ESPN Hashmarks

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley 

The opening ceremonies for Jim Zorn's first training camp with the Washington Redskins had barely ended Sunday when starting defensive end Phillip Daniels went down with a season-ending knee injury. So much for setting the tone.

Daniels was the inspirational leader on a line that was already thin in numbers and experience. Despite their need for another pass-rusher, the Redskins waited until the seventh round to select a defensive lineman.

With that in mind, owner Dan Snyder and executive vice president Vinny Cerrato quickly worked a trade for Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor, who'd become South Florida's most dependable offseason storyline.

When did the Redskins and Dolphins start discussing this trade? Well, we know that the Dolphins had put in a call a couple of months ago. Because of the Redskins' obvious need at the position, there's a good chance the teams had remained in contact.

But when Daniels was injured, Dolphins executive vice president of football operations Bill Parcells regained some of the leverage he'd given up during his summer stand-off with Taylor.

My colleague John Clayton has been talking about how Parcells' "patience" paid off in the end. But let's get one thing straight: Parcells completely lucked out when the Redskins lost a key starter. The injury to Daniels effectively bailed out Parcells, who had played the entire episode poorly.

If not for the injury, the Dolphins would've been forced to spend an awkward season with the thespian-in-waiting or trade him for a third or fourth-round draft pick. From the start, head coach Tony Sparano had privately tried to find common ground with Taylor, but Parcells wanted no part of a relationship with a player who valued a TV appearance more than the Dolphins' offseason conditioning program.

Washington Post columnist Mike Wise supports the trade for Taylor, but says it brings back some bad memories. The Redskins have been down this aging superstar road before, and they've usually arrived at least a year or two late. Taylor still has the physical tools to be an impact player, but Redskins fans have to hope that his newfound passion for acting doesn't serve as a distraction. Snyder has connections to the movie industry, and Taylor won't be far away from potential casting calls in New York. With his powerful frame and light feet, Taylor is destined to play Gaston in "Beauty and the Beast."

Cerrato said he's certain that Taylor will play at least two more years, but that flies in the face of everything the player has been saying. Actually it's refreshing to know Snyder hasn't matured to the point where he won't throw some draft picks at an aging superstar. In the past, the Redskins had already blown most of their picks by the time the draft arrived in April. But they've begun stockpiling picks in a fit of rational behavior.

Jason La Canfora and Jason Reid, Redskins beat writers for the Post, do a nice job of putting the trade in perspective here. And here's what David Elfin had to say in the Washington Times.

I have a chat scheduled for noon ET if you have any further questions. Or feel free to use my new mailbag. I'll be going through some mail Monday night.

	Don Jolovich/ESPN.com
	Miami head coach Tony Sparano visits the site of the new Ralph F. DellaCamera Stadium on the campus of University of New Haven. Tony was the head coach for the UNH Chargers from 1994-1998.

In case you missed it, my Tony Sparano story is now appearing on ESPN.com's NFL page. I realize he's not in the NFC East, but he spent time with the Redskins and Cowboys, so I'm going to blog about him.

From the start, Sparano was very reluctant to do the story even though we've known each other fairly well for the past six years.

"I need to have a few wins first," he kept saying.

I finally convinced him to take me on a tour of his hometown, New Haven, Conn., but he refused to let the ESPN TV cameras come along. He grew up in New Haven, met his wife there and landed his first head-coaching gig there. But he's very protective of his blue-collar roots and wasn't really comfortable sharing them with the world.

After assuring Sparano that most people don't read my stories, we finally reached an agreement. I sat at his parents' breakfast table and eventually spoke to at least 13 family members.

His father, Tony Jr. and mother, Marie, seemed to thoroughly enjoy bragging about their son. When Tony Jr. told me about his son's record-setting 17 home runs in one Little League season for a team called the Apps, Sparano rolled his eyes and appeared to be in pain.

In his mind, he hasn't earned the right to have a feature story written about him. Even when I tried explaining that being a head coach in the NFL wasn't conducive to keeping a low-profile, he just grumbled something.

I read several of your comments at the end of the story. One reader wanted to know why Bill Parcells was allowed to prevent Sparano from taking the offensive coordinator's job in New Orleans following the 2005 season. He thought there was a rule in place allowing coaches under contract to leave if they were offered a better title.

Well, that rule's no longer in place because too many teams were taking advantage of it by inventing bogus titles to lure away coaches. Unless an assistant is offered a head-coaching job, owners aren't required to let them leave. In Sparano's case, Parcells thought he was too valuable as an offensive line coach to let him go. And he'd already lost linebackers coach Gary Gibbs, who became Sean Payton's defensive coordinator in New Orleans.

That episode may have been the darkest day of Sparano's NFL coaching career. Parcells wasn't exactly apologetic about the decision and Sparano thought he'd missed a golden opportunity.

He took over play-calling duties the next season, but in 2007, he was pushed aside to make room for Jason Garrett. He wasn't happy with the arrangement, but he poured himself into coaching an offensive line that included free-agent right guard Leonard Davis.

He also helped new head coach Wade Phillips and Garrett tremendously during the transition. That said, Sparano was ready to become a head coach again. Anywhere.

I didn't put this in the story, but he actually was interested in the opening at the coaching graveyard known as Baylor University in Waco, Texas. BU grad and current Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland, who went to school with me, put in a call on Sparano's behalf. The Cowboys assistant never even received a courtesy call.

A few weeks later, Sparano was one of the hottest head-coaching candidates in the league. He interviewed with the Falcons and Ravens, but everyone assumed that Parcells would hire him in Miami. And that's exactly what happened.

The man who once blocked his path welcomed him into an exclusive fraternity. OK, that's about 2,400 words on Sparano. I think you've probably had enough.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Cowboys

• Tony Romo will play in the American Century Championship Golf Tournament at Lake Tahoe this weekend. He's got a lot more game than fellow competitors Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan, but former major-league pitcher Rick Rhoden will win this thing easily.

• I'm headed out to Day 2 of Camp T.O. Hopefully he won't make fun of the kids today. Is telling a child who is slightly overweight to "pretend the ball is a cheeseburger" ever a good thing?

• I have a story on former Cowboys assistant head coach Tony Sparano on the NFL page right now. I'd love to discuss it with you guys later if there's any interest.

Giants

• Someone from Bloomberg's London bureau is writing a story about Jeremy Shockey. Makes total sense.

• Here is Plaxico Burress on New York's WNYC.

Eagles

• Pete Mucha of the Inquirer has details on how to stay on the waiting list for season tickets.

• At least one man is cranking out Eagles stories.

Redskins

• Who knew that Dale Earnhardt Jr. was such a huge Redskins fan? He and Chris Cooley are buddies.

• The Redskins Insider checks in -- briefly.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

I've just submitted my first manuscript for "The Life and Times of Tony Sparano: The Early Years," so I'm returning to full-time blogging status. Please enjoy this installment of NFC East Hashlines:

Cowboys

• As Jacques Taylor reports in the longest running weekly online newsletter in the NFL, Cowboys defensive coordinator Brian Stewart is doing something pretty cool for minority college and pro coaches. Stewart, who was previously with Wade Phillips in San Diego, has a passion for helping young coaches, and that's why he's giving up some precious vacation time to show them the way. Here's another story on Stewart from Clarence E. Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

• NFL head coaches, named linebacker Zach Thomas the smartest defensive player in the league, according to my colleague James Walker.

• Here's a promo to get you ready for HBO's "Hard Knocks." I counted at least five players in the preview who are no longer on the Cowboys roster, but hearing Steve Sabol's voice made up for the dated footage.

• The newest member of my old blog, Brian Davis, has a report about whether or not Joe Horn has talked to the Cowboys about their opening at receiver. Horn popped on "The Michael Irvin Show" on ESPN 103.3 FM on Tuesday.

• Linebacker Kevin Burnett doesn't think college players should have to wait so long to become pros.

• Goose Gosselin says we should tap the brakes with "future Hall of Famers." At least wait for Dr. Z to weigh in.

Eagles

• The Eagles have landed third-round draft choice Bryan Smith.

• Here's the Inquirer's story on Smith. Local beat writers are apparently on vacation, and we have no problem with that.

Giants

• Osi Umenyiora compares himself to A-Rod. Says he's not feelin' the love.

• I'm told Umenyiora did some nice work on "Mike and Mike" on Tuesday.

• Is anyone interested in a story about Olympic sprinter Sanya Richards and her fiance, Giants cornerback Aaron Ross? Let me know because I'm thinking about pursuing this angle.

Redskins

• Our friends at HailRedskins.com are previewing the tight ends Wednesday.

• Skip Wood of USA Today says the future of the Redskins depends on the Campbell-Zorn relationship. Really?

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Giants defensive end Michael Strahan has decided to retire, according to a source close to the player. A few minutes ago, a team spokesperson told me that Strahan had indeed informed the team of his retirement.

"It was important that my teammates knew which way I was going before they got on the field to start the work to defend our title," Strahan told FoxSports.com's Jay Glazer, who co-authored a book called "Inside the Helmet" with the player last year. "It's time. I'm done."

Strahan's retirement does not come as a shock to anyone in the Giants' organization. When I talked to GM Jerry Reese two weeks ago, he was already making contingency plans for this announcement. Reese and head coach Tom Coughlin have been in constant contact with Strahan, and they let him know how important it was to make a decision before the team began preparing for a new season. In reality, I think Strahan had tipped off Reese and Coughlin that he was leaning toward retirement.

Unlike the drama that unfolded during training camp last season, Strahan agreed that he needed to make a timely decision. Reese said that Strahan talked about how great it would be to go out on top, and that's exactly what he did.

The end of his career could've been tarnished had he walked after his prolonged holdout last season. Now, all of that is forgotten. Strahan will be remembered as one of the greatest players in the history of the organization.

Even in his final season, he still gave opposing teams nightmares. I recall Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano, then the offensive line coach for the Cowboys, telling me that he spent more time worrying about how to slow down Strahan than any player on the field.

And after his last game at Texas Stadium, Strahan raced off the field munching popcorn to mock Terrell Owens. Now, he'll follow his former teammate Tiki Barber into a TV studio.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor almost nailed his dance routine with the South Florida media over the weekend. In an attempt to win the PR battle with Bill Parcells, Taylor met with reporters at the Hard Rock Live arena near Hollywood, Fla., to tell at least half of his side of the story.

"This thing was never supposed to be a confrontation,'" Taylor said. "This is not about me versus Bill Parcells. It has digressed to be a confrontational situation. I'm here to tell you that's not the way I wanted it to be.'"

No, he hinted at the way he wanted it to be. Taylor actually wanted to take the first train/boat out of town, and finish his career with a team that has a shot at making the playoffs. The problem is that Parcells' hard-line stance drove down Taylor's trade value.

Behind closed doors, head coach Tony Sparano was attempting to find common ground with Taylor, but in the most memorable moment of his brief head coaching career, he peered over his glasses and announced that Taylor would not be participating in minicamps or training camp.

There's actually precedent for a new regime having a public standoff with an iconic Dolphins player. Some of you might recall that former head coach Jimmy Johnson thought he had enough skins on the wall to take on Dan Marino in South Florida. Of course, we all know how that worked out.

Obviously, Taylor's not on Marino's level in terms of status, but he is a team leader and the franchise's most popular player. I think Miami Herald columnist Greg Cote is correct in saying that Taylor will finish his career with the Dolphins.

Sun-Sentinel columnist Dave Hyde thinks everyone should get off Jason Taylor's back. Hyde wonders why everyone thought Taylor was going to show up and demand a trade over the weekend. That's not the man's style.

"This entire issue is the residue of a lost franchise," writes Hyde. "Four regimes in five years, busted picks, misspent millions, Ricky, Wanny, Nicky, Daunte, Cam -- it tells what a mess they've left when Taylor can be cast as a heavy."

"He should get a medal for surviving 11 years and building a good name. Instead, people want his head now. The next line in the sand: training camp. Will he miss it, as Sparano has said? Is it still up for a decision, as Taylor suggested in what looked like his Hollywood acting debut Sunday, playing coy as he did?

And does it really matter as much as everyone will say, considering the New York Giants' Michael Strahan missed all of training camp and the preseason last year and still helped his team win the Super Bowl?"

Here's an idea: The Cowboys have a disgruntled defensive end/LB named Greg Ellis who is already familiar with the Dolphins' 3-4 defense. The two franchises should simply swap disgruntled players. Taylor gets to finish his career on a Super Bowl contender and with his brother-in-law, Zach Thomas.

Ellis wouldn't have to worry about his OTA reps being taken away by Anthony Spencer and he would provide some much-needed veteran leadership. As Todd Archer of the DMN points out, Taylor would have to restructure his contract to fit under the Cowboys' salary cap, but I think he'd be flexible.

Honestly, this trade makes a ton of sense.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Tim Graham of the Palm Beach Post has the details from Jason Taylor's meeting with reporters today. Taylor touched on a few hot topics without saying anything particularly substantial. He confirmed the silent-treatment "incident" when Bill Parcells reportedly ignored him, but Taylor would not elaborate. And he said he would play for the Dolphins in 2008 if he remains with the team. Asked about what Tony Sparano said about him missing camp, Taylor said he was "disappointed" the Dolphins would "take shots" without him being there to "set the record straight" -- something Taylor had a chance to do today.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

In tracking down some of the folks who know Cowboys rookie running back Felix Jones the best, I was amazed at some of the stories they told. You can read my column on the former Arkansas player by clicking on this link.

It's hard to imagine a Tulsa high school star who rushed for over 2,000 yards and 48 touchdowns escaping the state of Oklahoma, but then few people are as persuasive as former Razorbacks head coach Houston Nutt.

Jones turned down a scholarship to Oklahoma State because the school waited too long to show interest. He ended up choosing Arkansas over Texas A&M, in part because of his strong relationship with Nutt's younger brother, Danny, who served as the Arkansas running backs coach at the time.

He only caught 39 passes during his three years in Fayetteville, but the Cowboys plan to use him quite a bit in the passing game. His college coaches talked about how he occasionally dropped passes in practice, but never once dropped a ball in the game.

"He's one of those kids that played big when we were facing the best schools in the conference," Nutt said. "I knew he was going to be special from the first time we faced a big-time school his freshman year."

My column mentions the fact that Jones will forever be linked to Illinois' Rashard Mendenhall, who was taken after Jones despite being projected by experts as a better running back. According to my radio colleague Randy Galloway of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Cowboys actually had Mendenhall ranked ahead of Jones on their draft board. But when the time came to pull the trigger, Jerry thought Felix would complement Marion Barber better than Mendenhall.

After talking things over with Jerry this weekend, it's obvious that his ties to Arkansas played a large role in the decision. He spent hours talking to former Razorbacks coach and athletic director Frank Broyles and hired Nutt's defensive coordinator Reggie Herring to coach linebackers in Dallas. Jones also has a great admiration for former Cowboys quarterbacks coach and Arkansas offensive coordinator David Lee, who has joined Bill Parcells and Tony Sparano in Miami.

Lee is largely responsible for coming up with the Wild Hog formation that featured both Darren McFadden and Jones. In the end, Jones was simply a better fit for the Cowboys.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Bill Parcells and Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor have engaged in a three-month stare-down contest, but Taylor keeps blinking. If he actually thought Parcells would roll out the red carpet for him -- or even make extended eye contact -- he's more naive than I thought.

Two weeks ago, Taylor took a quick dance break to stop by the Dolphins' practice facility. After a warm reunion with his teammates, all of whom have been participating in Parcells' beloved offseason workout program, he decided to stop by Tuna's office. Big Mistake.

Parcells, who was reportedly watching film at the time, made brief eye contact with Taylor, but did not say a word. An angry Taylor left the building and raced back into the arms of his dance partner, Edyta Sliwinska. Never mind that head coach Tony Sparano has sent him supportive text messages and that GM Jeff Ireland has repeatedly voiced his support. Taylor wants some respect from Parcells.

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that Parcells has been a regular in the Dolphins' weight room. It's funny to imagine 300-pound millionaires snapping to attention when Parcells walks into the room.

'"And you know when he comes because everybody stands up erect,'" former 49ers guard Justin Smiley said. "If they're slouching, they get up and everybody is doing something.

"He gives everybody a hard time, makes little comments. He kind of looks me up and down, like, 'Are you working hard?' He doesn't say anything, but you know what he's thinking. But deep down, you know if you're here, you're one of his guys."

Parcells cherishes his interaction with players more than most people realize. He vowed to stay out of the spotlight and allow Ireland and Sparano to run the show, but that's really difficult for him. This is the time of year when, as a coach, he would bond players. That's not his job now, but old habits die hard.

He has no use for Taylor right now because the All-Pro defensive end chose dancing over Parcells' "voluntary" offseason program. This is a stare down that Taylor has no chance of winning. He's built up a lot of credibility in South Florida over the years, but it doesn't rival what Parcells showed up with.

Ireland didn't want to discuss Taylor when I had him on the phone Monday, but it's pretty obvious the Dolphins are prepared to move on without him. The problem is that Taylor's trade value was probably as high as it will ever be during the draft.

This soap opera is far from over, but my guess is that Taylor remains with the team.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has taken the podium. He's wearing an understated dark suit, and he's touting the "new, streamlined" formatting of the draft. With the first pick, the Dolphins select Jake Long.

Long is the only player in New York wearing a light suit. He's gone with a light tan one. His shoulders are enormous. I'd guess he wears a 54 long. Just talked to someone in the Dolphins' draft room who said the club is doing everything it can to get back into the first round.

I'm still a little surprised that they got Cowboys linebacker Akin Ayodele and tight end Anthony Fasano for a fourth-rounder. That's two starters Bill Parcells and Tony Sparano know really well.

It certainly doesn't say much about Bill's drafting skills that he's landing one of his former second-round picks and a starting linebacker for a fourth-round pick. But hey, it's a good trade for the Dolphins. Kudos to GM Jeff Ireland, who will be on our 103.3 ESPN radio show Monday.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The Dolphins have signed Jake Long and announced their intentions to draft him first overall and play him at left tackle. The chart shows the Dolphins' depth chart along the offensive line. The team expects to move Vernon Carey to right tackle. Justin Smiley is expected to start at right guard after signing as a free agent from San Francisco. Samson Satele returns at center. The team does not have an established left guard. Drew Mormino and Trey Darilek could be part of that equation, but the Dolphins could still draft another candidate in that spot.

Jake Long, Dolphins coach Tony Sparano and Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland are answering questions at a press conference to introduce Long. Long sounds like another former Michigan offensive lineman, Steve Hutchinson. His answers are short and to the point, although he smiles a little more freely in this setting. This appears to be a low-risk draft choice.

"I just think when you watch on the film, the tape doesn't lie," Sparano said. "With offensive linemen, you are not watching a highlight film. You are watching game tape. The sidebar to the whole thing is the kind of guy he is. That is separate from all that. Watching the game film is what sold me."

Getting Long signed now means the Dolphins don't have to worry about their top pick missing valuable time at training camp. Long said he thinks being in camp on time will help him get accustomed to the speed of the game.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

• Pacman Jones' other agent tells The Tennessean that a trade between the Cowboys and Titans could be reached this week. Stop us if you've heard this one before. I do know that both sides are talking again. I'll place a call to Pacman's lawyer/agent Manny Arora this afternoon and see if he's still planning to apply for reinstatement tomorrow. He's hoping that Roger Goodell will at least reduce some of the restictions placed on Pacman once he joins a new team. The other agent, Worrick Robinson, is talking about how important it is to complete the trade before the draft:

"I think for both teams, it is important,'" agent Worrick Robinson said. "It will give them a chance to set their draft boards and make adjustments.

"But both sides are savvy business people and they both have experience in these matters, and they are moving at their own pace. They are not going to let the pace of this be dictated by anyone else. & But the draft is going to influence everything."

Earth to Worrick: If either of these teams are setting their draft boards with Pacman in mind, they're more gullible than we thought.

• Great story by Greg Bishop in the New York Times about former biology teacher and NFL GM Charley Casserly returning to the classroom. Casserly, the former Redskins and Texans GM, is teaching a three-hour sports management seminar at George Mason University.

"I knew right away he would be the perfect fit," said Bob Baker, the head of the sports management department. "I compare the kind of positive attention from having Charley to the attention from when George Mason made the Final Four."

Hold on there a second, Bob. I'm a Casserly fan from way back, but I'm not sure he belongs in the Final Four discussion. Still, it's pretty neat to see someone with plenty of money saved up giving back.

• Sun-Sentinel columnist Ethan Skolnick writes about the ridiculous schedules that NFL head coaches keep. Former Redskins coach Joe Gibbs famously slept on a cot in his office. Other coaches try to get three or four hours of sleep each night. I recall Bill Parcells bragging about the fact he arrived at 4 a.m. when he was in Dallas. Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer and linebackers coach Gary Gibbs would usually beat him by a few minutes.

San Francisco coach Mike Nolan remembers something his late father, Dick, told him about him: "If you were one of those guys who has to sleep at the office, or stay until the wee hours and come in real early, I'm not too much worried about beating you."

According to one eyewitness report, new Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano has been arriving at the office at 5 a.m. and leaving at midnight. We're planning to have him on the radio show later this week, so I'll ask him about that. 

• How much will AT&T have to shell out to get the naming rights to Jerry Jones' new $1.1 billion stadium? If you're asking me, I'd say somewhere in the $750 million range. If you're in the Dallas area anytime soon, you should swing through Arlington and see the new stadium, which will open in 2009. Lots of subtle touches.  

"I think it's exciting, and certainly AT&T is large enough that we don't have to worry about it being a financial problem," said Arlington Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Ron Wright. "I think AT&T is a great corporation, and very financially successful. They are headquartered [in San Antonio] and I like that."

Fortunately, Hashmarks has a great source at AT&T, so we'll stay on top of this one for you.

• The Broncos are taking a look at the most accurate kicker in the history of the league today. Mike Vanderjagt has been out of the league since Nov. 2006, but he's back for one last shot. Here's the one thing I can tell you about his stay in Dallas: Bill Parcells and current Seahawks specials teams coach Bruce DeHaven really enjoyed being around the guy. Some of the Manning stuff from a few years ago has been overblown, but he'll never be able to escape the "idiot kicker" reputation unless he has some success in the league again. He still has the physical ability to be an effective kicker, but I would question his mental side.

• Hashmarks regular Ohm Youngmisuk takes a look at the Eli Manning-Jeremy Shockey relationship. Shockey hasn't shown up for the team's voluntary workouts, but that's not a big surprise.

"When I have talked to him I said I am excited about this season and what we can become as a team and our connection," said Manning. "I don't think we have reached our potential in the tandem that we can become. The thing I am excited about is I see room for improvement in all areas."

Asked if he thought Shockey wanted to return to the Giants, Manning said, "I hope so." This storyline bears watching. I'm not convinced that the Giants will ignore offers from teams such as the Saints as the draft approaches. The change in Manning in the absence of Shockey wasn't lost on the Giants coaching staff.  

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

New England's Bill Belichick and Miami's Tony Sparano drew the most reporters over breakfast at the NFL's annual spring meetings in West Palm Beach, Fla., this morning. The league made AFC coaches available to the media over breakfast this morning, with each coach holding court at his own table. NFC coaches are available over breakfast tomorrow.

Our own Pat Yasinskas will have a full report from Belichick's session after camping out at his table this morning. I dropped by Sparano's session for a while, but mostly he drew local reporters eager for a rare interview opportunity. We'll provide a few highlights from the various coaches as the morning progresses.

Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor will make his second appearance on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" tonight at 8 p.m. ET tonight. I thought his foxtrot was efficient last week, but needed more emotion.

Tonight he needs to have a strong performance in the mambo. Taylor's regarded as a player with loose hips, and that should come in handy during this dance. I'm sure the Dolphins are more worried about Taylor's loose lips. In his diary entry for ESPN The Magazine, Taylor pouted about not receiving more support.

"We haven't really gotten a whole lot of support from the Dolphins or from the NFL for this thing, which blows my mind. We've got so many problems in the league right now that are so public. Then you have someone bringing positive recognition to the NFL and to Miami Dolphins on a weekly basis in front of 25 million people, and nobody seems to want to get on board."

Bill Parcells responded by sending a dozen roses to Taylor's dressing room with an encouraging note attached. No, the only thing Bill cares about is trying to rebuild a franchise, and it's not easy for him to watch one of his star players blow off the offseason program. I normally side against Bill because it's fun, but I understand his frustration with Taylor. The Dolphins have a new head coach and a completely new philosophy. They need a few veteran leaders who are willing to buy into the system.

Was Taylor naive enough to think the Dolphins would be pleased with his absence? No way. We're witnessing the actions of a man who still hopes to be playing elsewhere next season.

Taylor also revealed that new head coach Tony Sparano reached out to him with a text message after last Monday's performance. Knowing Sparano, I'm sure he's mortified that Taylor shared that message with the public.

"Great job," Sparano supposedly wrote. "You looked nervous, you looked a little winded because you were nervous, but great job."

Surely Commissioner Goodell is pounding out a text message as we speak. The league owes this brave man some respect for his selfless actions.

Jason Taylor has had a wonderful career in Miami, but you had to know his days were numbered under the new Parcells regime. Even before the announcement that Taylor would appear on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars," Bill Parcells and Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano had decided to head in a different direction.

Our pal Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports reported Saturday that the two sides had reached an amicable split. Taylor will turn 34 before the start of next season, and I'm sure he's looking forward to playing for a contender.

What could the Dolphins get for Taylor in a trade? Well, now that everyone knows he's not playing in Miami next season, perhaps not as much as you might think.

Update: Parcells has shot down the Yahoo! report, telling our Chris Mortensen that Taylor isn't going anywhere. He could be trying to pump up Taylor's trade value, or maybe the Dolphins still want him around. I thought the whole dancing thing would bother Parcells, but maybe he'll work around it.

The Cowboys will stay up late tonight in hopes of keeping left tackle Flozell Adams off the free-agent market. The good news for Jerry Jones is that Adams isn't particularly interested in leaving Dallas, where he's spent his entire career.

The bad news is that another team might be willing to spend ridiculous money to land the top tackle in free agency. I know Adams' agent, Jordan Woy, and he realizes how much his client would prefer staying in the area. And don't underestimate the arrival of offensive line coach Hudson Houck in Adams' decision-making process.

There's been a lot of speculation that the Dolphins would try to sign Adams, but don't be so sure about that. Bill Parcells drafted USC left tackle Jacob Rogers in the second round in 2004 with the hope that he would replace Adams, who was coming off his first Pro Bowl season. Adams loved playing for Tony Sparano, but at the end of the day, he doesn't want to start over with a struggling team.

Of course, all bets are off if a team offers him $17 million to sign.

Earlier today, I pretty much ruled out Boston College's Matt Ryan going to Miami at No. 1. But someone from the Dolphins organization quickly e-mailed to say that I was being a little hasty in my dismissal of that scenario.

I know Ryan's representatives pretty well, and I don't get the sense they think he's going No. 1. And agents are notorious for pumping up their clients. Right now, the Dolphins are trying to figure out what they have in John Beck.

If they stay at No. 1, I think defensive end Chris Long of Virginia will be the pick. I also know that a couple of members of the organization are in love with Ryan.

This will be the most tight-lipped club in football leading up to the draft. Head coach Tony Sparano still hasn't granted a public interview since his opening news conference, and that's not going to change.

And I shouldn't have said that it's against Bill Parcells' nature to draft a quarterback in the first round. He did it with Drew Bledsoe in 1993 (No. 1 overall) and with Chad Pennington (No. 18) in 2000. Talk soon.

MM

Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan announced moments ago that he won't throw at the combine. He wants to wait until the Boston College Pro Day on March 18.

"I want to give teams an accurate reflection of how I throw the ball," he said. "I want to throw to guys I know."

Ryan said he's talked to Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland and head coach Tony Sparano, and would love to play in Miami.

"It would be unbelievable," he said. "It may end up working out."

Ryan grew up an Eagles fan, so he learned to root against Bill Parcells. But it sound like he might be coming around. He and Brian Brohm have both been pretty impressive in their interviews.

"What's the coolest thing you've done in your life," a reporter just asked Ryan.

I'm hoping it wasn't Sando. At the other end of the room, Texas receiver Limas Sweed is addressing reporters. I covered the Class 4A Texas state title game that his Brenham team lost to Denton Ryan six years ago. Sweed has had problems with his wrist. Not sure if he's planning to work out.

Oh, and Ryan said he is going to run at the combine. I'm having dinner this evening with an AFC college scouting director who's in love with Ryan.

As we expected, new Dolphins coach Tony Sparano hired three Cowboys defensive coaches Tuesday. Todd Bowles will serve as the Cowfins' assistant head coach-secondary, Paul Pasqualoni takes over as defensive coordinator and Kacy Rodgers will coach the defensive line.

"Tony and I have worked together for five years," said Rodgers, "and it was hard for me to tell him no. I loved working for Wade Phillips, but Bill [Parcells] brought me into this league, and I'm excited about working with him again."

I'm told that Cowboys coach Wade Phillips wants to hire Emmitt Thomas as his secondary coach. Thomas, the former Chiefs great, has coached the defensive backs in Atlanta for six consecutive seasons and was named interim head coach when Bobby Petrino fled to Arkansas. Thomas has served as a defensive coordinator in Philadelphia, Green Bay and Minnesota. He and Phillips worked together in Atlanta.

Chargers outside linebackers coach John Pagano is a leading candidate to replace Pasqualoni. He's been with San Diego since 2002 and he's also worked under Phillips.

One other nugget that will interest Cowboys fans: I've been told by two different sources that Phillips wanted to hire former Chiefs offensive coordinator Mike Solari to coach the offensive line, but was trumped by owner Jerry Jones, who opted for Hudson Houck

Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett is headed back to Dallas, where he is expected to meet with owner Jerry Jones tonight. Garrett left an offer on the table in Baltimore on Tuesday and spent Wednesday meeting with the Falcons.

From what I've been told, the Falcons job is his if he wants it. Jones has vowed to fight to keep Garrett, but it's unlikely he would pay him more than the $3 million per year that head coach Wade Phillips is currently making.

Several members of the Cowboys' coaching staff are convinced that Garrett will pass on both jobs and remain in Dallas, according to a source I spoke to about 15 minutes ago.

In other Cowboys coaching news, it appears that new Dolphins coach Tony Sparano will attempt to lure linebackers coach Paul Pasqualoni and secondary coach Todd Bowles to Miami. Both Pasqualoni's and Bowles' contracts are up. Sparano could also go after defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers, whose contract has also expired.

According to a club source, Jones is in the third day of a 10-day window in which he has exclusive negotiating rights with the three coaches. And since some of you seem to have Cowboys coaching fatigue, I'll try to focus on the playoff games tomorrow.

Much more to come.

• Mike Preston is offering Jason Garrett career advice in the Baltimore Sun. I mean how could anyone have the audacity to walk away from the Ravens' offer? Obviously, Preston has no clue how persuasive Jerry Jones' wallet can be. And wasn't it Preston who was poking fun at the local media in Baltimore for being soft a couple of weeks ago? Now, he's acting like the Ravens' job is the best in football.

• David Steele doesn't understand why everyone thinks Jason Garrett would be a good fit in Baltimore.

• Jacques Taylor says Wade Phillips isn't capable of cracking the whip, so his players will have to do it for him.

• Dan Le Batard says Tony Sparano has landed the perfect job.

• Nate Kaeding is one of the most accurate kickers in football - except when he's in the playoffs.

• Bill Belichick is preparing for "the best team in the AFC."

• Donte Stallworth doesn't mind playing a supporting role with the Patriots.

• The LA Times says Norm Chow could be headed to UCLA.

• Jim Wyatt says Chow was shocked by his firing. And check out Tennessean.com's new look.

• David Climer says Vince Young should be careful what he wishes for.

• Ralph Vacchiano tracks down Eli Manning's college football coach.

• Before he rescued the Packers' running game, Ryan Grant put a New Jersey prep school on the map.

• Being a ladies' man almost derailed Grant's high school career.

• The Bengals hired a Friend of Hash to take over as defensive coordinator.

In case you haven't heard, it's finally official: Tony Sparano is the new head coach of the Miami Dolphins. A high-ranking club official has confirmed that a news conference will take place at noon.

Once Sparano arrived last night, everything moved quickly. It will be interesting hear what he sounds like at the news conference. In his five years in Dallas, I don't recall him speaking to a large group of reporters.

Count on him being intense. And I'm sure his wife, Jeannette, has reminded him to stay away from the expletives.

Cowboys fans are still trying to figure out when assistant head coach Tony Sparano became such a hot commodity. He worked his way up from tight ends coach to offensive play-caller in four years, but remained in Bill Parcells' witness protection program, which prevented coaches from making eye contact with reporters and neighborhood children.

New Orleans, San Diego and Cleveland all tried to make Sparano their offensive coordinator at some point, but Cowboys owner Jerry Jones exercised his veto power each time. Sparano was devastated when he wasn't allowed to follow Sean Payton to the Saints in 2006.

Parcells continued to lean on him heavily while barely acknowledging his important role in public. On the few occasions Sparano was allowed to talk to reporters, he was so paranoid that he didn't say much of anything. "Keep it positive" was always his closing line.

Two months ago, Sparano expressed an interest in Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland's alma mater, Baylor. In a strange but predictable twist, the perennial Big 12 doormat (and my alma mater as well) never considered Sparano.

Three weeks later, he's interviewing for three head coaching vacancies in the NFL. You've heard people call this a copycat league, and that also applies to coaching searches. While Parcells was using Arthur Blank to make another owner jealous, he dropped Sparano's name.

The Ravens soon caught wind of Sparano, and decided to fly him in during the Cowboys' recent getaway weekend. A source familiar with the Ravens' coaching search described Sparano's interview as "unbelievable."

Against Parcells' will, I've had the pleasure of getting to know Sparano pretty well over the years. His wife, Jeannette, is fiercely protective of him and reports everything she hears on local sports talk radio. Sparano's two sons, Tony and Andy, play defensive end and center for the University at Albany.

During his five years in Dallas, Sparano has coached five Pro Bowlers in Jason Witten, Flozell Adams, Larry Allen, Andre Gurode and Leonard Davis. Witten has told me several times that he thinks Sparano would make an excellent head coach.

"He just has this presence that commands respect," Witten said. "He'll stay all over you, but he's never doing it just for show."

Even after Sparano became the offensive line coach in 2005, Witten constantly went to him with questions. In 2006, Sparano called plays and coached the offensive line at the same time.

The Cowboys finished with 425 points, their most since 1995, and had a 1,000-yard rusher and two 1,000-yard receivers. Of course, that didn't keep Sparano from being demoted when Jones hired Jason Garrett to be the offensive coordinator.

Sparano, who was given the assistant head coach title, could've felt resentment toward Jones and the new regime. Instead, he threw himself into helping with the transition. Sparano was coach Wade Phillips' sounding board on the few occasions Phillips made sounds.

He rededicated himself to his offensive line duties and was rewarded with three Pro Bowlers. After working for Marty Schottenheimer, Tom Coughlin and Parcells, Sparano experienced some culture shock working for the laidback Phillips.

Now, it's back into the meat grinder. Parcells has vowed to stay away from the practice field, but you can bet he'll offer some feedback. The good news for Dolphins fans is that Sparano is pretty much the opposite of Cam Cameron, who doesn't wear his passion on his sleeve.

I don't anticipate him throwing Coughlin-style tantrums, but he's been known to use colorful language to drive home a point. As long as Parcells sticks around long enough to help provide the foundation, Sparano will eventually win in Miami.

There are some who think the Cowboys would miss Sparano more than Garrett. I think those folks are pretty astute.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has just ordered all the exits blocked surrounding Valley Ranch. Earlier this morning, several assistant coaches were seen hurdling the hedges surrounding the practice field on their way to interview with other teams.

Jones has tried to remain positive about the prospect of losing his top two assistants on offense, but he's fighting a losing battle with Cowboys fans. A few moments ago, a Cowboys source confirmed to Hashmarks that assistant head coach Tony Sparano will be boarding one of Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga's private jets one hour from now.

Sparano will meet with Huizenga, his old boss Bill Parcells and GM Jeff Ireland for a "second interview" tonight, and I expect him to be named head coach tomorrow. This has been a foregone conclusion for weeks, but the Cowboys' 21-17 loss to the Giants obviously sped up the process.

Hopefully I'll be able to tell you something official late tonight. It's sort of a bittersweet time for Sparano. He took Sunday's loss to the Giants as hard as anyone and probably feels some guilt about having to move on so quickly.

But after a couple of glasses of red wine on South Beach tonight, Sparano may have a better outlook. Negotiations shouldn't take too long since Sparano and Parcells share the same agent in Jimmy Sexton.

If you're in the Dallas area, I'll have a lot more on this situation tonight at 5 p.m. on ESPN 103.3's "Tuesday with Mosley" hour.

His season finished, Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett had a second interview with the Ravens on Monday night and will talk to the Falcons on Tuesday, according to sources.

Baltimore has interviewed six NFL assistants for its head coaching vacancy since firing Brian Billick on Dec. 31, but Garrett has become the front-runner. From what I've been told, the Ravens have narrowed their list to Garrett and Eagles secondary coach John Harbaugh.

On Monday, Garrett took part in season-ending meetings at Valley Ranch. The Ravens thought another Cowboys assistant, Tony Sparano, had an outstanding interview, but they know he's probably headed to Miami.

After Sunday's 21-17 loss to the Giants, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones reiterated that Wade Phillips would be his head coach next season. Firing Phillips is probably the only way Jones could ensure that Garrett remains in Dallas.

"I can't elaborate on [Garrett and assistant head coach Tony Sparano], but certainly part of my job is to make sure that, on a timely basis, we're able to address what happens to our staff," Jones told reporters Sunday. "When you enjoy success, you're going to lose coaches. I should and do have prospective coaches I would think of if we have openings."

Garrett didn't want to discuss his future after last night's game, but there's a good chance the Ravens could offer him the job this week.

"He's a great communicator and we think he'd be able to work with a young quarterback," the source told Hashmarks. "He could be anything he wants to be. You get the feeling he could be the President of the United States. He just has something about him that people gravitate to. I think he can be a great head coach."

It appears Joe Gibbs' second stint with the Redskins has come to an end. I think his decision will catch most of his players by surprise after going through such an emotional season together.

But you can't say it's shocking when a 67-year-old man walks away from such a stressful profession. In the weeks since Sean Taylor's tragic death, Gibbs has been a rock for the entire organization. But I'm sure he's been been stripped bare, both mentally and physically.

The club will hold a news conference this afternoon to discuss Gibbs' decision. It looks like he may remain with the organization in some type of consulting role, but I wouldn't expect it to be a major commitment.

Gibbs is already a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame after leading the Redskins to three Super Bowls during his first 12-year stint with the team.

I expect the Redskins to begin the search for a head coach immediately. Assistant head coach-defense Gregg Williams was once considered the head coach in waiting, but I think owner Daniel Snyder will expand the search. I think Williams will definitely have the players' support, but Snyder loves the flashy hire.

He would definitely be willing to spend the $8 million or so it would take to lure Bill Cowher out of his coaching sabbatical. I'm just not sure Cowher would want to work for a heavy-handed owner such as Snyder.

I do think the Redskins have the advantage over the Ravens in the Cowher sweepstakes. You'd also have to think assistant head coach-offense Al Saunders would at least be interviewed for the position, although he would be a long shot.

Cowboys assistant head coach Tony Sparano, who has already interviewed for three openings, was a Redskins assistant at one point. And Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz was the runner-up to Mike Nolan for the 49ers job and he deserves a shot somewhere. You also have to think about former Redskin Russ Grimm, who is currently the assistant head coach-offensive line with the Cardinals.

But first order of business is to say goodbye to a true legend.

Gibbs' return to the Redskins didn't go smoothly, but it ended with a flourish. He deserved to go out on his own terms. The man who used to sleep on a cot in his office is walking away again.

And this time I think it's for good.

At this rate, the Dolphins might as well put stars on the side of their helmets next season. President of football operations Bill Parcells and general manager Jeff Ireland have apparently hired one of their old Dallas cohorts, David Lee, to become quarterbacks coach of the Dolphins.

Lee played quarterback for Vanderbilt in the early 1970s, when Parcells was serving as an assistant coach. In 2003, he left his job as quarterbacks coach at Arkansas to become an offensive assistant with the Cowboys. He was promoted to quarterbacks coach in 2005, but he spent the past season as the offensive coordinator at Arkansas.

He was expected to follow former Razorbacks coach Houston Nutt to Ole Miss, but that was before the Dolphins came calling. I've written about this at great length, but Tony Romo has given Lee much of the credit for his development in Dallas.

In the time between a May rookie camp and training camp in 2003, Lee completely changed Romo's delivery. Romo would call Lee late in the evening and the two would meet at Valley Ranch to work on passing drills.

That's why Romo flew Lee and his wife to the Pro Bowl in Hawaii last year, and stays in constant touch with them. When Arkansas upset LSU this season, Parcells and Romo were the first people to leave messages on his cellphone.

Parcells actually demoted Lee in favor of Chris Palmer before the 2006 season, but I think he admired what his former player accomplished at Arkansas and wanted to lock him up before he committed to Ole Miss.

This is another obvious sign that Cowboys assistant head coach Tony Sparano will become the head coach of the Dolphins. The No. 1 word you keep hearing from Parcells and Ireland is "compatibility," and they're both very familiar with Sparano and Lee.  

When Romo's mechanics began to break down late in the 2006 season, I think Parcells finally realized how important Lee was to his staff. Instead of asking Palmer to address the problem, Parcells turned to Lee.

I remember talking to Lee a few days after Romo had the botched hold against the Seahawks. You would've thought something had happened to his son by how concerned he was.

Now, he's been asked to oversee the development of Dolphins quarterback John Beck, whom he knows very little about. The good news is that Lee sent at least four quarterbacks to the pros while serving as a college assistant.

And if Beck can't play, maybe Lee will put Ronnie Brown in the "Wild Hog" formation that he used with great success in Fayetteville.

OK, that's all I have for you this evening. Enjoy the "national title" game.

Update: Here's what our pal Ethan Skolnick said about Lee on the Season Ticket.

As ESPN first reported, it looks like Rams offensive coordinator Greg Olson and offensive line coach Paul Boudreau are both out. Former Dolphins head coach Cam Cameron was one of three finalists for the head coaching job in St. Louis in 1996, and should be in the mix to replace Olson.

Cameron is also a candidate for the Lions' opening at offensive coordinator. Depending on what happens with assistants Tony Sprarano and Jason Garrett, Cameron could land on Wade Phillips' staff.

Cowboys assistant head coach Tony Sparano just shot down a newspaper report that claimed he had already been offered the Dolphins' head coaching job after interviewing with new general manager Jeff Ireland in Dallas on Saturday.

"I had good interviews with three outstanding organizations," Sparano told Hashmarks on Sunday. "Obviously no job was ever offered, and I never even met with Mr. [Wayne] Huizenga. At the end of the day, no job offer was made to me. I know the rules."

If the Dolphins had offered the job to Sparano, they would have violated the league's Rooney Rule, which states that teams must interview at least one minority candidate. An interview with Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier tomorrow will satisfy the rule.

I still think the Dolphins will eventually attempt to hire Sparano, but Bill Parcells and Ireland aren't going to violate an important league rule in the process. On Sunday afternoon, Sparano was back at his Valley Ranch office preparing for next Sunday's playoff game against the Giants.

"At the end of the day, all I had was three interviews," he said. "The only thing I'm worried about right now is our playoff game against the New York Giants. That's my sole focus. All my energy is put into that game right now."

Dolphins PR chief Harvey Greene also denied the Register's report.

"It is 100 percent false,'' Greene said. "In fact, we have a number of interviews scheduled over the next few days."

Tony Sparano, Bill Parcells, Jeff Ireland

Read comments or leave a comment

Friday Afternoon Hash

January 4, 2008 7:34 PM

Gregg Williams, Jerramy Stevens, Ike Hilliard, Mike Holmgren, Plaxico Burress, Ronde Barber, Michael Strahan, Andrew Cuomo, Bill Cowher, Vince Wilfork, Warren Sapp, Tony Sparano, Todd Archer, Jason Garrett, Bill Parcells, Jason Taylor, Jay Feely, Cam Cameron, Tom Landry

Read comments or leave a comment