MercuryBay-Gibbs knows odds not in his favor

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Gibbs knows odds not in his favor

BY GARY MYERS

New York Daily News

PALM BEACH, Fla. - (KRT) - Joe Gibbs got an E-mail from Bill Parcells after he returned to the Redskins in January.

"Basically it said, "Does this mean we can't talk for the next five years?" Gibbs said on Wednesday on the final day of the league meetings. "I don't think we talked all the time we coached against each other before."

Gibbs doesn't know how to use E-mail, so he never replied to Parcells. He planned on talking to him this week, but Parcells didn't show up.

Parcells vs. Gibbs was one of the best coaching matchups in NFL history when Parcells was with the Giants and Gibbs was in his first act with the Redskins. Now they'll be trying to outsmart each other twice a year again with Gibbs back in Washington and Parcells in Dallas. "I always told him, `You kept me from getting three more Super Bowl rings,' " Gibbs said with his characteristic giggle.

Gibbs, already in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, risks damaging his legacy by coming out of retirement. He won three Super Bowls in 12 seasons, and now, after sitting out 11 seasons, there is no guarantee of success.

"I'd say that was the first thing I thought of," Gibbs said. "I think the odds are stacked against me. To go back and be real successful at something is extremely hard. I go in with my eyes wide open knowing this is kind of next to impossible to do. I felt it was a great challenge and something that would be fun to try and do. I know it's a tough deal."

But he is energetic and enthusiastic after recharging his football battery for more than a decade. He held his first team meeting and mini-camp last week. He told his players he doesn't have many rules except to use "common sense and don't embarrass the Redskins."

Gibbs has nothing but great things to say about Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, who idolizes Gibbs and has spent plenty of money to overhaul the roster and give him what he wants. Gibbs is excited about picking up Clinton Portis from Denver. He thinks he has a great quarterback combination with the addition of veteran Mark Brunell to go along with Patrick Ramsey, the Skins' No. 1 pick in 2002.

The perception is that because Gibbs loves veteran QBs, it's a given the former Jaguar will start. The Redskins gave Brunell $8.6 million to sign.

"I'm coaching the football team. I'm going to get run out of here if I don't win," Gibbs said. "Now am I going to start somebody because he makes a lot of money? I don't think so. I'm going to start the best guy who gives me the best chance to keep me from getting booed and called all those nasty names."

Gibbs is incredibly humble considering his accomplishments. He does not wear any of his Super Bowl rings. "The past means nothing with the exception of great memories," he said. "I've got to prove myself. I'm starting all over again is the way I look at it."

After making a huge mistake with Steve Spurrier, a flop in two seasons, Snyder got incredibly lucky Gibbs wanted back in. Now Snyder just needs to get out of the way and let Gibbs recreate the magic.

CAUGHT IN DRAFT: It may change more than a few times in the 23 days before the draft, but the latest speculation on the three picks before it's the Giants' turn: San Diego takes Ole Miss QB Eli Manning; Oakland takes Texas WR Roy Williams, who had a great workout last week and has jumped way up the board; Arizona takes Pitt WR Larry Fitzgerald. If it plays out that way, the Giants will have a choice of Iowa LT Robert Gallery or Miami (Ohio) QB Ben Roethlisberger. It would be a tough call for them. Here's how the Giants feel about the top two QBs in the draft: They like Roethlisberger a lot. They love Manning, and will try to trade up to get him. They need Gallery, who could go as high as No. 2 to the Raiders, but don't seem committed to Kerry Collins for the long term and may look to set up their future with Roethlisberger. . . . The NFL voted to assess 15-yard penalties in addition to already fining players for group celebrations. . . . Talk of future Super Bowls, including a game at the Jets' planned retractable roof stadium on the West Side, was not discussed on the final day of the league meetings on Wednesday, but is expected to come up at the May meetings in Jacksonville. Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said it was unlikely to pick a specific year for a Super Bowl in New York, but when asked if the league would commit to putting a Super Bowl at the Jets stadium with the date to be determined, he said, "I would think that we could do that." The league did that for Tampa, Houston, Detroit and Arizona. . . . Tagliabue revealed there have been discussions about eventually putting games on the NFL Network. "It's a long-term thing," he said. "We don't see that in the near term." . . . Jets signed former Cowboys punter Toby Gowin, who replaces Dan Stryzinski. Gowin, who also handles kickoffs, finished 28th in gross punting average and 16th in net last season.

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