Here's another interesting part that could be added to the question:
Given that some people have listed Holmgren & Cowher--
How long would you give another HC to produce or else?
And, if you want to really make it interesting--how long if they had inherited the same team (& assistant coaches) that Parcells had? Would it be 3 & out? 4 & out?
Interesting that JJ couldn't produce the same results in Miami. Bad coaching job, or just different circumstances? Holmgren--this is the first year in 7 that he's even won a playoff game. Bad coaching, or building a team? And was it worth the wait, or should he have been canned 2 or 3 years ago? Would Dallas fans be willing to wait 7 years on one coach?
Cowher, Shanahan, Reid, Dungy, Schottenheimer--Playoffs often, but rarely to the Super Bowl (if ever). Bad coaching? Or is making the playoffs enough, even with loads of talent? Would you accept Reid's record? Or Cowher--2 Super Bowls in 14 years? Would that be ok in Dallas?
Untried college coach--Very few have ever made it in the NFL. How long do you give a coach who's made the jump? 3, 4, 7, 10? Suppose they do go with a young QB--& you end up with a Joey Harrington? Again, how long do you give a young QB? Peyton Manning still hasn't made a championship. Bad coaching, bad QBing? Would you demand that the coach or QB be dumped if they were with the Cowboys? (Hey, I'd argue that Michael Vick will never be a good QB. He's flashy & pulls in an audience, but is that enough? Or should he be cut & another one tried?) Yes, Weiss pulled off a feat with Notre Dame--but they lost their Bowl game. Willingham ended up getting fired for much the same. Saban? Looks promising. I'll point out that he hasn't solved the QB mystery yet, either--so much for the theory that a new coach goes with a rookie QB.
Same questions could be asked of former ACs--how long would you be willing to give one?
I'm not saying any of those coaches are worse, or better, than Parcells.
What fans need to decide is how long they're willing to give a coach. If you go with a revolving door, as so many teams do (& what so many here are demanding), then you will forever be "building" a team. Also, respectfully, one good year for a coach doesn't mean the next year will be. Schottenheimer was coach of the year candidate last year. Would you have demanded him be fired this year (& he wasn't playing Rivers, even when it was obvious the Chargers wouldn't make the playoffs--guess Parcells isn't the only coach who plays his vets). Yes, Gibbs had a good year this year. Think that will be repeated next year? Maybe, maybe not. I think it probably will be. (One reason--because Gibbs seems to have gotten the message of patience & not meddling across to Snyder, finally. Much like Parcells seems to have gotten that message across to Jerry.) I think the Cowboys will also have a good year next year. They're building, & it takes longer than people may like. They may not necessarily accomplish what many of you think they should this coming season--but you who want Holmgren, you should be willing to apply those standards to Parcells (7 years without a playoff win, remember?). Cowher had a miserable year 2 years ago--lots of people wanted him fired, said he'd been with the team too long. Earlier this year he was having a pretty crappy year. Holmgren was being written off at the end of last year--always choking when it counted. They both hit it pretty big this year. I think it was for 2 main reasons--they're both good coaches & they, along with ownership, were willing to take a long-term view & build their teams. They both now have teams that look like they could be contenders for a long time. I think the same is happening in Dallas--but it takes time. The crucial question, for any coach you think should be hired, is time. How much will you give him? If you're going to demand instant success--then you have to exclude Holmgren & Cowher. Neither had instant success (Cowher took 4 years to get to his first SB & 10 years since). By the standards of many here, they both should have been fired several years ago.
By the standards here of many, Jimmy Johnson should have been fired from the Dolphins. Holding him to your current standards--why would you take a failed coach from another team? With all due respect, I DON'T think Jimmy could repeat his initial success if he came back (& inherited the team Parcells initially had). He might be successful with the current team, but I really don't think he would have been able to accomplish any more than Parcells has in the past 3 years--having to get unfamiliar ACs (since most of his were elsewhere a few years ago), evaluate the players then with the team, accomodate Jerry in trying out CHutch & Q, deal with salary cap implications in cutting players, getting FAs, drafting, etc. He couldn't do it with the Dolphins--you think he'd accomplish it here, why? At least not in 3 years. Given time, yes. So, how much time would you give Jimmy Johnson?
It's also a question you're going to have to ask yourselves when the Cowboys DO get a new coach. Altho that coach will be fortunate--like him or not, Parcells has improved the current team & the next coach will inherit a team in much better shape (much like Belichick got pretty lucky with the team he inherited from Parcells & Carroll--hmmm, wonder how much success even Belichick would have had with the Cowboys team Parcells took over). So how much time will you give that coach? 7 years to get one playoff win? And if he does make it to the Super Bowl once, loses, & doesn't go back for 7-8-9 years, then what?
Why do I have a feeling those who are convinced any coach would be better than Parcells, would/will be demanding that coach's head?