Giants’ Fassel Is Coach of the Year

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 tandem of George Young and Tom Boisture over personnel decisions. Fassel had no qualms about the team’s management structure. He stuck to coaching.

“In my planning and thinking and just the way I go about my business I always think about all the potential things that can happen,” he said. “I think about anything that can come up and have it addressed. My responsibility is to make sure everyone is organized and on the same page and anticipate anything that might come up.”

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Warrick Dunn felt gratified, though not totally satisfied.

After a season in which scouts who thought his size would limit his impact in the NFL were proved wrong, the Tampa Bay Buccaneer running back was honored as the AP offensive rookie of the year.

He was a key reason why the Buccaneers had their best season since 1979 and made the playoffs for the first time in 15 years, and his selection by a nationwide panel of sportswriters and broadcasters gave Florida State a sweep of the AP’s rookie awards.

Baltimore’s Peter Boulware, a college teammate, was the defensive rookie of the year.

Dunn, the only rookie to make the Pro Bowl this season, was one of four running backs among the five players receiving votes. He got 28, with Corey Dillon of Cincinnati earning 13, Arizona quarterback Jake Plummer getting four, and Buffalo’s Antowain Smith and Tiki Barber of the Giants receiving one apiece. One member of the 48-person panel didn’t vote.

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Linebacker Greg Lloyd will sit out the Steelers’ opening playoff game, Jan. 3, and his status is in doubt if the club goes further.

Lloyd has been recuperating from a staph infection in his right ankle at his home in Atlanta. The infection began after Lloyd sprained the ankle in a loss to Philadelphia on Nov. 23.

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If not for the slight bulge from the brace Mark Brunell wears on his right knee, it would be difficult to guess how dangerously close he came to sitting out this season because of torn ligaments.

The results certainly don’t bear that out.

Brunell has led the Jacksonville Jaguars into the NFL playoffs for the second consecutive year.

“His game is elevating every week,” tight end Pete Mitchell said Wednesday. “You forget about the fact he was almost lost for the season. It’s a credit to him and his dedication to getting back.”

Brunell, who has thrown only three interceptions in his last seven games, was tops in the AFC with a 91.2 passer rating, the highest of his career.

And the knee? Just ask the Buffalo Bills, who watched two weeks ago as Brunell bolted from the pocket and scored on a 13-yard run.

That wasn’t good news for the Denver Broncos, Saturday’s opponent.

“I’m not sure how you defend him, because he’s going to make plays,” Coach Mike Shanahan said.

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Carolina Panther offensive tackle James Wilson was charged with assault and battery and public drunkenness following a bar fight Tuesday in Williamsburg, Va.

Wilson, 24, of Charlotte, N.C., was jailed for several hours until he was sober, said a spokesman at Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail. He was released on personal recognizance.

Lt. Jay Sexton said a 22-year-old Kingsmill man was injured in the brawl and taken to Williamsburg Community Hospital, where he was treated for bumps, bruises and cuts before being released. Police did not identify the man.

Sexton said it’s not clear what provoked the brawl, although the victim told police he had refused to shake hands with someone in Wilson’s group.

“It sounds like they were drunk and did some stupid things,” he said.

Wilson is 6 foot 5 and 290 pounds.