee of 44, regardless of any such nomination? Mike Ditka has publicly stated that he doesn't understand the process. Tom Jackson has publicly stated that it is flawed. Jerry Rice vehemently disagrees with it. I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Jackson and Mr. Rice. A Hall of Fame should have a process that is clear-cut and eligibility requirements that are simple. Not a long, drawn-out series of committee votes and a process of elimination that is arbitrary at best.
Take the National Baseball Hall of Fame for example. Any player or manager who is retired for five years is eligible, and must receive 75% of the votes to get in. If he is not elected on the first try, he must receive a minimum percentage of votes for future consideration up to fifteen years. Nobody questions Major League Baseball's process and everyone who follows baseball understands it.
(Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
For the record, I am invoking my right under the aforementioned clause to nominate Bill Parcells for next year's Pro Football Hall of Fame class.
If the NFL truly wants to be recognized as America's new favorite pastime, the Hall of Fame needs to rectify their selection process. They need to go about their business with vastly-increased common sense and as little controversy as possible. Jerry Rice sings the praises of Cris Carter, Tim Brown and Andre Reed, all of whom are deserving of Hall of Fame honors. I promise you that a lot more people are up in arms over the biggest snub of all: The Big Tuna - the greatest football coach since Vince Lombardi. If he cannot be enshrined, then not only is the system flawed, but there should not even BE a Pro Football Hall of Fame!
I implore you to reconsider your position and elect Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells in 2013.
In this day and age of instant feedback via Twitter and Facebook, I have decided to take a slightly archaic approach and direct my grievance to you the old fashioned way.
For the better part of my 35 years, I have been an ardent fan and supporter of Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells. Please note that if you were one of those who voted for Bill Parcells for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I offer my sincerest thanks and praise. Please feel free to disregard the remainder of my missive, as you clearly display the requisite intelligence and common sense necessary to be a member of the selection committee.
If you did not vote in favor of Bill Parcells, I wonder what football games you have watched since 1983. I honestly cannot fathom what more a player, coach or executive can do to warrant induction for pro football's highest individual honor. On the off chance that you are unaware of Parcells' accomplishments, I offer a brief summary: 2 Super Bowl wins (1986, 1990), 1 additional AFC Championship (1996), 8 separate Coach of the Year awards, 10 seasons of playoff appearances and winning records in 13 of 19 seasons as a coach.
I now offer a brief elaboration. Parcells took three unquestioned laughingstocks (Giants, Patriots, Jets) and transformed them into unquestioned winners. He later restored the Dallas Cowboys as a playoff contender. He was the second coach in NFL history to lead two separate teams to a Super Bowl. He coached in three Super Bowls with three separate starting Quarterbacks (Simms, Hostetler, Bledsoe). Three of his former assistant coaches have gone on to win Super Bowls (Belichick, Coughlin, Payton).
He drafted and coached Lawrence Taylor, who is generally regarded as the greatest defensive player in NFL history. Additionally, he was the Executive Vice President of Football Operations for a Miami Dolphins team that not only won a division title in 2008, but orchestrated the greatest single-season turnaround in NFL history. That alone is evidence that everything Bill Parcells touches turns into gold.
(Marc Serota/Getty Images)
Despite all of aforementioned accolades, Parcells remains a football icon who is greater than the sum of his parts. Newly-elected Hall of Famer Curtis Martin credits Parcells for his entire playing career. Bob Knight and Tony LaRussa consider him a friend and equal. With all due respect to the members of this year's Hall of Fame Class, none of them had a two-hour documentary about their life and career broadcast on the NFL Network. Bill Parcells did. He has touched the lives of countless individuals and has become a part of pop culture. Conan O'Brien once suggested that Iraq would become the most powerful nation in the world in short order if Parcells were to lead them. All kidding aside though, the biggest joke of all is that Bill Parcells is not a Pro Football Hall of Famer today.
I do not agree with the generally-random nature of the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection process. The Hall of Fame website clearly states that "Any fan may nominate any qualified person who has been connected with pro football in any capacity simply by writing to the Pro Football Hall of Fame." Am I to believe that no one who has watched the game since 1983 spoke on Parcells' behalf? Even still, the final decisions are left to a committee of 44, regardless of any such nomination? Mike Ditka has publicly stated that he doesn't understand the process. Tom Jackson has publicly stated that it is flawed. Jerry Rice vehemently disagrees with it. I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Jackson and Mr. Rice. A Hall of Fame should have a process that is clear-cut and eligibility requirements that are simple. Not a long, drawn-out series of committee votes and a process of elimination that is arbitrary at best.
Take the National Baseball Hall of Fame for example. Any player or manager who is retired for five years is eligible, and must receive 75% of the votes to get in. If he is not elected on the first try, he must receive a minimum percentage of votes for future consideration up to fifteen years. Nobody questions Major League Baseball's process and everyone who follows baseball understands it.
(Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
For the record, I am invoking my right under the aforementioned clause to nominate Bill Parcells for next year's Pro Football Hall of Fame class.
If the NFL truly wants to be recognized as America's new favorite pastime, the Hall of Fame needs to rectify their selection process. They need to go about their business with vastly-increased common sense and as little controversy as possible. Jerry Rice sings the praises of Cris Carter, Tim Brown and Andre Reed, all of whom are deserving of Hall of Fame honors. I promise you that a lot more people are up in arms over the biggest snub of all: The Big Tuna - the greatest football coach since Vince Lombardi. If he cannot be enshrined, then not only is the system flawed, but there should not even BE a Pro Football Hall of Fame!
I implore you to reconsider your position and elect Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells in 2013.
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