Reality stars

By Sam Farmer

July 25, 2008 12 AM PT

Steve Sabol sure knows what he’s doing, training his army of high-definition cameras on the Dallas Cowboys.

You see, it wasn’t just that the Cowboys were the first team to raise their hand to be featured in this summer’s version of “Hard Knocks,” the popular documentary series that gives a behind-the-scenes look at an NFL training camp.

It was that the Cowboys were the perfect choice.

“This is a team that’s used to being on the red carpet,” said Sabol, president of NFL Films, which shoots the series for HBO. “The Cowboys get it, they know what this is about . . . and they’re the most glamorous franchise in all of professional team sports.”

Glamorous, that is, in a Barnum & Bailey way. This year’s version of the show could put all other reality TV to shame.

Just consider the story lines, starting with quarterback Tony Romo. His relationship with Jessica Simpson has gotten so serious that she penned a song about him titled, “You’re My Sunday” for her upcoming country album.

She probably doesn’t mention Mexico, where the lovebirds famously vacationed in January -- the week before the Cowboys lost to the New York Giants in a divisional playoff game. That trip was another log on the fire for those who think Romo, who is 0-2 in the postseason, should be focused more on football and less on the trappings of fame.

Swing the cameras over to receiver Terrell Owens, who openly wept after the loss to the Giants and chided reporters for coming down too hard on Romo. Once seen as the NFL’s most self-absorbed player, Owens has seemingly made an incredible transformation. Suddenly, he’s the ideal teammate, who not only catches bullets but would take one for his quarterback.

As for Coach Wade Phillips, well, there might be no saving him. He could lose his job even if Dallas wins the Super Bowl. That’s because brainy, young offensive coordinator Jason Garrett is waiting in the wings, and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones will do whatever’s necessary to keep him.

It doesn’t take a degree from Princeton -- which Garrett has -- to figure out why the Cowboys have upped his pay to $3 million a season, about triple the going rate for top coordinators. Phillips might want to check his headset just to make sure it doesn’t already have the Ivy Leaguer’s name on it.

Then, there’s Adam Jones, the notorious cornerback and kick returner who’s hoping to dump the nickname Pacman. As a member of the Tennessee Titans, he had five runbacks for touchdowns and at least twice that many run-ins with the law.

He was suspended by Commissioner Roger Goodell for the entire 2007 season but has been granted permission by the league to participate in training camp. If he stays out of trouble, he probably will be allowed to play this season.

Maybe Jones should follow the blueprint of defensive tackle Tank Johnson. The Cowboys signed him last September when Johnson was two games into an eight-game suspension imposed by the league for violating the personal-conduct policy.

Back when he was playing for Chicago, Johnson needed permission from a judge to leave the state for Super Bowl XLI. But he seems to have steered clear of trouble since signing with Dallas.

Where else but in this circus could this guy blend in like a wallflower?

And don’t forget to put a camera on Roy Williams. He’s the hard-hitting Pro Bowl safety who’s such a liability in coverage that the Cowboys have had to come up with special nickel packages to get him off the field.

Teammate Terence Newman even told a Dallas TV station that Williams “sometimes gets kind of a deer-in-the-headlights reaction” in coverage. Ouch.

The last time the Cowboys came to Oxnard, in 2006, they rewarded Williams with a five-year, $25.2-million contract extension. Now there are even some media rumblings that Williams could be on the chopping block if he doesn’t improve.

All this, and Jerry Jones is building the crystal cathedral of NFL stadiums back home in Arlington, Texas, a $1 billion-plus palace equipped with the world’s largest high-definition TV suspended over the field.

Ah, HDTV. Perfect for watching this summer’s real-life twists and turns. All of which leaves me one thing to say to Hard Knocks:

You’re my Sunday. Or whichever night you’re on.

sam.farmer@latimes.com

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Dallas Cowboys training camp

Sightlines: Practices are open to the public and admission is free. The camp is expected to draw as many as 10,000 spectators a day.

When: Today through Aug. 12.

Where: The team will train at Oxnard’s River Ridge Field, adjacent to the Residence Inn by Marriott at River Ridge on the corner of Ventura Road and Vineyard Avenue. Pay parking is available nearby.

PRACTICE SCHEDULE

Today: 2:15 p.m.-4:30 p.m. (shorts and helmets)

Saturday: 8:50 a.m.-11 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.-5 p.m.

Sunday: 2:15 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

Monday:; 8:50 a.m.-11 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.-5 p.m. (special teams)

Tuesday:; 2:15 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

Wednesday:; 8:50 a.m.-11 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.-5 p.m.

Thursday:; 2:15 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 1: 8:50 a.m.-11 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.-5 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 2: 2:15 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 3: 2:15 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

Monday, Aug. 4: 8:50 a.m.-11 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.-5 p.m.