ASHBURN, Va. – Having played for both Joe Gibbs and Bill Parcells, John Hall has experienced a close-up view of two paths to coaching genius.

“They both kind of let you know where you stand,” the Washington Redskins kicker said, “but in different ways.”

Gibbs and Parcells faced each other for the first time since 1990 when the Washington Redskins hosted the Dallas Cowboys last night, renewing a rivalry of two extremely successful coaches who are very similar – yet so different.

“They are the same in the fact that they are both very meticulous,” said Hall, who played for Parcells with the Jets from 1997-99.”They cover every detail of the game, every detail, no matter how small it is. They surround themselves with good coaches, people who know football.”

There’s more. Both are 63. Both are workaholics who have battled health problems – Parcells has had heart surgeries; Gibbs has diabetes. Both retired from coaching, only to discover that irresistible urge to return. Both have won Super Bowls and are among the top five in career victories among active coaches.

But anyone who has spent more than five minutes with both quickly realizes their completely divergent personalities. Gibbs comes across as soft-spoken and humble. Parcells is loud and prickly. No one will ever mistake them for golf buddies.

When it comes to handling players, everyone knows who makes the bigger splash.

“Bill’s more psychological,” Hall said. “He’s not afraid to use mind tactics, and I don’t mean that in a negative way at all. He doesn’t do things to be a jerk. He does things to see what kind of reaction he’s going to get from you or how you handle things.

“Gibbs, he doesn’t yell a lot. Gibbs wants everything done fast and quick, and when you’re out there you’re working hard. And once it’s over, it’s over. Bill’s been known to walk out of practice and let us coach ourselves.”

The comparisons and contrast get no dispute from the coaches themselves.

“Joe lives his life a certain way, and I live mine a certain way,” Parcells said. “But I think philosophically in football, although it manifests itself in a different way, I think there are very great number of similarities in what we try to do.”

Both coaches believe in establishing the run, protecting the quarterback, and winning with sound defense. It’s traditional, physical football.

“Back in the old days he was the innovator of the one-back, and we were running two-back,” Parcells said. “He was playing a 4–3; we were playing a 3-4. It was different. But basically what we were trying to do, there wasn’t a lot of difference in how we played the game.”

Parcells had an 11-6 record against Gibbs going into last night’s game, including six wins in a row. All the games took place from 1983-90, when Gibbs’s Redskins and Parcells’s Giants were strong NFC East rivals.

Gibbs would just as soon not have the chance to catch up.

“I’d rather have somebody easy,” Gibbs said with a laugh. “So you can say you can win.”