Jones not uttering what he thinks about Cowboys

[July 25, 2008]  OXNARD, Calif. (AP) -- Jerry Jones was already sounding excited, smiling and exclaiming as he spoke. Only then did it become clear that he wasn't talking about what everybody else was thinking.

With an NFL-record 13 Pro Bowl players returning from a team that won a franchise-record 13 games before an unexpected ending last season, there are some super expectations for the Dallas Cowboys.

From the fans, from the media, and yes, even the team's owner -- even as he tried to be careful with how he expressed his feelings about the upcoming season and never uttered the term Super Bowl.

"You guys know I'm prone to hyperbole, but I don't think it's a stretch to say that the next 12 months will be the most exciting and intriguing time in the history, really, of this franchise," Jones started his comments Thursday after the Cowboys reported to training camp.

Then, instead of the expected championship declaration, Jones talked about the team's upcoming final season at Texas Stadium and the transition to their new $1 billion stadium.

OK, so when the new stadium opens in 2009, will it be the home of a defending Super Bowl champion?

"I'm not going to make any predictions," Jones said. "I think that's not for me to say; maybe I've lost my credibility in that area about saying we're going to go to the Super Bowl."

After their divisional playoff loss to the New York Giants in January, following two regular season victories over their NFC East rival, the Cowboys have now gone through 11 seasons since they've even won a postseason game.

And it has been 12 seasons since the Cowboys last won the Super Bowl, when it was their third championship in a four-year period under Jones.

Jones may avoid saying Super Bowl, but he's certainly acting like an owner who believes his team should be able to get there.

Terrell Owens and four other Pro Bowlers got multiyear contracts this offseason, which translated into a commitment of $70 million on those players from Jones.

"The real world is that we wouldn't have committed the money had we not had the expectations that we have a chance to be the very best," Jones said. "We all know what best means."

The Cowboys have their first practice Friday, the first of 15 straight days on the field before they go to San Diego for their preseason opener Aug. 9.

On the night before their first practice, the only players unsigned were veteran receiver Terry Glenn and the team's two first-round picks, running back Felix Jones from Arkansas and cornerback Mike Jenkins from South Florida.

Glenn has refused to sign an injury waiver that would reduce his salary from $1.74 million to $500,000 if he hurt his right knee again and was unable to play. Glenn had two operations on his knee last year and didn't play until the regular-season finale.

Jones, who said he has spoken directly with Glenn and his agent, said the injury waiver and the money "probably is not the biggest issue." But Jones refused to elaborate, and indicated several times that he would have something more to say about Glenn on Friday, when the team practices for the first time.

The 34-year-old receiver didn't take part in offseason workouts. The Cowboys wouldn't let Glenn participate without signing the waiver.

Glenn's agent, James Gould, didn't return messages Thursday.

Stephen Jones, the team's vice president, said negotiations with Felix Jones and Jenkins were progressing. Both players have the same agent, and Stephen Jones felt that something could be done Friday.

While it wasn't clear if Glenn or the two first-round picks would be on the field, cornerback-kick returner Adam Jones will be at practice Friday.

The still-suspended player who wants to be formerly known as "Pacman" and was acquired by the Cowboys from Tennessee in April, was cleared in June to participate in the final three weeks of offseason workouts and can play in preseason games.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, however, has said he may not decide until the week of the team's Sept. 7 season opener to determine if Jones will be fully reinstated.

Coach Wade Phillips plans to practice Jones "as if he's going to be here."

The Cowboys don't expect to hear anything regarding Jones' reinstatement until closer to the season.

The Cowboys are back in California because they weren't going to be able to conduct their entire camp in the Alamodome, where the Church of God is holding its international general assembly meeting.

[Associated Press; By STEPHEN HAWKINS]

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