Mets honored Bill Parcells before today’s game against St. Louis with an autographed No. 13 jersey (for the year of his induction into the Hall of Fame).

Bill Parcells and Terry Collins (Mets)

I met Parcells several years ago when I was advancing a Browns-Giants game for a Cleveland paper. Parcells seemed pleasant at the press conference, even thought I introduced myself as a Cleveland writer.

An hour later I was sitting in an end zone seat talking to a Giants writer while watching practice in the Meadowlands.

There was a shrill whistle. There are always whistles at football practices so I didn’t pay it any attention.

Then I heard this voice shouting, “Cleveland, Cleveland).’’

I looked up to see Parcells at about the 40. He was walking and waving his arm while screaming, “Cleveland, Cleveland, get out of here.’’

I had just been kicked out of a Giants practice. Yet, another brush with greatness.