Subtle as they were, several clues were left throughout last week at Valley Ranch that would make a careful observer believe there is a good chance that the NFL season would go forward as planned this year.
Last Thursday, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was asked about the likelihood that the organization would begin making defined plans for mini-camps and organized team activities after a federal circuit court judge had essentially nullified the lockout and the NFL announced it would remove restrictions that had prohibited players from working out at team facilities, receiving medical treatment and meeting with the coaching staffs.
"I don't think it's prudent to set up schedules and have players come in," Jones responded. "I don't think that's an issue at all right now. I do know, and I can tell you first hand, there's a real good chance that things could change on our ability to do that. There's a good chance."
Sure enough, a day later a three-judge panel on the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals granted the NFL's request for a temporary stay on the enforcement of a ruling that dissolved the lockout.
Soon thereafter, the NFL re-instituted the policies that forbid players from accessing team facilities and interacting with coaches and trainers. Jones' prediction turned out to be true and in retrospect it seemed that he knew all along that would be the case.
A day after those events transpired, the Cowboys owner was asked if he had an idea when the season would start.
"You know I'm an optimist, by nature, and I really think you can't do this thing good without being an optimist, by nature," Jones said. "I didn't build that stadium not to have football out there. I didn't come here if I knew I was going to spend my life in courtrooms and controversies over contracts and doing all of those things and that's where I spent all of my time, then I'd be doing something else.
"On a personal basis, I'm in to playing football. But I do know that having been a part of something when it's not working, and ultimately I know that if you don't address it when you can, if you wait until you've gone off the cliff you can end up like some of the problems we've got going on in this country, for instance. We've all like to have gone back about 10 years ago and address some of the things that have created a lot of problems we have today. In a sense I think that's what we'll do. Here's why I do think we're going to be playing football: I think the process we're going through will get us there and we'll be a lot healthier than we've ever been."
If this were just an isolated statement in the middle of a dead period of activity, it would be easy to dismiss Jones' long-winded response as empty talk. But when considering the Cowboys' approach to the draft there is reason to believe otherwise.
After all, the Cowboys didn't address two areas of concern on their depth chart last weekend: Defensive line and safety. Meanwhile, they waited until the later rounds to select a cornerback, Josh Thomas, who will be playing a reserve role for the foreseeable future if he makes the roster. On the surface, the Cowboys' decisions during the draft were curious.
But they would make more sense if team management believed that it could take care of the Cowboys' immediate needs through free agency. On Saturday, executive vice president Stephen Jones acknowledged they would explore the market if and when it opens. And free agency won't begin until the league year does.
"We are going to try to improve our football team," he said. "Once we know the system, and we know how things are going to work, then we are going to work hard to put the best possible team on the field."
Yet, considering the fact that no resolution to the labor conflict appears imminent, It would appear the Jones family is either taking an incredible leap of faith by hoping that the free agent market opens soon or they have reason to believe it will in the not-too-distant future. And based on the fact that Jerry Jones' first prediction came true last Friday, it wouldn't be outrageous to assume he and his son just might know that football will kick off on time this season.
Then again, maybe that's just wishful thinking.
Last Thursday, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was asked about the likelihood that the organization would begin making defined plans for mini-camps and organized team activities after a federal circuit court judge had essentially nullified the lockout and the NFL announced it would remove restrictions that had prohibited players from working out at team facilities, receiving medical treatment and meeting with the coaching staffs.
"I don't think it's prudent to set up schedules and have players come in," Jones responded. "I don't think that's an issue at all right now. I do know, and I can tell you first hand, there's a real good chance that things could change on our ability to do that. There's a good chance."
Sure enough, a day later a three-judge panel on the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals granted the NFL's request for a temporary stay on the enforcement of a ruling that dissolved the lockout.
Soon thereafter, the NFL re-instituted the policies that forbid players from accessing team facilities and interacting with coaches and trainers. Jones' prediction turned out to be true and in retrospect it seemed that he knew all along that would be the case.
A day after those events transpired, the Cowboys owner was asked if he had an idea when the season would start.
"You know I'm an optimist, by nature, and I really think you can't do this thing good without being an optimist, by nature," Jones said. "I didn't build that stadium not to have football out there. I didn't come here if I knew I was going to spend my life in courtrooms and controversies over contracts and doing all of those things and that's where I spent all of my time, then I'd be doing something else.
"On a personal basis, I'm in to playing football. But I do know that having been a part of something when it's not working, and ultimately I know that if you don't address it when you can, if you wait until you've gone off the cliff you can end up like some of the problems we've got going on in this country, for instance. We've all like to have gone back about 10 years ago and address some of the things that have created a lot of problems we have today. In a sense I think that's what we'll do. Here's why I do think we're going to be playing football: I think the process we're going through will get us there and we'll be a lot healthier than we've ever been."
If this were just an isolated statement in the middle of a dead period of activity, it would be easy to dismiss Jones' long-winded response as empty talk. But when considering the Cowboys' approach to the draft there is reason to believe otherwise.
After all, the Cowboys didn't address two areas of concern on their depth chart last weekend: Defensive line and safety. Meanwhile, they waited until the later rounds to select a cornerback, Josh Thomas, who will be playing a reserve role for the foreseeable future if he makes the roster. On the surface, the Cowboys' decisions during the draft were curious.
But they would make more sense if team management believed that it could take care of the Cowboys' immediate needs through free agency. On Saturday, executive vice president Stephen Jones acknowledged they would explore the market if and when it opens. And free agency won't begin until the league year does.
"We are going to try to improve our football team," he said. "Once we know the system, and we know how things are going to work, then we are going to work hard to put the best possible team on the field."
Yet, considering the fact that no resolution to the labor conflict appears imminent, It would appear the Jones family is either taking an incredible leap of faith by hoping that the free agent market opens soon or they have reason to believe it will in the not-too-distant future. And based on the fact that Jerry Jones' first prediction came true last Friday, it wouldn't be outrageous to assume he and his son just might know that football will kick off on time this season.
Then again, maybe that's just wishful thinking.