Bill Parcells put the Cowboys in a real tough spot, deciding to ‘retire’ at the end of January – leaving the Cowboys with few options in hiring a new head coach and staff. The crop this year is weak to begin with, with career assistant coaches getting most of the top jobs that are out there, and not much is left.

The Boys were smart to lock in Jason Garrett, a bright kid, as their offensive coordinator but he can’t be the head coach. A jump from quarterbacks coach to the head man is just too much for anyone to deal with successfully. In two or three years maybe, but now. He will certainly help Tony Romo become more fundamentally sound, something that is needed for the free-wheeling kid.

First things first, none of the following are taking the job: Jimmy Johnson, Charlie Weiss, Bob Stoopes, Steve Mariucci, or, unfortunately, Dan Reeves. The last of which I think would be a great fit, but I’ve heard Jones might not want to hire a Landry disciple. Landry and Jones didn’t exactly leave on good terms. Reeves wants the job but there’s been little or no contact between him and the team.

That leaves two directions the Cowboys can go with their coaching future:

1. Hire a defensive minded head coach – but this person MUST be a 3-4 coach, and there aren’t many of those out there.
2. Hire an offensive minded head coach that will want to work with Jason Garret, and find a defensive coordinator familiar with the 3-4.

There are big problems with both ideas.

The problem with #1 being there aren’t many 3-4 minded defensive minds out there that are qualified to be a head coach. Wade Phillips, the favorite in the stable, is a retread who has been unspectacular, but solid as a head coach. Gary Gibbs is the second possibility, former Cowboys linebackers coach, and a first year defensive coordinator with Sean Payton in New Orleans. Tim Lewis is another guy – but why would an awful defensive coordinator make a good head coach?

The problem with number 2 is a little different. For one, you need to fill two positions, which at this stage is not easy. But to find an offensive minded head coach that will allow Jason Garrett to really grow while running an offense is not easy. Mike Martz is an example – an offensive minded head coach – but that will be HIS offense, not Garrett’s. The other offensive guy out there is Norv Turner – and yes feel free to cringe. But it isn’t QUITE as bad as it sounds. Turner’s record as a head coach is nothing to write home about – but neither is the talent he was given in Washington and especially Oakland. And he WOULD allow Garrett to be really involved considering their working relationship in past years together in Dallas.

Is that it? Yes, that’s how scarce the coaching ranks are out there. Ron Rivera, the best name left, won’t work because he is a 4-3 coach and the Cowboys personnel is SO 3-4 centric there is no way they can convert back to the 4-3 base. Plus, Jerry Jones if my sources are correct, wants to hire someone is he “familiar” with. Both Wade Phillips and Norv Turner qualify. The latter is obvious, the former is not so much. But apparently Phillips and Jones have become tight attending so many league meetings, and draft combines.

Most people rave about Phillips as a football coach, he works his butt off and knows his stuff. But his head coaching record is not great, and speaking to several Bills fans I know, they think those teams could have been better with a different coach. However, he DOES know the 3-4 defense well and is pretty good at scheming a defense. Turner’s record as head coach is worse – but the talent he dealt with was brutal. You can’t even count what he did in Oakland, and in Washington he had to deal with Gus Ferrotte and Heath Schuler. Not exactly franchise quarterbacks. Troy Aikman swears by him, and I think that’s good enough for Jerry Jones. Neither of these choices would be great, but I don’t think either would be a disaster either. The bottom line - there just aren’t any better answers out there.

And whatever the answer is, the first thing the Cowboys have to do is let Terrell Owens go. Neither of these two men, or anyone else they bring in are going to be able to handle this personality. You can argue about Parcells legacy in Dallas, but give him credit for not allowing Terrell Owens to ruin this team. He handled the wideout as well as possible by simply ignoring him. It won’t go the same way with Turner or Phillips. If he sticks around for the new regime – chaos will follow. The Cowboys have a playoff caliber team and a pretty young core – you cannot waste good years on a selfish jerk of a player like Terrell Owens who is on the decline. Plus – having a guy like that around can mess with a young quarterback – even as unflappable as Romo can be.

Don’t get me wrong – the Cowboys will have to replace Owens with someone with considerable talent. But they do have money under the cap this season – especially if they choose not to pay Owens roster bonus. Bring in a quality wideout in free agency and they’ll be fine. And for God’s sakes, Jerry Jones, I’m begging you – PLEASE – bring in a safety that can cover. It’s been three years since Darren Woodson has left… please replace him – whether in the draft or via free agency.

Do all these things and the Cowboys should be back atop the NFC East again next season.

Quick Hits:

- With the hot stove season heating up, everytime I look at the Mets rotation I get queasier. Are they seriously going to start they year with those guys? God help them if Oliver Perez doesn’t pitch like its 2004. Since when did it become easy to trade for a starting pitcher midseason?
- The Yankees really angered me by signing Doug Mientkiewicz. He stinks. Why not just play Andy Phillips? Mark Loretta would have been a MUCH better signing to play first base. I would rather have Giambi play there if he could only stay healthy.
- I had a shouting match with Nets fan and WFAN host Evan Roberts on Saturday morning. He wanted to lead his show with the Knicks and their “big” win against the Heat on Friday. I told him wins like that were exactly were the type that hurts the Knicks. When they play their best they are truly good – but they can never do that for an extended period of time. Jamal Crawford and the Knicks have all the talent in the world – hence 52 points and killing the Heat sans-Eddy Curry. Then – typically – they give up over a hundred points and lose at Milwaukee with no Michael Redd. The Knicks are not disciplined, play stupid, and play no defense. It’s the players, and it’s the coaches. Unfortunately I think Isaih comes back regardless – and until he, Marbury, and Crawford are off this team it will never get better. Where are all the Alan Houston bashers now?

- The Eddy Curry trade looks pretty good now huh? He’ll be a 20 point – 7 rebound guy this season and Tyrus Thomas can’t get on the floor. Plus the Knicks pick this year, unless fate (David Stern) intervenes likely won’t be in the top five. Curry still has to improve his hustle but he’s the second best low post player in the league after Yao Ming. Those guys are the rarest of them all in the NBA these days.

- The Knicks front court is good and has balance – Frye can shoot, Lee can rebound and finish. Q-Rich is a very solid three – a good rebounder and defender. But Jared Jeffries has one of the worst offensive games I have ever seen – there’s no way he was this bad in Washington. Or maybe he was, and that’s why they let him go.

- Despite the Suns being unable to lose – I still like Dallas to win it all. They have a true go to guy in Dirk, and play decent defense. Josh Howard is getting better and better. I love watching the Suns play but they don’t beat Dallas in a seven game set, or the Spurs. Tim Duncan now coasts through the regular season – just look at what he did in the playoffs last year.

- Who is going to win the East? I have no answer for you. I don’t like anyone right now. Flip a coin.

- If Vince Carter is still a Net come March, I’d be shocked. But right now I don’t see any matches out there. The Nets would have to deal him plus some young players to get Pau Gasol, so that’s not gonna happen. And forget Kevin Garnett too.

- Steve Nash a three time MVP? Quite possibly. This year he might really deserve it, looking at not only his totals, but even more his efficiency. It’s sick for someone that size that plays on the perimeter to shoot 53% plus from the field and gasp over 50% from behind the arc. But it reminds me how he SHOULDN’T have won it last year – when Dirk got robbed.

- Here’s my very brief summary of the PGA: If Tiger plays in the tournament – he wins. If not – roll the dice. Can I now please stop hearing about “Lefty” Phil Mickelson?

- Roger Federer – if he plays like he did in Australia – won’t lose – ever. Andy Roddick didn’t even have a chance – it was laughable.

- My Pick: Look out for the Bears this Sunday. Giants/Bills in 1991 is a good example to play off of. Plus, if you are physical it isn’t THAT difficult to throw off the Colts offense. Take the Bears with the points and run to the bank.