ESPN

IRVING, Texas -- The selections for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame for Charles Haley and Bill Parcells will have to wait at least another year.

Haley and Parcells made it to the final 10 of the voting process but did not get further.

The 2012 Pro Football Hall of Fame class consists of Jack Butler, Dermontti Dawson, Chris Doleman, Cortez Kennedy, Curtis Martin and Willie Roaf.

Dallas native Tim Brown did not make it past the final 15.

Haley has been a finalist the last few years and is the only player with five Super Bowl rings. He won two with San Francisco and three with the Cowboys in the 1990s. The Cowboys had hoped that his inclusion in the team’s Ring of Honor would help his Hall of Fame case in 2012.

Haley finished with 100.5 sacks and was named to the Pro Bowl five times with two All-Pro selections.

Parcells coached the Cowboys from 2003-06 and had a 34-30 regular season record. He won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants, took New England to a Super Bowl and is the only coach to take four different teams to the playoffs.

Former defensive end Charles Haley and coach Bill Parcells are the men with Cowboys ties who made survived the cut to 17 Hall of Fame finalists, including two senior nominees.

This is the third consecutive year that Haley, the only player in NFL history to earn five Super Bowl rings, made the list of finalists. Haley, who is in his eighth year of Hall of Fame eligibility, did not make the cut to 10 candidates last year. The discussion on Haley during the seven-hour, 25-minute selection meeting lasted only six minutes.

One reason Jerry Jones put Haley, who played for the 49ers the majority of his career, in the Ring of Honor despite only a five-year tenure with the Cowboys is because Jones wanted to send a strong message to the Hall of Fame selection committee.

Parcells, who coached the Cowboys from 2003-06, is technically in his first year of Hall of Fame eligibility. However, he was a finalist in 2001 and 2002, which was before the Hall of Fame bylaws required a coach to be retired for five years to be considered. Parcells oversaw the turnaround of four NFL franchises has an overall record of 183-138-1, winning two Super Bowls with the New York Giants.

Former Raiders receiver Tim Brown, who graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas, is also a finalist again.

Deion Sanders does things his own way.

So it shouldn't come as a surprise that Sanders will have agent Eugene Parker introduce him at his enshrinement ceremony for the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Aug. 6 in Canton, Ohio.

One would think Jerry Jones, the Cowboys owner who is also one of the more recognizable men in sports, would get the honor. Jones introduced Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin at their enshrinement. Those two men have close relationships with Jones.

Sanders is tight with Jones too, but he's closer with Parker, the man who helped him sign, at that time, the highest signing bonus in Cowboys history -- $13 million in 1995. Sanders' deal was for five years and worth $25 million. His signing bonus was higher than Troy Aikman's $7 million.

And Sanders isn't the first agent to present a player at the Hall of Fame. Michael Haynes -- whom Sanders admires -- Warren Moon and Marshall Faulk are the others. Faulk joins Sanders in this year's class.

Several players have a bond with their agents, whether you think it's forced or not. The agents are the ones some players talk to almost every day. Players take their financial advice from agents and trust them. It was hard for Cowboys wide receiver Sam Hurd to believe his agent, Ian Greengross, was in trouble with the player's union for questionable conduct.

When you think about the free-agent signings Jones has made over the years, Sanders is probably the best.

"I'd be hard-pressed to see one that was more impactful than he was," Jones said. "I'd sure have to put him in the top two or three."

Sanders thanks Parker for that, more than anybody else.

It was interesting to note when Sanders was selected for the Hall of Fame back in February, Jones wasn't there. The event happened in downtown Dallas and not one Cowboys official was in attendance.

Smith and Irvin were there to support Sanders.

This is not to say there's a rift between Sanders and the Cowboys. He's welcomed at Valley Ranch all the time and still comes up there to hang if he's not busy with his work on NFL Network and Prime U.

Sanders picking Parker over Jones isn't controversial. It's Sanders being his own guy.

IRVING, Texas -- Tyron Smith, the Cowboys' first-round pick, did not waste any time in setting high expectations for himself during his introductory press conference with the local media.

“I think I have the potential to be a Pro Bowler and be a Hall of Famer,” Smith said.

Well then, that’s quite a bold statement for a 20-year-old with only 24 college starts. The Cowboys would certainly take that level of play. They have not had much success in recent years selecting offensive lineman in the early rounds. The last to really pan out was Andre Gurode, a second-rounder in 2002, and the Cowboys were willing to part ways with him after his rookie contract ran out. But he re-signed, moved to center and has played in the last five Pro Bowls.

Smith said he was aware that he was the first offensive lineman selected by the Cowboys in the first round since 1981, when Dallas took Howard Richards.

The Cowboys are counting on Smith playing right away, so he will have a chance early to show his potential.

“I’m willing to take the challenge for myself and willing to work hard for it,” Smith said.

DALLAS -- Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young has an interesting perspective on Deion Sanders. He was a teammate of Sanders’ for a year in San Francisco in 1994 and an opponent in several big games before and after.

“He was the first shut-down corner ever,” Young said of Sanders. “He introduced the concept.”

Sanders was instrumental in the Niners winning the Super Bowl in 1994 after signing there as a free agent.

“We needed a defensive threat,” Young said. “We could score points. We just needed to slow down the biggest and baddest teams and that’s what he did that year.”

Young said Deion was a great teammate and a “marketing genius.” He wasn’t the toughest corner, according to Young, but he was the best.

“We know everyone feared him so much for his athletic ability that I don’t know that he had to necessarily tackle that much,” Young said. “There was fear there as a quarterback. When he was in Atlanta he made a couple of interceptions off me … when I throw the ball I know whether it’ll be trouble or not. I threw a couple that were not trouble that he took that defied my eye.”

DALLAS -- A few years ago there was a belief among many fans and former players that there as a bias against the Cowboys when it came to the voting for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

On Saturday, Deion Sanders became the sixth ex-Cowboy in the last six years to be selected for induction into the Hall of Fame.

It started in 2006 with Troy Aikman and Rayfield Wright. In 2007 it was Michael Irvin’s turn. In 2009, Bob Hayes earned enshrinement. Last year it was Emmitt Smith. And now Sanders.

“That’s pretty special,” Smith said. “It says a lot about how talented our ballclub really was and how well we played together. And it says a lot about how much winning we did together, winning Super Bowls. Performance, week in and week out, is extremely important and having longevity is equally important.”

Charles Haley was among the final 15 modern-era candidates for the second straight year and figures to be a factor in the selection process going forward. Darren Woodson’s name was up for selection as well. So has Jerry Jones'. In a few years Larry Allen’s name will come into the mix. Some of the Landry era Cowboys could find their way into the Veterans Committee mix, like Chuck Howley.

It will never be enough for some Cowboys' fans, but it's much better than before.

CANTON, Ohio – Michael Irvin showed up for the Hall of Fame ceremonies with a cast on his left foot, the result of a symbolic injury he recently suffered.

Irvin tore his Achilles tendon trying to catch Jerry Rice in a celebrity flag football game.

"I’ve been chasing him all my life," Irvin said of the man who rewrote the NFL’s receiving record book. "There’s no way I will or anybody else will ever catch Jerry Rice, so I’m done with it."

Irvin laughed as he recalled the story of his injury, figuring it was sort of a fitting tribute to the first-ballot Hall of Fame receiver.

Jerry Jones will make another speech in Canton this summer.

Emmitt Smith announced on Twitter that Jones accepted his request to present him into the Hall of Fame. Jones also presented Michael Irvin when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.

"Im real honored to have this person intro me cuz hes done so much for me in my career," Smith tweeted.

GRAPEVINE, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones said his team is feeling good about the chances of splitting training camp between San Antonio and Oxnard, Calif.

The Cowboys' Hall of Fame game on Aug. 8 against the Cincinnati Bengals allows them to open training camp earlier, which gives them the flexibility to hold camp in two cities.

Jones said the plan would be to start camp in San Antonio and then finish it in Oxnard.

The Cowboys have recently held training camp San Antonio in 2007 and 2009. A scheduling conflict with the Alamodome forced the Cowboys to hold camp in Oxnard in 2008. The city of San Antonio has two years remaining on a five-year deal with the Cowboys to host camp at the Alamodome.

"I'm very positive about it," Jones said on Tuesday, adding that he's working on logistics. "It's got a good chance of happening."

Emmitt Smith is used to beating the Washington Redskins. He also had a few losses against them over the years.

But it seems Smith took a personal shot at Redskins owner Daniel Snyder in a Slam magazine story that was published Friday.

"I loved defeating the Redskins," he said. "I loved it, I loved it, I loved it with a passion. And I loved it more when Daniel Snyder got the team, for a number of reasons. I did. Because here is a guy who thought he could build a football team just because he has the money to buy players. There's more to it than that.

"And he's not a compassionate person, not a compassionate person at all from what I understand. And that makes me just want to pummel somebody. You know, you hate to see pride, wearing itself on his forehead and his chest. And to me, arrogance sticks out like a sore thumb when you talk about him. And the lack of compassion for others is a problem. Because it's not that hard to be compassionate; you just choose to."

Saturday afternoon, Snyder responded in a statement: "I applaud Emmitt Smith's induction into the NFL Hall of Fame and, from what I understand, he's a heck of a dancer. I think we've only met once briefly at an NFL function in 2000. I will say, however, that I like to think of myself as being a compassionate person, except toward the Dallas Cowboys."

In August, Smith, along with former Redskins offensive lineman Russ Grimm, will get inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

We suspect Snyder, who has a good relationship with Jerry Jones, will be there to watch Smith and Grimm get inducted.

Jerry Jones believed his brand new $1.2 billion football palace would inspire the Cowboys last season. Sounded a bit strange coming out of Jerry's mouth, but hey, the Cowboys did break a dozen-year playoff win drought.

Just in case the architectural inspiration doesn't work again, Jerry is glad the Cowboys will spend an August weekend in Canton, Ohio, where they will play the Bengals in the Hall of Fame Game.

"It’s always an honor to be selected to play in this game," Jones said in a statement released by the team. "More importantly, I really believe that having our players share in Emmitt Smith’s Hall of Fame enshrinement should serve as an inspiration to every man on our roster, whether it be a 10-year vet or a rookie that’s never played in an NFL game. I can’t think of a better way to start the season from a motivational perspective than wearing the same uniform as the NFL’s all-time leading rusher."

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- We know former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. will introduce wide receiver Jerry Rice in August when he's inducted into the Hall of Fame.

What about Emmitt Smith?

"I have a short list, but I'm not going to give the names out," Smith said. "I think it's a very special moment for the person that I pick. I wanted to treat it with the upmost respect and give it the attention that it deserves and so when that moment comes, that person will know."

The short list for Smith could be this:

1. Jerry Jones
2. Daryl 'Moose' Johnston
3. Pat Smith, Emmitt's wife.
4. Pastor T.D. Jakes
5. Michael Irvin

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- All week retired Cowboys players said Charles Haley should get into the Hall of Fame.

In fact, former 49ers teammate Steve Young said Saturday that Haley was a dominant player. But the reality is Haley, who was a hall finalist for the first time in his career, wasn't better than the two men who got ahead of him in John Randle and Rickey Jackson.

Haley was a great player, but he was named to just two All-Pro teams and his 100.5 sacks is tied for 22nd all time. Haley, who has won more Super Bowl rings, five, than anyone in history was also a five-time Pro Bowler.

On Sunday, Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri has a chance to tie Haley if his team beats the Saints in Super Bowl XLIV.

Randle has 137.5 sacks, tied for sixth in league history. What makes it so remarkable is that he was a defensive tackle and he has more sacks than Haley, who rushed off the weakside.

Randle was also a seven-time Pro Bowler and named to six All-Pro teams.

Let's look at Jackson. He is 10th all-time in sacks with 128 and he played as the strongside linebacker. Jackson was named to four All-Pro teams and six Pro Bowls.

Haley will get in but not right now.

"He deserves to, he really deserves too," Jerry Jones said of Haley going to the Hall of Fame. "I got a chance to see him and visit with him, he's deserving. He is everything we want to be."

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Emmitt Smith II became emotional when talking about his father, Emmitt Smith III making a critical decision in his life during a news conference for getting selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The elder Smith was playing semipro football in their hometown of Pensacola, Fla. Before that he was a good enough high school player that he was offered a scholarship by Fisk University. But Emmitt Smith III couldn't take the scholarship because his mother was sick so he decided to play semipro.

“I had the dreams of doing what you doing, but my mother got sick and I never did go to college,” Smith recalled his father saying to him before breaking down in tears. “You’re living my dream, you’re living my dream. All I could think about at that time, living your dream? I’m fulfilling my dream and I’m fulfilling God’s purpose for me.”

While Smith was crying, Michael Irvin rubbed his shoulder and left arm. Irvin also put his hand on Smith’s left knee.

Smith’s mother, Mary and his wife Pat were also wiping away tears.

“So many things have to fall into place to be even in the position to do some of the things that we do,” Smith said.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Now it's official.

Here's the Hall of Fame Class of 2010: Emmitt Smith, Jerry Rice, Russ Grimm, Rickey Jackson, John Randle, Floyd Little and Dick Lebeau.

During the announcement, thanks to TV, we saw Smith and Rice sitting next to each other and giving each other a fist pound and a hug.

We will hear from some of the guys in a moment.