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Success in Dallas tied to Ireland
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Palm Beach Post
By EDGAR THOMPSON
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Bill Parcells gets much of the credit for the Dallas Cowboys' recent renaissance.
But behind the scenes, Jeff Ireland made many of the personnel decisions that have made the Cowboys the favorite to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.
So it makes sense that Parcells, the Dolphins' executive vice president of football operations, would want to reunite with Ireland, who is expected in South Florida today to interview to be Miami's new general manager.
The Dolphins fired GM Randy Mueller on Monday.
Some agents who know the work of Ireland - Dallas' vice president of college and pro scouting - believe he would be perfect for Miami.
"He's probably the best person out there," said Lance Riddle, who represents Cowboys running back Tyson Thompson. "He did a great job in Dallas. He orchestrated most of the turnaround."
In three seasons overseeing the Cowboys' drafts, Ireland exhibited a rare ability to find quality players in the later rounds, as well as players who weren't drafted at all.
Thompson was an undrafted free agent in 2005 who has been the Cowboys' primary kick returner.
Pro Bowl quarterback Tony Romo and big-play wide receiver Patrick Crayton also were undrafted rookies identified by Ireland. And defensive end Jay Ratliff, a key backup, was a seventh-round pick out of Auburn in 2005.
Ireland also flashed his eye for talent in the early rounds. With four of the team's first five picks, he landed three starting defenders - linebacker DeMarcus Ware and ends Marcus Spears and Chris Canty - as well as running back Marion Barber.
Ratliff's agent, Southern California-based Mark Slough, said Ireland has been a shrewd talent evaluator for years. Slough met him almost a decade ago when Ireland was an area scout for the Kansas City Chiefs. Ireland's stepfather, E.J. Holub, was a star for the Chiefs' Super Bowl teams in the 1960s.
"His roots are in scouting," Slough said of Ireland. "That serves him well. ... He treats everyone fairly. People like to work with him."
The feeling league-wide is that Ireland will bring his golden touch to Miami, where he and Parcells would face a monumental rebuilding job.
"It will leave a void with the Cowboys organization, but it will be a coup for the Dolphins to have him," Slough said. "He deserves it."
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