EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) – Curtis Martin remembers his first practice for Bill Parcells.

Entering his rookie season with New England in 1995, Martin wanted to prove he was worthy of becoming the starting running back. Parcells wanted to show Martin he had to work hard for the job.

So after the 300-yard shuttle run drill required of rookies, Parcells decided to have a two-hour practice.

“It was all the rookies,” Martin recalled. “He made us keep running the same running plays over and over again. And every running back dropped out with tight backs, tight hamstrings. Before long, there were no halfbacks, no fullbacks or anything.

“He just kept giving me the ball. It got to the point where I was almost walking the plays. It’s like me and him were in a standoff. I was looking at him like, ‘Keep running these plays, but I’m not going to drop out of this practice.’ He’s looking at me like, ‘You’re going to break eventually.’ I was willing to stay there until it was dark outside.

“From that day on, it had an effect on me.”

Parcells and Martin meet again Sunday, though on opposite sides of the field. Martin, now 30 and one of the best running backs of the last eight years, leads the Jets (0-3) against Parcells and the Dallas Cowboys (1-1).

Martin played for Parcells in New England and with the Jets.

Ten players remaining from when Parcells coached the Jets will start against the Cowboys.

No one is more excited to see Parcells than Martin, who considers the coach a father figure. Martin is looking forward to seeing Parcells on the field.

“The main thing that I learned from Bill is how to be a professional, how to carry myself in the NFL, how to work hard,” Martin said. “A lot of that has come from Bill’s demands. Early in my career he built into my mentality a never-say-die attitude.”

Parcells enjoyed the time with Martin.

“He is the kind of player that inspires you as a head coach to give everything that you have to give him,” Parcells said. “You know when you are giving it to him that he is going to take it and utilize it to its maximum. He was willing to pay the price to be great.”

As for Parcells, this is his second trip back to the New York area to face a former team. Two weeks ago, the Cowboys beat the Giants 35-32 in overtime. Parcells won two Super Bowls with the Giants before leaving after the 1990 season.

He coached New England from 1993-96 before going to the Jets for three seasons, starting in 1997. In 1998, Martin and Vinny Testaverde helped the Jets to the AFC championship game.

That was one of the best seasons of Testaverde’s career. Now Testaverde is a starter again, filling in for the injured Chad Pennington. Though he has thrown for 742 yards this season, he takes the blame for the lack of production.

“I don’t want to answer all of these questions next week about what is it going to take to win a game,” Testaverde said. “When you win, it takes the pressure off. With every loss it makes it tougher and tougher to win a game.”

No matter what happens Sunday, Martin will have a chance to talk with his former coach. Martin always will be thankful to Parcells for not only drafting him, but for making him into the player he is today.

“Bill and I, we’re not the most talkative people to one another,” Martin said. “You can have a best friend who you don’t have to talk to every day to know that they’re your best friend. We have that type of a relationship even though it’s more of a father-figure type thing.”

AP-ES-09-25-03 1434EDT