NFL Notes; He’s no she: Parcells in trouble

Wednesday, Aug. 28, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

SUN WIRE REPORTS

New England coach Bill Parcells was trying to motivate rookie Terry Glenn when he referred to the injured wide receiver as "she."

But Patriots owner Robert Kraft thought the comment crossed the boundary of good taste.

"That's not the standard we want to set. That's not the way we do things," Kraft said Tuesday. "It's just like there was a player last year that gave the finger to the crowd: He's not here anymore."

Kraft said he let his feelings be known to Parcells. Asked about the content of that conversation, Kraft repeated the story about the finger-waving player and its moral: "He's not here anymore."

Parcells did not return a call seeking comment.

Patriots observers say Parcells has addressed other players similarly in the past. But it attracted more attention this time because of the draft-day power struggle over whether to select the Ohio State wideout in the first place.

Parcells wanted to take a defensive player with the No. 7 pick overall, but the Patriots took Glenn because of Kraft's feeling that the team needs to upgrade its offense if it is to compete for a Super Bowl title.

Then, Glenn injured his hamstring and missed the entire exhibition season with what Parcells insisted was a mild strain. Asked about Glenn one day at training camp, Parcells said, "She's making progress."

Kraft's wife, Myra, said at last week's kickoff luncheon that Parcells' comment was "disgraceful."

"I hope he's chastised for that," she said, clenching her eyelids and pursing her lips in obvious anger. "It was the wrong thing for anyone to say."

The problem was also magnified because of this spring's Christian Peter fiasco, in which the team drafted the Nebraska defensive lineman and then renounced the rights to him after an outcry over his history of violence against women.

Both incidents attracted negative attention to the team, including columns in the news sections of The Boston Globe.

* 49ERS ADD TACKLE: With their depth at offensive tackle reduced by injuries, the San Francisco 49ers signed Steve Wallace on Tuesday. Wallace, a 6-foot-5, 280-pound left tackle, was cut by the 49ers during the offseason. The 49ers said his scheduled salary for 1996 of $1.625 million was too high after his production declined last year. The former Pro Bowl player signed with the Philadelphia Eagles but was released.

* STEELERS LOSE SEALS: Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher is fond of saying injuries and misfortune for some create opportunities for others. If that's true, the Steelers have already created enough opportunities to satisfy most teams for a season. The Steelers, who lost two key starters in their opener last season, didn't even wait until opening day to lose pass-rush specialist Ray Seals for the season with a torn right rotator cuff. The 31-year-old Seals will require surgery and a six-month rehabilitation period.

* JAGUARS' MEANS OUT: A torn ligament in his right thumb will keep running back Natrone Means out of the Jacksonville Jaguars' opener Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Means, two years removed from a Pro Bowl season, sprained the thumb in the Jaguars' final preseason game Friday at Denver. Doctors found a torn ligament Monday and he underwent surgery to repair it. Coach Tom Coughlin said he was optimistic Means would be back for the Sept. 8 game against Houston.