Here's a little more from the Jerry Jones presser earlier today, with more direct quotes.
Jones read from what looked like a prepared statement: "An in-season coaching change is something that I've not done before. It's something that I was reluctant to even consider as late as this past week. But at this time I believe ... what's in the best interest of the organization and the fans is a coaching change," Jones said.
Continuing his prepared statement, he said that he had recently addressed the team briefly and pointedly. "I told them that they should not think for even a second that this is in any way an admission of defeat or finality for this season. I told them that we have eight games remaining and that we will go into each game with one goal: to win. I told them that the evaluation process would begin with finding the guys who play the hardest. I told them we were looking for players ‘who want to win the most'."
Asked whether he had seen players giving less than 100%, Jones responded circumspectly: "We are not recognizing the need to play in a winning way. I believe that you can look at our team and see real effort. I think you ought to play like it's the last play of your life - every down. I don't think we're having that."
On what made him pick Jason Garrett and Paul Pasqualoni: "Jason certainly has been a part of longterm thinking for the Dallas Cowboys and for me. But what we're addressing on an interim basis is how to maximize how we are playing right now. I do believe that Jason has the temperament, he has the disposition to effect a culture change."
"In addition to announcing Jason as the interim head coach, I want to announce that Paul Pasqualoni is the new defensive coordinator. And likewise, I think that Paul's disposition, his approach, his skill, his background brings something to the table to institute in the next eight weeks a change in the culture."
Does Garrett have the chance to get the job long term? "He does have the opportunity to get the job long term. If we do outstanding as a team, have visible, very tangible success and doing your job in a crisis situation, the answer is yes. Good success here would enhance his long term prospects."
Visibly shaken, Jones talked briefly about the impact this decision had on Wade, and how Wade was being made an example of organizational accountability. He then got sidetracked a little, but came back to Wade: "I visited with him personally. I visited with him this morning. He is a good friend as well as a valued colleague and I visited with him personally. That's all I would like to get into."
What is tangible success over the final eight games:"I want to see the kind of effort that is required in playing to win. Extraoadinary effort. The kind of effort you might not expect from a 1-7 team. We shouldn't get into the number of games we win or what our record will be. That'll be a factor if you're playing as a winning team."