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I think we’ve all had those houseguests that overstay their welcome. You know the type. No matter how many hints are dropped, they remain oblivious, and fail to recognize that their invitation has expired. They’re as annoying as the guy that refuses to leave a party until there’s no beer left to consume. In the professional football world, those guests are the national media, and also you and I. And as for our host, it’s Jerry Jones and his Dallas Cowboys.

When Jerry Jones allowed his franchise to be featured on HBO’s “Hard Knocks”, he invited the world into his personal quarters for fun and games. And if you didn’t have cable, you couldn’t afford the price of admission. It was smiles and styles, as season preparation began. He took us to the master bedroom, where we saw the contract extension grins of Terrell Owens and Tony Romo. We toured the kitchen, where coaches added spice to the roster, before serving anything to season opponents. And we visited the baby’s room, where we not only received a glimpse of incoming rookies, but we also viewed a playpen provided for the babysitting of Pacman Jones.

America’s team had invited America in, and those were great times. And when the season began, and the “Hard Knocks” cameras stopped rolling, we couldn’t stop watching. Cowboy games were grabbing the highest ratings, and Cowboys news was abundant on the wire. They couldn’t get enough of us, and the feeling was mutual.

The media journey never reached the desired destination, which would have been Tampa Bay and the Super Bowl. But we clung to the next best thing for entertainment value, strapping on our hard hats and watching the walls collapse on an unsupervised home. They forced us to the exits, but we stared through the window. They pull the blinds, and we squint through the keyhole. Dynasty and dysfunction are the greatest draws in sports. We couldn’t witness the building of the first, so we eagerly latched on to the latter.

Jerry Jones issued a gag, but it has nothing to do with media silence. As the annoying houseguest, I see it as another ploy for publicity, because I refuse to believe that he wants me out. What harm is there in announcing whether T.O. will stay or go, unless you’re trying to get value in trade? And even if that were the case, your potential trade partners can’t be gagged, and no one has made a sound. There has to be more to it than “roster spot or not”.  I think so, at least.

With Owens as an Eagle, Philly didn’t hesitate to tell everyone he was gone. The Bucs were quick to notify the public of Keyshawn Johnson’s dismissal. Is there a difference between those franchises and the Dallas Cowboys?  You better believe it.

The difference is, in Philly and Tampa, the invitees got what they came for, and then quickly exited the home. In Dallas, informing your coaches and players of a media silence doesn’t pry our bottoms from the sofa and steer us towards the door. It makes it more intriguing, drawing those that had no interest before to your living room. What will Jerry do for an encore, name the successor of a first year coach that won 13 games, so we can spend each day speculating about the team’s leadership in the future?… Eh, done that, huh?

The Steelers and Cardinals played in one of the greatest Super Bowl games ever. Pittsburgh made history, winning their sixth Lombardi Trophy. Yet the entire offseason is focused on the Dallas Cowboys, and will remain that way throughout 2009. Jerry Jones wouldn’t have it any other way, but this houseguest has seen through it, and seen enough, so I’ll be making my exit from Valley Ranch.  But trust me, I won’t be wandering too far, because I know he still has beer in there.