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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Fassel Earns Coach Of The Year Honors

Associated Press

Jim Fassel, who in his rookie season led the New York Giants from last to first in the NFC East, was voted NFL coach of the year by the Associated Press on Wednesday.

Fassel collected 20 votes from a nationwide panel of 48 sportswriters and broadcasters. He doubled the total of runner-up Marty Schottenheimer of Kansas City.

Tampa Bay’s Tony Dungy was next with eight, followed by Bill Parcells of the New York Jets, Bill Cowher of Pittsburgh and Steve Mariucci of San Francisco, each with three, and Jimmy Johnson of Miami with one.

“If you asked me in my wildest dreams did you think the team could win nine or 10 games, I did,” Fassel said. “And if you asked me in my wildest dreams did you think the team could make the playoffs this year, yes I did. And in your wildest dreams did you ever think you could win the division, and yeah, I really did think we could.

“But after they told me I won this award, I went home and thought about it. And you know if you asked me in my wildest dreams, did you think you would be coach of the year, no I didn’t.”

Fassel, 48, replaced Dan Reeves, who feuded with the Giants’ front office.

After spending 1991 and ‘92 as an offensive assistant with the Giants, Fassel was the offensive coordinator for two seasons at Denver.

He next spent a year as quarterbacks coach with the Raiders and then was the offensive coordinator in Arizona last season.