They didn’t quite make it this year, but the New England Patriots achieved what Coach Bill Parcells was hoping for when he said after taking over in 1993, “I want to improve the Patriots to the point where we can compete for a championship. I pledge to the fans and the players that I won’t rest until we approach that goal.”

Parcells then joined the New York Jets in February of this year as head coach. Prior to coaching the Patriots, Parcells spent seven years as head coach for the New York Giants, during which time they recorded six winning seasons, including five trips to the playoffs and two Superbowl Championships.

Despite these two victories, Parcells said before this year’s Superbowl that he was enjoying this latest trip a lot more. “I have a greater appreciation for how hard it is to get here. When you’re first starting out, you really don’t know how hard it is.”

Parcells was born Bill O’Shea, and Parcells was the name of the relative who brought him up. A tough, no-nonsense type, Parcells cultivates the blue-collar image of his team and himself.