The Cowboys coaching search is drawing to a close. Today, Jerry Jones should be interviewing what is widely assumed to be the last candidate for the job, Jim Caldwell from the Super Bowl champs Indianapolis Colts. It's curious as to how or why this happens, but Caldwell seems to be somewhat of an afterthought in the process, with no one really giving him much of a chance. Maybe it has to do with this rumor:

Interesting, but probably not exactly true. I find it hard to believe that if Jerry Jones offered the job to Caldwell, that he would turn it down because of Garrett's presence. Then again, we have a similar rumor concerning Norv Turner and how much authority he would be willing to give Garrett. Supposedly, Turner wants Tony Sparano to have the offensive coordinator title and he wants Garrett to work in unknown capacity. Jones supposedly wants Garrett to be the offensive coordinator and call the plays. So could it be that Garrett's presence is causing problems with hiring an offensive-minded coach?

If so, I say good. Let's get Wade Phillips, Mike Singletary or Ron Rivera in here to coach up this team, and let Garrett and Sparano run the offense. And for those like me who still have hope that Phillips might be hired, I finally found a scrap of information that gives me a little bit of hope.

That's nice to hear, I was wondering if Jones had forgot all about Phillips.

If they do go the Norv Turner route, will Rivera be the defensive coordinator? Yesterday, Rivera wouldn't discuss that possibility, saying he was here to talk about the head coach position. Smart play by any potential candidate, shoot for the top. But, if they do want him as a DC, is that going to be a problem with the Bears? Apparently not, says Mac Engel.

If Rivera does become head coach, he outlined his vision in broad strokes yesterday to the press. He believes in running the football, and not just causally, but as a philosophy to be adhered to, because he believes it protects a young QB. That issue must've come up often for the Bears with Rex Grossman at the helm. He also said he's flexible on defense, and wouldn't necessarily scrap the 3-4, but would adapt his defensive schemes to the talent on the football. He won't try to hammer a square peg into a round hole. He is open to running a combination of 3-4 and 4-3 schemes, and intimated that the Cover-2 they ran at Chicago is more Lovie Smith's scheme than his own. He described his defensive philosophy as aggressive and attacking, a mixture of what he learned from Buddy Ryan and Jim Johnson.

After hearing all that, I'm more inclined to want him as head coach.

Here's an article from a paper in Hawaii covering the Pro Bowl and Tony Romo. Poor Romo, he gets to go to the all-star game, but he has to re-visit his most painful memory.

Sean Payton is making him hold on the kicks!