College Coach Versus College GM – Who Will Wear the Pants?

During an abrupt exit from the New England Patriots organization, head coach Bill Parcells minced no words: “If they want you to cook the dinner, at least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries.” Parcells had been successfully operating as the organization’s head coach and general manager; however, his disgruntlement stemming from owner Robert Kraft’s overinvolvement in personnel decisions led the Hall of Fame coach to depart immediately following a Super Bowl appearance in the 1996 season. In Parcells’s and many other coaches’ eyes, implementing their unique systems requires them to hold complete control. Without it, they cannot do their job.

This is not a singular phenomenon in professional sports. Tensions between coaches, owners, and general managers are common. For the greatest chance of on-field success, a professional marriage is necessary to ensure more harmony than conflict and define the roles for each position. When egos in the room become too big, strategic thinking becomes too divergent, or goals are not mutually aligned, it is usually the first sign of an organizational collapse.