Miami Dolphins One Win from Playoffs at 10-5: Bill Parcells Did It Again!

The Miami Dolphins won their 10th game of the season with a back and forth, 38-31 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs today. Bill Parcells, the Dolphins' Executive Vice President of Football Operations, has once again shown an uncanny ability to get NFL franchises back on track in a very short time.

Coming off last year's 1-15 season, 2008 can be described as nothing short of a miracle, and if the Dolphins can go to New York next week and defeat the Jets, they will make the playoffs for the first time since 2001.

First-year coach Tony Sparano's name has been tossed around by the experts as a possible NFL coach of the Year candidate, quarterback Chad Pennington and linebacker Joey Porter have been mentioned as possible NFL Most Valuable players, but get it certain—this incredible season has been masterminded by one person and one person only...Bill Parcells.

When Parcells had finished as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys in 2006 it looked like that was going to be it for his football career, but Wayne Huizenga convinced him to take over his football team last year. 

Huizenga made Parcells an offer he couldn't refuse...Parcells would have total control over everything, he'd be able to "shop for the groceries" and Huizenga was prepared to back Parcells on just about any decision he'd make.

When Parcells had arrived in Dallas, the Cowboys were coming off three consecutive 5-11 seasons, and Jerry Jones had decided to spend some cash and bring in Parcells to change the direction of his football team.

2003 was the first year Parcells spent in Dallas and the team went 10-6 and made it to the play-offs. He followed up 2003 with a 6-10 season in 2004 and then went 9-7 in 2005 and 2006. He had changed the mentality in Dallas but he wasn't happy.

Jones has decided, without Parcells' approval, to sign the controversial Terrell Owens and Parcells never bought in. Parcells' long time friend Bobby Knight summed up the situation in Dallas when he said, "How would you like to coach Terrell Owens? Terrell Owens would have gotten me out of coaching a lot quicker than he got Parcells out of it."

What Parcells did in Dallas was nothing new. He had been turning around NFL franchises throughout his coaching career. Slate Magazine's David Plotz once referred to him as "Football's turnaround artist." 

When Parcells got his first head coaching job with the Giants in 1982 the Giants hadn't had a winning season in eight years. After a 3-12-1 season, the Giants went 9-7 in 1984, 10-6 in 1985, and won the Super Bowl in 1986.

Parcells had his breaks along the way. He didn't do it alone. There was a rumor after his first season as head coach with the Giants that Howard Schnellenberger was looking for a job in the NFL and the Giants were interested. That never materialized.

That wasn't the real fortune that Parcells fell upon. The best thing that ever happened to him, and he'll be the first to admit it, could be defined in two words: Lawrence Taylor!

Taylor was the greatest.  Some will tell you that Taylor was the greatest player in the history of the game and though he's only seventh on the all-time sack list(132), it's because he had two or three guys on him the whole game.

Taylor was so great that when "L.T." is used as a nickname by LaDainian Tomlinson of the San Diego Chargers, it's almost sacrilegious.

Parcells won another Super Bowl with the Giants in 1990, had two more great years with them and in 1993 he became the head coach of the New England Patriots.

New England became another one of his reformation projects. The Patriots were 14-50 in four years prior to Parcells arrival and after going 5-11 in 1993, the following year the Patriots went to the Super Bowl. Parcells stayed in New England two more years.

In 1997, Parcells took over the Jets. The Jets were 10-38 in between 1994-96 and Parcells turned the trick again. In 1997, they went 9-7 and in 1998 the Jets made it to the AFC Championship Game. Parcells left the Jets after the 1999 season.

How does he do it? Is he a magician or is he "Football's Great Dictator." 

Along with labeling him "Football's turnaround artist," David Plotz said that Parcells was  the "chainsaw Al Dunlop of the gridiron." Parcells has the reputation of a no-nonsense guy but others will tell you different.

Writer Keith Bailey wrote, "While the public persona of Parcells was one of a harsh dictator, those close to him knew that he exuded loyalty, compassion and tactical brilliance."

In New England, he was known as a teacher of pro football. He developed Drew Bledsoe from a wild gunslinger into a polished NFL quarterback. He developed Phil Simms and Jeff Hoesttler before Bledsoe, and he used  the same knowledge to realize Chad Pennington would be a the right person to quarterback the Dolphins in 2008.

Bailey also said that Parcells "thrived with friction  players, believing more adversity created character and toughness." This is exactly how he got the most out of Lawrence Taylor, Brian Cox, and look what he's gotten out of Joey Porter this year!

Parcells is the man who said to his New England team, "You must think I'm Charlie the Tuna," and he got his nickname "Tuna." He once called All-Pro wide receiver Terry Glenn, "She," and he said, "He wanted to shop for the groceries."

He's the guy, Miami. He's Miami's Miracle Man now! Tony Sparano is a no-nonsense guy like Parcells, and the Dolphins are taking on a personality that Parcells has created before...run the ball down their throat, play tough defense, and don't turn the ball over.