Parcells Takes Issue With Coughlin Over Reaction To Kneel-Down Play
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Seemingly everybody has an opinion on the Buccaneers' controversial kneel-down play against the Giants that took place in the final second of last week's game.
And legendary former Giants and Jets head coach Bill Parcells is no exception.
But you may be surprised by his take on the issue.
Parcells was not pleased with the way Giants head coach Tom Coughlin, Parcells' former assistant, handled himself during the postgame handshake with Bucs head coach Greg Schiano.
"I think I would've handled it a little differently if I was on the other side," Parcells said in an interview on SiriusXM's Mad Dog Radio. "I may have not called attention to it at that time and maybe made a phone call a little later in the next week."
Coughlin was visibly furious with Schiano after the Bucs' defense attacked the Giants on the final play of the game. The cameras caught him yelling and getting into the opposing coaches' face. Parcells said that Coughlin needs to control himself better when all eyes are on him.
"It's a different time now," Parcells said. "There's so much more scrutiny on these coaches. When I was coaching I didn't have 150 people running to midfield to watch me shake hands with the opponents' coach. We had some, but we didn't have that many. Now it's a different day and I think you have to guard against some of that stuff."
As for his thoughts on the play? He didn't agree with Schiano's decision, but he understood where the young coach was coming from.
"I think it's kind of a gentlemen's agreement," Parcells said. "We both know that it's over with five seconds to go. You know, I do understand Schiano's point of view. He's trying to get his team to finish these games, and maybe that was a teaching point for him at that point. I just think there's a gentlemen's agreement. You prefer those things not happen or you not have to be faced with that as an opponent."
Coughlin and many of his players have remained insistent that the play was "bush league," and Schiano has defended his actions, maintaining that he did nothing wrong.
Does Parcells have a point? Should Coughlin have waited and dealt with Schiano in private, or was his postgame reaction perfectly acceptable? Sound off with your thoughts and comments below...
