Should Bill Parcells be in Patriots Hall of Fame? Issue sparks heated debate

Leave it to Bill Parcells to get everyone all worked up.

The longtime NFL coach and executive, who coached in New England from 1993 to 1996, is one of three finalists for the Patriots Hall of Fame alongside Richard Seymour and Mike Vrabel.

Turns out he's also one of the most polarizing figures in franchise history.

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Our Tom E. Curran wrote a column Thursday arguing that, despite his merits, Parcells will never enter the team's Hall of Fame because fans won't vote him in.

That column apparently touched a nerve, as Parcells fans and detractors alike flooded our mentions to carp over the Tuna's New England legacy.

So what do you, the fan, think about Parcells' contributions to the franchise? Let's start with the positives.

The Pro-Parcells Camp

You believe the Patriots' 21st-century dynasty would have never happened without Parcells, who drafted several core members of the future Super Bowl champions -- Ty Law, Willie McGinest, Terry Glenn, Tedy Bruschi and Lawyer Milloy, to name a few -- and changed the culture of a laughingstock franchise.

Well, that is stupid if Pats fans because Parcells is in large part the reason BB became the Head Coach of the Pats. While Kraft ultimately went with Carroll, in the end, BB is here and Parcells is a big reason why. pic.twitter.com/VKLt74EiMO

— B • Mar (@b_marderosian) April 30, 2020

I’m a season tick holder and I think Parcells should definitely be in. Changed the culture of Pats and drafted well. And James Orthwein owner at the time hired Parcells and that immediately drew thousands of fans to the stadium and to Pats nation.

— Long Drink (@emcgona) April 30, 2020

https://twitter.com/TheLoonyRebel/status/1255905364748443648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

No way ! He deserves to be there for restarting the franchise. Without him in NE , Belichick would not have had the foundation of players to pull off 2001

— Chad Lamoureux (@chadl76) April 30, 2020

Bill Parcells gave @Patriots instant credibility when he was hired. As such, he should be inducted in some way to @PatriotHall . Younger People in NE have no idea what a piece of crap organization pats were prior to Parcells

— Georgia Tech (@dropbackten) April 30, 2020

Via Roger Beaulieu on Facebook: "(Parcells) laid the foundation for what we all just witnessed for decades. New team. New attitude. New uniforms. It all changed when he arrived, plus he introduced Kraft to (Belichick) so that has to account for something."

Via Stevie Hayden on Facebook: "If it wasn't for Bill Parcells none of this is (possible).... no Bledsoe no Bruschi no Law No all guys Belichick had on the first superbowl win... except (Bledsoe) was cooked by then..."

Via Mike Tullo on Facebook: "The man belongs in !!! He gave instant credibility to a sad franchise ! Yes Kraft bought the team and didn’t move the franchise but it was Parcells that made them legit!"

Via Billy Whalen on Facebook: "I don’t get the hate. He was instrumental putting the Pats on the map. You can complain about the way he left, but not the body of work or the mark he left."

Via Matt Mac on Facebook: "These people who vote against Parcells are out of their minds. If it wasn’t for him coming here BEFORE KRAFT and restoring a shred of relevance and respectability to the laughingstock of the league, they would’ve recently celebrated their 25th Anniversary as the St. Louis Stallions."

• Tanguay: Why Parcells belongs in the Pats Hall of Fame

The Anti-Parcells Camp

You still can't forgive Parcells for, well, a lot of things: His lackluster coaching performance against the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXI, a disagreement with Patriots owner Robert Kraft (remember the "groceries" line?) that led to him joining with the rival New York Jets and his subsequent poaching of star running back Curtis Martin.

Besides, the guy went 32-32 over just four seasons in New England.

He screwed us over on the way out.. never forget https://t.co/c38xjWsOJR

— Skip (@Thudias) April 30, 2020

https://twitter.com/onemorering/status/1255909761931005957?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/GoSoxPatsBsCs/status/1255909303678009347?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Via Dan Aaronson on Facebook: "He simply doesn’t deserve a place in the Patriots Hall of Fame. No question his career accomplishments entitle him to a spot in the Football HOF, but his contributions to the Pats specifically? Zero Super Bowl titles. He accepted another job (Jets) at a time when he should’ve been 100% focused on preparing the Pats for the one Super Bowl to which he did lead them."

Via Jay Hoff on Facebook: "You shouldn't get to quit on a team the week before the Super Bowl and think you can make it into that franchises Hall of fame."

Via Timothy Fagan on Facebook: "Well when you sign Curtis Martin & play the game with signing Bill B as head coach of the Jet’s & get all the draft picks. Oh well Tuna is not in season yet;-))"

Via Michael Farrow on Facebook: "He has no business being in there after an up & down tenure that ended with him mailing in a SB prep while he had one foot in the Jets door. FOH."

Via Jonathan Labastida on Facebook: "Putting him in the Patriots HOF for going to a Super Bowl and coming away with nothing? Then leaving for Jets like a traitor? Is that where Patriots fans put the bar for the HOF?"

Patriots fans have until May 8 to vote for their 2020 Patriots Hall of Fame inductee. It sounds like the jury is very much still out on Parcells.

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