Parcells can’t mask his frustrations

Friday, Nov. 19, 2004 | 10:02 a.m.

SUN WIRE REPORTS

Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells arrived at his office Thursday in Irving, Texas, to find a handful of voice messages from friends, former players and fellow coaches.

Thursday was not the first time, either. They have been calling a lot lately, what with the Cowboys' 3-6 record and Parcells looking and sounding frustrated beyond relief at times.

"It's like a funeral," he said, wryly.

They are concerned about Parcells because they know him. His personality is not the kind that does well with double-digit losses and collective stupidity. Not that you "have" to know him to know this. All you have to do is watch his face harden into a scowl as he walks off the field after games to figure out he is nota good loser. Such body language is what led former San Francisco 49ers quarterback-turned-ESPN analyst Steve Young to say he thinks the Cowboys coach might not be back next season.

"What does he know?" Parcells said Thursday, adding somewhat to his terse answer the day before regarding what he called "a ridiculous question."

It also remins unanswered.

Parcells never said "Yes, I'm coming back" or "I'm digging in" or "I'm positive we can get this thing righted." He instead noted that he does not possess a crystal ball and therefore does not know what will happen before next season.

"I'm working. That's all I can tell you," said Parcells, whose Cowboys' contract runs through the 2006 season. "I'm trying to get to Baltimore. That's what I'm doing. That's what coaches do. It's football season. When football season is over, you think about what you have to do next year. It's as simple as that, so just because somebody is running their mouth, with no basis for that, I can't respond to all of those."

Bonita Favre was admitted to the hospital, where she was resting comfortably after being given fluids and antibiotics.