Bill Parcells: Former Head Coach Must Be Included in Hall of Fame 2012 Class

The NFL is a "what-have-you-done-for-me-lately" type of league, and Bill Parcells hasn't had many Hall-of-Fame accomplishments in the recent past. 

Fortunately for Parcells, this is an instance where that doesn't matter. 

Parcells, one of 17 Hall of Fame finalists this year, last worked as the executive vice president of football operations for the Miami Dolphins. He might be most remembered for his two Super Bowl victories in the late 1980s (second of which came in 1990), but he's done so much more than that.

Completely resurrecting four separate franchises might be a good place to start. 

The year is 1982. The New York Giants are coming off a 4-5 season and have failed to make the playoffs for the 18th time in the last 19 seasons. They decide to go against the norm and hire from within the franchise.

Enter the passionate Bill Parcells, a defensive-minded guru who had been serving as linebackers coach.

All Parcells did was save the franchise—no big deal. In eight years, he led the G-men to a 77-49 record, five playoff appearances and two Super Bowl victories.

It was the type of success New York hadn't seen in the last 20 years.  

After a brief retirement, Parcells took his talents to New England, where he had the same success.

The Pats were coming off a two-win and a one-win year in the previous three seasons, but that didn't scare Bill.

In large part because of his tutelage of the young Drew Bledsoe, Parcells turned this team into a successful one. He led the Pats to two winning seasons in four years and took them to a Super Bowl in 1997.

Although the playoff success was minimal after that, Parcells went on to turn around two more franchises in the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys.

The Jets, who had four wins in the two season before Parcells, had 21 in his first two in charge.

The Cowboys were coming off three consecutive five-win seasons and achieved a 10-win season in his first year. If Tony Romo wasn't Tony Romo, they probably would have advanced further in the playoffs, too.

So, if two Super Bowl rings doesn't automatically get this coach into the Hall of Fame, look at it this way:

He rescued four horrendous franchises, turned a lame defensive scheme into a terrifying monster, mentored top players and coaches and has since worked on being successful in the front office for the former 1-15 Dolphins.

Fortunately for Parcells, who needs 36 of 44 media votes to make the Hall, his chances are looking very good. At least Bill Belichick thinks so.

Hey, if Belichick thinks so, you know it's the right decision.