ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, January 26, 1997 TAG: 9701280004
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-8 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: NEW ORLEANS
SOURCE: From Associated Press and Chicago Tribune reports
MIKE HOLMGREN and Bill Parcells are as different as night and day, but both Super Bowl coaches have won over their players.
Bill Parcells' players think his office comes equipped with special buttons he pushes when he wants to motivate them.
But having Parcells hanging over his head is welcome relief for Mike Holmgren, who works with Vince Lombardi around his neck.
Rarely has a coach been the focus of a Super Bowl week as Parcells has been during this one. Not only is he by far the most recognizable Patriot, but tonight's game against Green Bay is likely to be his last with New England, a subject he has tried unsuccessfully to dodge this week.
But it is not the Bill Parcells Trophy that Holmgren is trying to take back to Green Bay. If you think being the underdog wallflower coach to Parcells in a Super Bowl is a burden, try working on a speech about why you left the Lombardi Trophy behind.
His Packers are big favorites, which practically puts Holmgren in a no-win position against Parcells' New England Patriots. However, Holmgren did win a Milwaukee television popularity poll to determine the best Packers coach by a 2-1 margin this past week, not bad considering Lombardi is dead.
``You might expect that name gets brought up on occasion,'' Holmgren said. ``I had to think about that and how I was going to handle that personally, because it's a name that I don't think any of the rest of us who have followed him could live up to. He accomplished so much and did so much for the NFL. His record was unbelievable. I had to be myself and do the best I could do my way.''
Lombardi never rode around on a Harley-Davidson, for one thing, nor did his wife ever give him a guitar for Christmas. And Holmgren is the only NFL coach whose TV show is sponsored by a bratwurst company. Lombardi never had players saying fondly, ``He takes care of us.'' Or, as safety LeRoy Butler said of Holmgren, ``He's like our father.''
That's the last thing the Patriots would call Parcells. He referred to rookie wide receiver Terry Glenn as ``she'' during training camp.
``Some days he tells you he loves you, other days he tells you that you'll be cut if you don't shape up,'' said guard William Roberts, who has played for Parcells in 10 of his 13 NFL seasons. ``You know he's playing you, but he gets the best out of you.''
It's typical of Parcells to know what his football team will do, but to be unsure of what he wants to do personally.
Since 1986, when he won his first Super Bowl with the New York Giants, Parcells has been in his own words, ``year to year.'' Some would reduce the time frame to ``day to day.''
``You think I know Bill Parcells? I don't think anyone knows Bill, even himself,'' said David Meggett, who has played for him with New York and New England.
Parcells is the second coach (Don Shula is the other) to take two franchises to Super Bowls. If he wins today, he'll be the only one to win with two franchises.
This week, he has convinced them his experience in two Super Bowls will overcome the Packers, who are a 14-point favorite.
``How can you not listen to what he tells you?'' said middle linebacker Ted Johnson. ``He's been to two Super Bowls and he's won both of them.''
What makes Holmgren effective is what makes any coach effective: His players believe he knows what he is talking about.
``Don't get me wrong,'' defensive end Sean Jones said. ``He's a head coach. He's a [jerk] like every head coach. But what he is, as opposed to a lot of head coaches I've been around, is he's fair.''
Packers backup offensive lineman Jeff Dellenbach, who played for Parcells and Holmgren this season, calls them ``both great coaches. Mike is more logical about things. He's in control, not the yeller or screamer. Parcells can jump in your face.''
Holmgren loves to set the tone for a week, to warn players of a theme, to prepare them for possible questions by the media, to avoid surprises, to eliminate distractions. He also must find ``the thin line between getting ready and overpreparing.''
Holmgren's development of quarterback Brett Favre is his signature achievement. If Holmgren didn't receive the proper credit for his work as a 49ers assistant with Joe Montana or Steve Young, he has earned it with Favre.
Favre gives Holmgren ``a lot of credit,'' but admits, ``There were rough times with me and him. There were times I thought he would pull me and he stuck with me.''
To defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur, Holmgren has ``the mark of a great coach'' because he has the ``ability to create an environment where people are successful.''
The same certainly can be said of Parcells. He just goes about it differently.
There was only one Lombardi, but every coach knows winning is the only thing.
LENGTH: Medium: 96 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. 1. Vince Lombardi, the coach whose name is on theby CNBSuper Bowl winner's trophy, has been a tough act to follow.
(headshots) 2. Parcells. 3. Holmgren. Graphic: Chart by AP. KEYWORDS: FOOTBALL