IRVING – Bill Parcells and Wade Phillips are similar in some ways: Both grew up as defensive assistant coaches, running the 3-4 scheme successfully, although in different ways.
But in so many ways, the Cowboys new coach and old coach are opposites. Parcells is New Jersey; Phillips is Texas.
Parcells ruled by fear and sarcasm. Phillips admits he's not a screamer.
"I don't handle players," Phillips said. "I work with them."
Parcells readily admitted his way was not for everybody, but owner and general manager Jerry Jones decided Parcells' way was the right way for the Cowboys in 2003.
Parcells' style brought tension to the workplace, from the players to the scouting department to the marketing department, and Jones admitted, "There will be a lot less walking on eggshells around here."
But Jones said he does not regret the move to Parcells.
"We're better off, in my mind, because of what Bill brought here," Jones said. "We will be better off."
During his Jan. 26 interview with the Cowboys, Phillips spent time with Parcells going over the team's players and coaches.
Some of what Parcells brought to the Cowboys will remain, such as the off-season conditioning program. Jones wants Phillips to be as involved in the program as Parcells was, because it will show the players the importance of the program.
Phillips, however, will add more minicamps to the off-season. Parcells ran just one rookie camp and one veteran camp in the off-season, preferring to do most of the work in training camp. Having to learn a new defense and possibly a new offense, the Cowboys will have more on-field work before training camp begins in San Antonio.
Parcells also made some changes to how the Cowboys prepare for the draft, particularly with character issues.
Jones said Phillips will have a "different" voice in the personnel department than Parcells, but Phillips will have a similar amount of control In other words, Jones has the final say, like he did with Parcells.
Parcells and Jones had a solid working relationship, but they did not agree on every matter. They met in the middle most of the time, which is the way it will work with Phillips, according to Jones.
"Sometimes," Jones said, "a fresh approach can be a positive."
