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I'm not discounting in any way the fact that while in Indy for the NFL Scouting Combine, Bill Parcells shared lunch with Drew Rosenhaus, the excitable agent for Terrell Owens. I'm not ignoring the possibility that while Rosenhaus represents 70-plus clients (meaning that there is a one-in-70 chance that the focus of the meeting was TO), the agent's over-the-top verbal theatrics likely caused other diners to look, to stare. ... And then to exclaim, Rob Reiner's-mom-style, "I'll have what he's having.''
But before anyone gets excited over the possible connection between the Cowboys coach and THAT agent, I remind you to always keep tabs on the connection between the Cowboys coach and HIS OWN agent.
Yeah, Bill met Drew. Once.
He's in BUSINESS with Jimmy Sexton. In business with him every day. In contact with him every day. No lunch meetings are necessary. Heck, Parcells and Sexton probably don't even need to communicate in traditional ways. I bet they can finish each others sentences, like an old married couple. I bet they even have a mental-telepathy thing going. The Memphis-based Sexton is Parcells' long-time friend and long-time agent and oh by the way Sexton, just like Rosenhaus (only more quietly) happens to represent some players, too.
Remember in "All The President's Men,'' when Deep Throat told Watergate investigator Bob Woodward to "Follow the money''? When I track football rumors, I tend to "Follow the connections.''
Who is friendly with whom? Who attended college with whom? Who once hired whom? Who owes a favor to whom? It's how Vincent Brown recently made the jump from high-school assistant coach to assistant coach of the Dallas friggin' Cowboys, how Freddie Kitchens vaulted from being a running backs coach at Mississippi State to being the tight ends coach of the Dallas friggin' Cowboys. ... Talented they may be, but I'll bet they are also CONNECTED.
This spider web of connections isn't as obvious as a "private'' lunch meeting that was so "private'' that it was quickly reported on by every media outlet in D/FW; but its subtlety is belied by the two big ol' spiders in charge of the spinning:
Spider Parcells. And Spider Sexton.
I'll lay this groundwork again: It can be a good thing to have a coach's agent helping to recruit people, feed people to the coach's team. Or it can be one wink shy of nepotism, and lead to the employment of inferior people just because they happen to share an agent with the head coach.
Which is it? Depends on what Bill Parcells' record is.
Anyway, I have long speculated that eventually, the Cowboys will be in conversation with San Diego backup QB Phillip Rivers. There are a number of valid reasons for thinking that, but my biggest one is that Rivers is represented by Sexton. So if Sexton wants to steer his QB client toward his head-coach client, one key step for Sexton is that he discuss it with. ...himself.
But now some twists, as down the pike come all sorts of other QB names: the Chargers' Drew Brees, a Texas native, MVP candidate, possessor of a banged-up shoulder might be available because San Diego failed to sign him to a long-term contract; if so, Rivers stays in SD. Meanwhile, Minnesota's Daunte Culpepper is trying to rehab his knee and his image and according to gossip is available for a second-round pick; the Jets' Chad Pennington is probably facing a long climb back to viability due to injury; the Titans' Steve McNair isn't a Cowboys answer but could help somebody else; the Saints' Aaron Brooks is a physically gifted flake worth somebody's roll of the dice; Tampa Bay's Brian Griese may find himself on waivers but will be a commodity there.
Heck, given that University of Texas QB Vince Young allegedly just scored a 6 on the Wonderlic test at the Combine, the best player in college football might be available on the relative cheap, too.
So the quarterback options -- assuming that Dallas is finally realizing the errors of its ways in going through two full seasons without a viable backup or a viable prospect at the position -- are multiplying.
And so is the spider-webbish connection to one more name.
Last week, I mentioned the Commanders' Patrick Ramsey. He's stuck in D.C. limbo between starter Mark Brunell and future Jason Campbell. What I said of the former No. 1 pick is that he has talent, experience, youth and upside.
Now, with coach Joe Gibbs admitting to the media that Ramsey is the subject of trade talks, it seems Patrick Ramsey has more than just talent, experience, youth and upside.
He also has Jimmy Sexton as his agent.
"We're kind of working with Jimmy Sexton and Patrick," Gibbs said this weekend. "I think we're just kind of moving ahead, trying to see what opportunities are out there for him and also to evaluate what's best for us. I'm not sure anything will get done. But we are looking and we're letting them also look and talk, so we're just going to see."
Got it? In addition to the Commanders seeking a swap for Ramsey, they are also ALLOWING him and Sexton to forge their own deal. And when Jimmy Sexton tries to cut a deal for his clients, where does he go?
Dallas.
If Culpepper is only worth a 2 (an insanely low price, I think, for someone who when healthy is capable of Peyton Manning-like production), Ramsey can be had on the cheap. With the draft looming, teams greatly value (even over-value) picks. So Washington would likely salivate over dumping a QB who is not in their plans in exchange for a mid-round selection.
Book it: The Cowboys and Commanders are talking about trading Patrick Ramsey to Dallas. And I don't need to see Parcells breaking bread with an agent to know it.
After all, why do Parcells and Sexton need to go to lunch when they're in bed together?
