It’s America’s Team Versus Parcell’s Team No-Name Patriots Set For Super Bowl Showdown With Big-Name Packers

A week from now, the world may know some of the other New England Patriots. For now, however, the Super Bowl is the Green Bay Packers against Bill Parcells.

As the teams arrived Sunday for the beginning of a week of hype, Green Bay already had assumed its role for the Jan. 26 title game - this year’s version of America’s team. New England was, well, Parcells’ team.

In a sporting goods store adjacent to the headquarters hotel, cheeseheads were stacked to the ceiling next to rack after rack of green jerseys with Favre’s No. 4 and White’s No. 92. There was one T-shirt on sale featuring Drew Bledsoe, Terry Glenn and Curtis Martin.

In fact, someone could probably make a mint selling items with a tuna on them. “Tuna” is the nickname bestowed on Parcells by his players when he led the New York Giants to Super Bowl victories in 1986 and 1990.

Parcells is only the second coach (Don Shula with Baltimore and Miami is the other) to lead two different franchises to the Super Bowl. And if he wins as a two-touchdown underdog, he will become the first coach to win with two franchises and the one who broke a 12-game AFC losing streak.

He is also part of the NFL’s other postseason spectacle - coaching change. His contract expires after the Super Bowl, and five coachless franchises - and New England owner Robert Kraft - are awaiting his next move.

By contrast, Green Bay coach Mike Holmgren is overshadowed by his stars, particularly Favre and White, although Holmgren has been to Super Bowls as an assistant with the 49ers.

Favre, who has been the NFL’s MVP the last two seasons, grew up in Kiln, Miss., just 50 miles east of New Orleans along the Mississippi Gulf coast. Dozens of reporters already have made the pilgrimage there, noting, among other things, that a Brett Favre doll made of cheese is on sale for $5.

White, the NFL’s career sack leader, is in his first Super Bowl after 12 seasons - a sentimental journey if there ever was one.

Bill Parcells will coach his last game for the New England Patriots when they play the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl, the Boston Globe reported today.

In a story citing unidentified sources, Globe writer Will McDonough said the situation between Parcells and owner Bob Kraft could end up in court.

The poor relationship between Parcells and Kraft has been well-documented, and it has been expected that the New York Jets will try to hire Parcells once the Super Bowl is over.

That may not happen if Kraft gets his way.

Robert Fraley, agent for Parcells, said he was headed to New England to try to resolve the situation, but said Kraft called the meeting off and instead sent him a letter informing him that he will seek some kind of compensation from any NFL team that attempts to sign Parcells following the Super Bowl.