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Ireland gets `his ultimate dream'
After a solid run with the Cowboys, Jeff Ireland moves up as Dolphins GM
Posted on Thu, Jan. 03, 2008
BY JEFF DARLINGTON
jdarlington@MiamiHerald.com
When Jeff Ireland's parents found out that their son had just been named the Dolphins' general manager Wednesday, they were ready for the celebration to begin.
''We might pop a bottle of champagne!'' said his mother, Sandi Holub, who is married to Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker/center E.J. Holub.
If only Dolphins coach Cam Cameron's family could have said the same by the day's end.
Instead, on the same day Bill Parcells hired the former Cowboys' vice president of college and pro scouting to replace Randy Mueller as the Dolphins' general manager, Cameron's fate remained in the balance Wednesday.
A decision about whether Parcells will retain or fire Cameron had not been announced, and several Dolphins employees, including assistant coaches, remained unaware if the coaching situation had reached a resolution.
Cameron met with Parcells for several hours Tuesday afternoon, but he was believed to be out of the office Wednesday. He is expected to meet with his staff today, when it remains a strong possibility that Parcells by then will have advised him of his future.
Ireland's future, on the other hand, is most certainly in Miami. And his stay with the team will begin immediately, a scenario that was unexpectedly simple for the Dolphins to achieve.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones could have argued that because Parcells is probably making the final decisions in Miami, Ireland's new job wasn't necessarily a promotion, thus allowing Jones to retain Ireland, who is 37, until after the draft.
However, because of his relationship with Parcells and owner Wayne Huizenga, Jones decided to let his former scouting guru jump to the Dolphins immediately. Jones also added that the Dolphins didn't interfere when Dallas hired away former quarterbacks coach Jason Garrett, who was still under contract last year.
''My thought has always been, and philosophy is, that if you want to help people that you're working with advance, then that helps you,'' Jones said. ``That doesn't go unnoticed; people see that.''
Jones might not be as excited when Ireland begins to raid several others from the Cowboys' staff. Ireland is likely to bring Cowboys assistant director of pro scouting Brian Gaine to his staff. Gaine worked closely under Ireland in Dallas.
As for Ireland, despite his under-the-radar profile as an NFL executive, he has been widely respected in league circles for some time.
Parcells worked closely with his new general manager during his head coaching stint with the Cowboys.
The pair is largely responsible for putting together the Cowboys' current roster, which finished the regular season 13-3.
Parcells resigned as the Cowboys coach in 2006, while Ireland remained for his third season as the vice president of college and pro scouting. He previously had worked with Dallas as a national scout since 2001.
Shortly after he was promoted, Ireland played a major role in the 2005 draft, which yielded five starters during that same season, including two-time Pro Bowl linebacker DeMarcus Ware.
In his recent role with the Cowboys, Ireland oversaw all scouting efforts related to the NFL Draft, free agency, the CFL and all personnel with the other 31 NFL teams.
''I am excited about joining the Dolphins as their general manager,'' Ireland said. ``I know the great tradition of the team, and in my mind they are one of the flagship franchises.''
A Texas native, Ireland is Holub's stepson and the grandson of longtime Bears personnel guru Jim Parmer. (Parmer also played for the Eagles.) With deep football roots, Ireland got his scouting start with the Chiefs, where he worked from 1997 to 2000.
''It has been his ultimate dream all his life from the time he would ride on trips with his granddaddy, sitting in dark rooms, watching 16 mm film with Daddy,'' Sandi Holub said from her home in Midland, Texas. ``He's always wanted to have the chance to build a championship team.''
Now, Ireland will get that chance. But will Cameron get the chance to join him?
''We're ecstatic!'' E.J. Holub said about his stepson's hiring. ``I just have one final thing to say: Happy New Year, and we hope the Miami Dolphins kick [butt]!''
After a solid run with the Cowboys, Jeff Ireland moves up as Dolphins GM
Posted on Thu, Jan. 03, 2008
BY JEFF DARLINGTON
jdarlington@MiamiHerald.com
When Jeff Ireland's parents found out that their son had just been named the Dolphins' general manager Wednesday, they were ready for the celebration to begin.
''We might pop a bottle of champagne!'' said his mother, Sandi Holub, who is married to Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker/center E.J. Holub.
If only Dolphins coach Cam Cameron's family could have said the same by the day's end.
Instead, on the same day Bill Parcells hired the former Cowboys' vice president of college and pro scouting to replace Randy Mueller as the Dolphins' general manager, Cameron's fate remained in the balance Wednesday.
A decision about whether Parcells will retain or fire Cameron had not been announced, and several Dolphins employees, including assistant coaches, remained unaware if the coaching situation had reached a resolution.
Cameron met with Parcells for several hours Tuesday afternoon, but he was believed to be out of the office Wednesday. He is expected to meet with his staff today, when it remains a strong possibility that Parcells by then will have advised him of his future.
Ireland's future, on the other hand, is most certainly in Miami. And his stay with the team will begin immediately, a scenario that was unexpectedly simple for the Dolphins to achieve.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones could have argued that because Parcells is probably making the final decisions in Miami, Ireland's new job wasn't necessarily a promotion, thus allowing Jones to retain Ireland, who is 37, until after the draft.
However, because of his relationship with Parcells and owner Wayne Huizenga, Jones decided to let his former scouting guru jump to the Dolphins immediately. Jones also added that the Dolphins didn't interfere when Dallas hired away former quarterbacks coach Jason Garrett, who was still under contract last year.
''My thought has always been, and philosophy is, that if you want to help people that you're working with advance, then that helps you,'' Jones said. ``That doesn't go unnoticed; people see that.''
Jones might not be as excited when Ireland begins to raid several others from the Cowboys' staff. Ireland is likely to bring Cowboys assistant director of pro scouting Brian Gaine to his staff. Gaine worked closely under Ireland in Dallas.
As for Ireland, despite his under-the-radar profile as an NFL executive, he has been widely respected in league circles for some time.
Parcells worked closely with his new general manager during his head coaching stint with the Cowboys.
The pair is largely responsible for putting together the Cowboys' current roster, which finished the regular season 13-3.
Parcells resigned as the Cowboys coach in 2006, while Ireland remained for his third season as the vice president of college and pro scouting. He previously had worked with Dallas as a national scout since 2001.
Shortly after he was promoted, Ireland played a major role in the 2005 draft, which yielded five starters during that same season, including two-time Pro Bowl linebacker DeMarcus Ware.
In his recent role with the Cowboys, Ireland oversaw all scouting efforts related to the NFL Draft, free agency, the CFL and all personnel with the other 31 NFL teams.
''I am excited about joining the Dolphins as their general manager,'' Ireland said. ``I know the great tradition of the team, and in my mind they are one of the flagship franchises.''
A Texas native, Ireland is Holub's stepson and the grandson of longtime Bears personnel guru Jim Parmer. (Parmer also played for the Eagles.) With deep football roots, Ireland got his scouting start with the Chiefs, where he worked from 1997 to 2000.
''It has been his ultimate dream all his life from the time he would ride on trips with his granddaddy, sitting in dark rooms, watching 16 mm film with Daddy,'' Sandi Holub said from her home in Midland, Texas. ``He's always wanted to have the chance to build a championship team.''
Now, Ireland will get that chance. But will Cameron get the chance to join him?
''We're ecstatic!'' E.J. Holub said about his stepson's hiring. ``I just have one final thing to say: Happy New Year, and we hope the Miami Dolphins kick [butt]!''