FORT WORTH, Texas _ Urban Meyer is now apparently the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, but the suggestion is typically rejected with cries that he will never work for Jerry Jones.
That a coach as successful as Meyer will want too much control. Control that Jerry Jones simply will not concede.
On Wednesday afternoon, Dallas Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones was the featured speaker at the Exchange Club's annual Goodfellow Fund luncheon at the Fort Worth Club.
This is an intimate setting of approximately 75 people. Stephen is not being grilled by the media, but he's comfortable telling stories, and answering questions to a receptive and rational audience.
One story he shared sheds light how hiring Urban Meyer would not be a reach. Stephen's story about Parcells and the 2005 NFL draft is not only funny, but it also shows how this can work:
"When we sat with him and hired him, which a lot of people didn't think Jerry would hire a coach like that. That's another thing that's misleading _ for most people it's a matter of timing. I don't think we've ever had anyone that we could get our hands on didn't want to coach the Dallas Cowboys, including Bill.
"He said, 'How could you not want to coach the Dallas Cowboys?' It's the big show. It's America's Team. If you get it done, it's bigger than life.'
"With Bill, we got it done straight on the front end. He said the only problem I ever had with (New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft) was they told me I was going to be in charge of everything. That I could draft players. Pay players. Decide who was going to play.
"We decided on the front end, like we do it today, there would be a consensus of who we pick in the draft.
"So we were in the (2005) draft with Marcus Spears, DeMarcus Ware, Shawn Merriman. We had decided that we wanted to get a pass rusher. Bill was a little iffy on Ware because he was a standup linebacker, and at the time we were playing 4-3. He was a little dubious if he was able to be a 4-3 end.
"We had Merriman slotted ahead, and there was a little debate with Bill as to whether Spears ought to be ahead of Ware.
"What Bill had found out was Merriman had used some performance enhancing drugs to get him to where he was. It was killing Bill because he loved him. He said we need to pass on Merriman.
"Then the debate comes whether it's Spears or Ware. It starts to heat up. I said, 'Bill, we're going to take a pass rusher. Spears is a good defensive lineman, probably better in a 3-4. I know that's where you want to go. Ware can do both. There is a consensus. (Everybody) in the building would take Spears over Ware.'
"Sure enough about that time, our old trusted scout, Jeff Ireland (a Parcells' protege), starts to look down. He doesn't want to look at Bill. He wanted Ware, too. Bill looks at Jeff and says, 'Is that true? Is it everybody?' Jeff said, 'Yes sir. Yes sir.'
"Bill slapped that tape and said, 'I knew it! I knew it! I was going to get screwed if I came to Dallas. You're going back on your word, Stephen, you and Jerry. Back on your word!' I said, 'Bill, slow down. You're getting into some sensitive areas. That was never part of this. We were going to build a consensus and you're the only guy here who wants Spears.'
"He said, 'They have to fall in line! You and Jerry have set this up!' I said, 'That's not true. We'll go back and look at all the reports and all the grades.' Man, he stormed out of there. He said, 'To hell with you all! I'm out of here. Don't count on seeing me at the draft.'
"I'm going, we've got the draft in the morning and I get on the phone with Jerry. That was what Jerry, Bill and I had agreed that when we got into sensitive conversations let (Bill and Stephen) work through the hard part first. And then let them come together. I said to Jerry, 'That wasn't good. He really wants to take Spears. Everybody else wants Ware.'
"We're in the draft room, and it's fixing to go off and there's no Bill. Everybody is quiet, and Jerry is trying to make a few jokes. They say, 'New York Jets, you're officially on the clock.' About that time here comes Bill. He's walking in with his brief case and he sits by Jerry.
"They start picking players. And Ware, Spears and Merriman are still on the board. No one has said a word in the draft room. Someone says, 'OK, we should start talking about it and Bill says, 'Wait a minute.' He writes something on a piece of paper, draws a line and hands it to Jerry.
"It says, 'If said player that the Dallas Cowboys are about to draft does not have 30 sacks in his first three seasons with the Cowboys, then the said football coach of the Dallas Cowboys gets three free jet rides a year with his girlfriend anywhere he wants to go.' Jerry, of course signs, it.
"It says, 'But, if said player does have 30 sacks over the next three seasons, then the owner gets to take the coach's girlfriend anywhere he wants to go.' "
The Dallas Cowboys selected Ware with the 11th overall pick in that draft. Nine picks later, they selected Spears.
In Ware's first three seasons, he had 33.5 sacks, and Jerry never took Bill up on his offer.
