Dallas Cowboys

2002 record: 5-11 Departing Head Coach: Dave Campo, 15-33 (2000-02) New Head Coach: Bill Parcells Previous NFL head coaching experience: 149-106-1 in 15 seasons. Won Super Bowls XXI and XXV with the New York Giants, going 85-52-1 from 1983-90; reached Super Bowl XXXI with New England Patriots and went 34-34 from 1993-96; was 30-20 with New York Jets from 1997-99, reaching the AFC Championship game in 1998. Background: Played linebacker at Wichita State 1961-63. Coached in colleges from 1964-78.

He had been walking quietly for months, but on Aug., 12 the big stick came out.

When Willie Blade and Gennaro DiNapoli got into it at the Dallas Cowboys' training camp at the San Antonio Alamodome, Bill Parcells got up into Blade's grill. He grabbed his facemask and started screaming about the value of decorum.

"We don't need that," Parcells told reporters later. "We need to start fighting guys we don't know, instead of guys we know."

It was just a small reminder of who the new sheriff is in Dallas these days. It was the kind of forceful performance the Cowboys have been in need of since Jimmy Johnson's departure following the 1993 championship season. Barry Switzer, Chan Gailey and Dave Campo may have been malleable from the perspective of owner Jerry Jones, but they didn't have the hard edge that motivates players to go the extra mile.

This is Parcells' fourth crack at resurrecting a team and the first three goes were wildly successful. His 149 career victories in 15 seasons place him third among active coaches, behind Dan Reeves (198) and Marty Schottenheimer (166). The Cowboys, however, may pose his greatest challenge.

Dallas is coming off of three straight 5-11 seasons and despite optimistic predictions of a .500 record, 5-11 seems like a worthy goal. The roster is largely devoid of talent and there is the difficulty of coexisting with Jones, a notorious over-the-shoulder manager.

After the Cowboys' 13-0 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in the preseason opener, Parcells may have seen the future. His quarterbacks, Chad Hutchinson and Quincy Carter, did not distinguish themselves, which in the absence of a veteran quarterback could be a big problem.

"I didn't quite expect as poor a performance as that," Parcells said afterward. "I just think I have to get back to work and simplify things and quit kidding myself about a couple of these guys."

Parcells' history is predictable. The Giants were atrocious in his first season (3-12-1) and made the playoffs the next season and won the Super Bowl in his fourth season. The Patriots were 5-11 in Parcells' first year, made the playoffs the following year and reached the Super Bowl in his fourth season. The Jets were 9-7 in Parcells' first year, but missed the playoffs. The next season they were in the AFC championship game.

Draw your own conclusions.

Greg Garber is a senior writer at ESPN.com.