I was watching a 22 minute youtube video earlier today called ‘Best of Bill Parcells mic’d up.’
Given everything that’s been going on with Dan Bailey, the Vikings kicker, the past couple weeks I thought it would be great to point out this particular highlight:
When in pregame warmups while coaching the Patriots during the mid 90s, Parcells was told by a team doctor that kicker Matt Bahr was experiencing the flu.
Parcells walked around his players while they were stretching saying stuff like “Our little honey-bunch got a little case of the flu.’
“We gotta crisis every 15 minutes around here, our little Matt Bahr has the flu now.”
Up and down the lines he went, talking shit about his kicker to anyone who’d listen.
“Tell him to throw up on his own time,” as a couple of players within ear shot share a laugh.
A little bit of time elapses and the team doctor comes back up to Parcells…
“He’s alright, he just won’t be in top form,” the physician says.
“Huh?” says Parcells.
“He’ll be able to play, he just won’t be in top form,” He reiterates.
“Tell him he don’t have to play doc, all he has to do is kick.”
That pretty much sums it up. Beautifully put.
Meanwhile it looks like Dan Bailey is gonna survive the week and keep his job as the Vikings kicker.
Odd, considering his recent misfires.
Not to mention the fact that his coach, Mike Zimmer, is famously proud of the fact that he’s a Bill Parcells disciple.
I can’t imagine they’ll need a field goal kicker to perform well down the stretch anyway, seeing as how 5 of their 6 wins this year have come by 8 points or less.
I’m sure the last three games the Vikings will be in full blowout mode.
Just need to focus on getting Bailey ready for the playoffs.