There they were late Monday afternoon, announcing the end of Tony Sparano’s career with the Dolphins and introducing Todd Bowles as an interim coach. There they were, discussing how the Sparano firing was a decision they made together. There they were, talking about how they will search together for the best available replacement.

There they were, sitting side by side, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and the 800-pound gorilla in the room.

Well, maybe that was Jeff Ireland sitting next to Ross, but it might as well have been an 800-pound gorilla because that’s what the Dolphins general manager represents as a new day rises in franchise history.

Ireland is right now the guy who has the ear of the owner. He has the respect of the owner. He is the most experienced and highest-ranking football man Ross has on the Dolphins’ payroll.

And so Ross trusts and leans on Jeff Ireland.

“I will work with Jeff, directly with Jeff,” Ross said. “Jeff is the general manager. Jeff will remain the general manager, and we will work together in finding the head coach.”

And while Ross is saying this, Dolphins fans everywhere are shaking their heads in disbelief and wondering if Ross is kidding or what.

What did Ireland do to endear himself so much to Ross?

How did Ireland break his ties to since-departed Bill Parcells and Sparano and survive when neither of the other two has?

And, most important, how can Ross be so tied to Ireland as to possibly endanger his search for the star coach he covets? How can Ross swear such strong allegiance to Ireland and still assure Miami fans that he’s going to chase accomplished coaches who might want to bring their own personnel men along with them?

The answer is he cannot. So something’s got to give.

“We are looking for the best head coach,” Ross said. “Jeff is in charge of personnel. He’s in charge of that area. I think that it’s important that the head coach and general manager to be able to work together.

“So you’re not going to find someone who’s going to have a conflict to start with …and one of the reasons why you [fire Sparano now] is you want to be able to have the time to talk to people so you do create that chemistry that’s really required for creating a winning environment.”

So let me understand this: Ross wants to hire the best possible candidate. But if that candidate, say Jeff Fisher, tells the owner he wants to bring his own personnel man into the organization, Ross is going to say no thanks because he’s loyal to Ireland?

I accept Ross at his word and have reported all that is credible coming out of the Dolphins, which includes that Ireland is totally safe for 2012. But it simply doesn’t compute to be tied to one still unproven general manager and act as if the coming coach search will start at the Mount Rushmore of available candidates.

The two do not mesh, and the marrying of personalities is just one reason why.

The other reasons?

Well, think of the NFL as a small town where neighbors know each other’s business. Everyone in that town knows the family down the street, the Dolphins, have plodded through a dysfunctional marriage between Ireland and Sparano since last January.

The problem dates to the moment Ireland sided with his owner (and himself) and went on that interview of Jim Harbaugh behind Sparano’s back. Sparano viewed that as a betrayal.