Tom Coughlin's Legacy

Move over Rasputin! Tom Coughlin has a tendency for survival that rivals even a cat.

For a man who has been on the hot seat pretty much since getting the New York Giants head coaching job, Coughlin seems to get the most out of his team when it matters most. In the eight years he has been there, he has been rumored to be fired more often than Billy Martin. He has gotten less respect than Rodney Dangerfield felt that he got. Yet, along the way, the Giants have won their division four times, won a Super Bowl, and only had one losing season – his first. If that type of success can get a coach almost fired multiple times during the season, then you have to wonder what the expectations are for the Giants. 16-0 every regular season?

Now that Coughlin has reached his second Super Bowl, he may be poised to pass someone that happens to be considered the greatest coach in Giants history – Bill Parcells. As it stands now, Coughlin is not that far behind Parcells – Coughlin has a .578 winning percentage to Parcells at .611. Coughlin has won one less division title, but he also has one less losing season. If the Giants win, they will have the same number of championships. Maybe then, Coughlin will finally get his due.

The Super Bowl is a huge game for a number of reasons. A lot of legacies are on the line. But perhaps Tom Coughlin has more on the line than anyone else. A win, and he may finally not be coaching week to week.