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DAVIE, Fla. -- Tuesdays are normally pretty quiet around the Miami Dolphins' practice facility as the players are off. In fact, the only noise that could be heard this afternoon was dance music from inside the practice bubble where the team was hosting a community relations function for area school kids getting ready to go back to school.
But at 3:24 p.m., a short, three-sentence statement was released by the team addressing a major power shift at the top of its football operations between Executive Vice President of Football Operations Bill Parcells and General Manager Jeff Ireland:
"Effective immediately, Jeff Ireland will assume full control over all aspects and decisions in regard to the Miami Dolphin football team and support staff. This was the intent of the structure put in place in the past. Bill Parcells will remain with the club on a daily consultant basis."
Just like that, the man referred to as the football czar in South Florida has turned over the keys to what was his Rolls Royce to the 39-year-old Ireland, 30 years his junior -- and just five days before Miami opens the 2010 season at the Buffalo Bills. The thinking all along was that whenever Parcells did decide it was time to move on that would mean he felt comfortable leaving the Dolphins in the hands of Ireland and head coach Tony Sparano, it just wasn't expected to happen until after his four-year contract was up at the end of the 2011 season.
Dolphins inside linebacker Channing Crowder was one of 12 players participating in the back-to-school event when the news broke and still wanted to hear it from Parcells himself before he commented. He was able to reflect on what Parcells has meant to the organization.
"Bill's a great guy. Everybody knows what he's done. He's a proven Super Bowl winning coach," Crowder said. "He's a guy that knows football and knows how to bring guys in. He's great with the personnel stuff and he's great coaching-wise helping guys out here. Having been a linebackers coach for 20 years or whatever it was, he'd pull linebackers aside and he talked to me a lot and taught me a lot, so he's just a great guy to have on your side."
Considering he is staying on as a consultant for now means Crowder and his teammates still will have Parcells on their side.
Channing Crowder Reflects on Bill Parcells' Work With Dolphins
Sep 7, 2010 – 5:52 PM
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