NFL Smackdown: Live Miami, Fla.
By Brian Miller
VS.
Jason “Twinkle Toes” Taylor Bill “The Tuna” Parcells
N.F.L. S.M.A.C.K.D.O.W.N!
LIVE – Miami, Florida
April 28th – September 1st?
In one corner stands reigning NFL Man of the Year Jason Taylor and in the other Super Bowl ring wearing Bill Parcells. Neither are talking, both have egos larger than N.Y. City. Both have fans supporting their every decision right or wrong. When the final hammer is laid down, only the fans of the Miami Dolphins will suffer. That is where it starts, and that is where it ends. Everything in between is a childish game of “I’m the rubber and your the glue“.
No, the verbal sparring has yet to commence, but until JT is traded or picks up the phone to reach out to Bill Parcells, or vice versa, it is only a matter of time before does.
For Jason this is not the first time he has had a run in with Miami hierarchy. Initially, JT was very unpleased with the system that Nick Saban brought, last year, JT butted heads throughout the season with HC Cam Cameron, now, that person is Bill Parcells. Has JT become ego inflated? Or has his frustrations finally caught up with him?
For Parcells the story is a little different, his ego has always been inflated. It is what makes him the Tuna. It is why fans like him, love him, hate him, and respect him. Make no mistake about it, he too has a child’s side as well. He can just as soon ignore you as say hello and his dog house is a laundry list of All-Pro NFL players and probably a couple of Hall of Famers to boot.
Jason has endured 11 years on a team who has not sniffed post season games in 6 years. Parcells it seems rarely does not. You would think that the two, who undeniably need each other now, would be working together instead of facing a temper tantrum with no winners.
Jason wants a trade. Parcells won’t say what he wants.
Jason wants to play for a contender. Parcells still wants everyone to believe that the show is Jeff Ireland’s to run.
The fans just want a winner again.
After enduring a painful tenure under Dave Wannstedts watch, the Dolphin fans endured unfulfilled promises and by the quitting Nick Saban when at first glance the Phins began to show promise. A 1-15 season that came one missed field goal away from being 0-16 had to be endured while the rival Patriots ran the season to one game shy of perfection. Something that Miami fans hold closer in these days than they revere the retired Dan Marino.
A fight is about to begin. Two behemoth NFL juggernauts setting themselves up for a fight. At a time when the team and it’s fans need something positive instead of more negative. While JT “Dances with the Stars”, Parcells dances around talk of trading the 34 year old DE.
While JT denies he will retire, he does nothing to help his cause. Refusing to commit to NFL life beyond 2008. While Parcells plays while you were out with the bottom Phins he builds not around the DE but in spite of him.
While Jason asks for nothing more than the opportunity provided to his brother-in-law and former teammate, Zach Thomas, Parcells only asks for Jason to be a leader, a leader he has been for 11 years.
Jason dances. Parcells quells his anger.
While Taylors’ agent Gary Wichard makes phone calls asking for the Dolphins to trade his client, Parcells and Ireland play the “We want him here” card. The draft is over, picks will be for next year. Players may be now. Taylor is the goose.
The smoke is far from settling as the embers have yet to fully ignite the situation. After this weekend, it is not far from becoming an inferno. No winners. Just losers. At the bottom again is the fan. They are the ones who can’t buy the tickets to watch, but hear the cheering and laughter from their rival’s fan-base. More of the same. A common annoyance for the last 6 years.
Where it goes is anyones guess. Jason may retire rather than face one year under this regime. A likely scenario if given the chance. Last year Jason quit in losing games, tired, worn out, beaten. No one blamed him. This year, he may quit all together. Money or no money, Jason Taylor is set for life and Bill Parcells doesn’t care one way or the other.
NFL Smackdown 2008. Pick a side, make your case, either way…your going to lose. This is one fight that shouldn’t never have gotten this far to begin with, and it really isn’t quite that far along…yet.