Dolphins' Dallas Hires: Nothing Personal, Only Business

How do two teams in different conferences a 20-hour drive apart who typically play each other as frequently as we elect a president begin to hate each other?

Bill Parcells is making it happen: by poaching office employees from his preceding team, he's forcing Cowboys fans to loathe the Dolphins.

The teams don't face off in 2008, so they won't be able to slug out their differences on the field; that means those in Dallas will just have to despise Miami from afar. It's of little consolation, but they should know that the former Cowboy chief isn't acting spitefully.

In truth, he's only adding men who did good work for him at a former job.

For example, at various points in time, Tony Sparano called plays, got the offensive line functioning well, and helped make Jason Witten into one of the sport's premier tight ends for Parcells while serving as his subordinate in Dallas, so it's of little surprise that he's been brought to South Florida to recommence the association.

Parcells clearly wanted, and obtained, a head coach whom he could judge on direct memory instead of by means of a résumé.

Sparano will be familiar with at least a few fellow new faces, one of which belongs to Brian Gaine, whom the Dolphins named assistant director of player personnel on Tuesday. Gaine, who oversaw scouting and evaluation for Dallas, was also there at the same time as Parcells. He began his front office career with the New York Jets, who hired him in 1999; take one guess as to who was their head coach at the time, and you're right.

Plus, of course Jeff Ireland's last role before taking on the general manager position in Miami was spending three seasons as vice president of college and pro scouting for Texas' senior team; he spent a total of seven years in Dallas, which, once again predictably, coincided partially with Parcells' tenure.

That makes three staff members who were vital contributors to the Cowboys' recent success nabbed by a team that's not exactly one of their traditional rivals. At best, this has to irritate Dallas fans, who are losing this particular zero-sum game.

But that's not Miami's problem. In the end, it's business. Parcells' task is to worry about getting gifted people behind desks at Dolphins headquarters, not concern himself regarding the effect hiring away those with aptitude will have on his new workers' former company. Should Target worry that Sam's Club will suffer if it plucks one of the latter's shift supervisors?

And, naturally, the best method for finding talented people to help your current organization is to remember the talented people from your previous organizations. Johnny Depp could make a pretty nice living even without playing pirate solely because Tim Burton brings him aboard nearly every one of his delightfully oddball films based on the fact they've worked well together in the past.

The difference is that Burton doesn't steal away Depp from other productions. But Parcells doesn't seem like the sort of fellow who concerns himself with making friends at work, and I'm certain he'll be able to cope with the fact Jerry Jones won't be sending his household a Christmas card this year. Dallas' inability to retain its people is Miami's gain, as Parcells coldly and efficiently improves his own squad.

Many executives are more loyal to former bosses than current teams, which in this case means Parcells is less of a plunderer and more of a logical entrepreneur who's merely setting up a reunion with his guys. These moves might seem ruthless, but they're truly just indifferent transactions made by a football man known for both recognizing and acquiring those who are proficient at their jobs, whether they are based on or off the field.

Besides, dealings of this nature involving team-to-team jumping are what should be expected from someone who himself is the league's most renowned restless transient.