Looking for Parcells of truth

More than a few current Dallas Cowboys — heck, perhaps every one of them — have commented on how much more relaxed they’ve been this season under new coach Wade Phillips than they previously were under coach Bill Parcells.  Then again, life usually is good when you’re 6-1, atop your division and arguably the best team in your entire conference.

If the players are happier this year, how much happier is Cowboys owner Jerry Jones?

Jones was in Oklahoma City on Thursday to promote the marriage between Cox Communications and the NFL Network. Is he more relaxed for Jones with the coaching change?

“Not really,” Jones said. “Bill Parcells has a style. He came to the Dallas Cowboys. By the way, he solicited coming to the Cowboys at the time. I’ll never forget, I said, ‘Why does this mean so much to you, to coach the Cowboys?’ He said, ‘Picture going to Las Vegas. You walk in and there’s the lounge. That’s where the up-and-comers are, people who have been there and are on their way out. Then there’s the big room, the big showroom. That’s where Elvis played. That’s where Frank Sinatra played. That’s the Dallas Cowboys, the big showroom.’ He said, ‘We’ve got to win. Because my stuff grows old if we don’t win. My stuff will grow old. The way I do it and the way I push, wears. If there’s not success, it won’t work.’ That is and was the case. Wade Phillips is a terrific change of personality. Not that both don’t work, we know that. There have been a lot of different personalities that have coached championship football teams. But working with Bill directly on a day-to-day basis was a joy. He has a fantastic sense of humor and he respects the deal.