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Coach Howard Schnellenberger’s death on March 27 at age 87 was a reminder of how dramatically one man’s decision in 1984 impacted the fortunes of the Giants franchise forever. In 1983, Schnellenberger had led his rebuilt Miami Hurricanes to a national championship. That same season, Bill Parcells’ first Giants team had gone 3-12-1. Parcells’ parents had both died that year. He’d started Scott Brunner over Phil Simms. And the team was devastated by injuries. So Giants GM George Young offered Schnellenberger the Giants’ head coaching job. Young had been an assistant coach on Schnellenberger’s Baltimore Colts staff in the mid-1970s. He was ready to replace Parcells if Schnellenberger said yes. But he turned Young down. Schnellenberger instead took a job running the USFL’s Spirit of Miami, an arrangement that collapsed and led to his return to college with Louisville in 1985. Saying “no” to the Giants, meanwhile, created a domino effect still impacting the Giants today. Parcells stayed and won the franchise’s first two Super Bowls in 1986 and 1990, but he also never forgot Young’s attempt to replace him and left after winning his second championship. Bill Belichick stayed on as the Giants’ defensive coordinator because Parcells stayed, and his success in New York would springboard him to becoming arguably the greatest head coach in NFL history with the New England Patriots. Fast forward to the modern-day Giants, who pursued and interviewed Belichick Patriots assistants Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia before hiring New England special teams coordinator Joe Judge last winter. It all connects back to Schnellenberger saying no to Young after the 1983 season. Talk about a defining moment. |
Back atcha buddy. I vaguely recall that in BP’s book. The thing is, Young was stubborn as hell, do you think he would have cared if Schnellenberger had said yes? Just asking as I have no idea.
All time great coach, but a man who seemingly always had his eye on the next destination.
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just saying no. Parcells got wind of it and told Al Davis, who said he'd "take care of it". Davis then told Jimmy the Greek, how spilled it on the NFL Today that the Giants were pursuing him. Young and the Mars went into complete denial mode after that. It's in Parcells' book.
Back atcha buddy. I vaguely recall that in BP’s book. The thing is, Young was stubborn as hell, do you think he would have cared if Schnellenberger had said yes? Just asking as I have no idea.
very possible. we'll never know, but it all worked out pretty well.
Sure, he could have, but 2 titles in that era is pretty hard to top.
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Schellenberger could not have had more success than Parcells?
Sure, he could have, but 2 titles in that era is pretty hard to top.
No doubt. Just saying he was a very accomplished coach. Was on the staff for National Championships (Alabama), coached his own NC team and OC for Shula's undefeated team.
Probably fair to say the Giants hired the wrong coordinator from that ‘72 Miami team. Though I doubt Lombardi himself could have done much with the talent Arnsparger had here.
Parcells left voluntarily and left behind an aging but competitive team. Coughlin left kicking and screaming and left behind a talentless disaster, not saying it was his fault, but the Giants still made the playoffs the next season.
We will have to wait along time to have a coach equal to either of them, even if that guy is Joe Judge.
Honestly winning two Super Bowls in 5 years especially in an NFC packed with the Niners, Skins and Bears of that era was a mega accomplishment. No way do I think HS would have matched Parcell's record here.
Honestly winning two Super Bowls in 5 years especially in an NFC packed with the Niners, Skins and Bears of that era was a mega accomplishment. No way do I think HS would have matched Parcell's record here.
Just not playing against Reggie White every year would have been a victory in itself!
I’m not sure he was wrong especially at that time. Look at how BB bailed out on the chance to coach the Jets.
As an aside, why does Parcells get a pass for, what I think was, deliberately screwing the team when he finally did leave. I think his flirting with Atlanta was pretty low class but finally leaving at the start of the exhibit season almost guaranteed a bad season. I don’t know what he told the front office before hand but I suspect he didn’t. From the majority of fans, it seems to me, he gets a pass.
LOS, to me it was the timing. If that surgery took place post XXV, I stand corrected. But he sorta let us holding our dicks in the wind leaving that spring instead of right after the Super Bowl.
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He actually had open heart surgery and says he was not well. So I am not sure where all that Parcells screwed the Giants came from.
LOS, to me it was the timing. If that surgery took place post XXV, I stand corrected. But he sorta let us holding our dicks in the wind leaving that spring instead of right after the Super Bowl.
He may of. We did not have the social media and such. I am sure he had a little resentment from the George Young issue. He had a serious health issue. I will always give him a pass I guess. He got the Giants over the top. LT adored him and I do think many other players just wanted to give everything for him recognizing BB was a genious. Those teams to me were so much about grit, toughness and Bill was the catalyst at least at that time imo.
The team was 3-13-1.....Parcells expected full faith and confidence from the GM of a storied franchise when the fan base is screaming for blood? Parcells couldn't understand the Front Office's position given the circumstances?
Wasn't there something where BB was dating a secretary - or something to that extent - and GY frowned upon it.
So while he respected BB's football acumen, he wasn't a fan of his ethics. And probably held that against him from being hired...........