Sideline Scouting

Jerry Jones will ask. He will also listen. Jerry seeks out opinions from within the Valley Ranch walls, and beyond. Around the league, there are favorites on his speed dial.

But in the end, after the asking and listening, it comes down to Jerry making the football-guy decisions for the Cowboys.

That’s when the strange voices suddenly appear. There are voices in his head speaking in unknown tongues. It’s a language only Jerry understands. And then he makes decisions only Jerry understands.

Wade Phillips?

Sure, Wade is returning next season as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. Why would anyone possibly doubt such a thing?

The “voices” told Jerry there was nothing wrong with Wade’s work that a quick January visit “to the woodshed” couldn’t improve. Immediately after Jerry spanked Wade (how ’bout that for a visual?), Coach Phillips promised a tougher, meaner self. He’s cracking down, I tell you.

But in December, when no one expected Phillips to survive, when he was being written off as a dead coach coaching, the overwhelming sentiment was “Wade must go.” Instead, the voice in Jerry’s noggin delivered a different message.

That’s just Jerry. Always has been Jerry. Nobody fires a coach after two Super Bowl wins. Nobody except Jerry.

Two weeks ago, you could also see how the off-season roster plans were shaping up. That’s when Jerry first uttered the infamous words, “I don’t buy the locker-room severity issue that you talk about. I think that comes with the territory when you don’t win.”

On Tuesday, during a media session in Arlington at the Boss Hawg Bowl, Jerry attacked the “locker-room chemical spill” issue with this comment:

“They’re a figment of the result. We didn’t hear about those things when we’re winning. You hear about those things when we’re losing. If y’all knew about some of the things you write about, you wouldn’t be as concerned.”

There you go. Ignore the truth. Believe the strange voice in the head as opposed to the obvious.

It all comes down to one thing. What do you do with Eldorado Owens? Bring him back? Bring back the toxic element in that locker room?

When the season was over, there was no way. Eldo had to go. Again, it was that “overwhelming opinion,” which wasn’t just media talk, but also the word Jerry heard from anyone at Valley Ranch - coaches, staff and No. 1 son - willing to give an honest opinion to Jones.

Then again, there were too many people with the same opinion. That’s when Jerry drifts. Hello, strange voices. By mid-January, I’d already changed my mind on this topic. Eldorado was coming back. That’s just Jerry.

Then came these cryptic words from Jerry at the same media session on Tuesday:

“You and I both know the one you’re asking about all the time. If I gave you the answer you want to hear, then you would have already had it. The fact you don’t have it, ought to tell you something. It really should.”

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