Gabriel Pruett PA News Sunday Column: 11/15 [Archive]

eagle eye

11-16-2015, 11:53 AM

I agree with Mr Pruett's assessment of PNG Head Coach Faircloth but you can understand the gripes because he keeps losing to Nederland and in some cases the criticism of his coaching has some merit. His record is good and if anyone has the memory how barren the PNG landscape was under the previous head coach, Barnett, they would appreciate Coach Faircloth a little more. It's his failure to beat Nederland that sticks in everyone's craw. It like Texas would put up with just about anything as long as they beat Oklahoma in the Red River shootout. There have been a few coaches at UT lose their job because the alumni didn't like losing to the Sooners. I'm sure the PNG faithful are tired of seeing the Bulldogs winning every year too.

I take issue with Gabriel Pruitt's assessment of Dez Bryant's outburst in the locker room last week. First, according to the reports out of Dallas Dez got mad a stuff that Dallas Morning News reporter Jean-Jacques Taylor had written criticizing Dez and Dez wanted to talk to him about it but before he got to Taylor WR Devin Street told Dez Taylor used a racial slur referring to Street. The video everyone saw was Dez responding to that. It was handled in house and the matter is over. Dez was laughing and joking with media members on Friday after his outburst on Thursday. Dez is a work in progress in terms of his maturation process and last week was another opportunity to grow. Jason Garrett said as much on Friday and nothing more has been said about it. The fact is Taylor claims he didn't say what he was accused of saying and nobody within earshot heard him say it but it doesn't mean he didn't. Even Garrett said in his Friday press conference that Dez needs to be aware when a reporter tries to bait him into a reaction for a story. I think that was more a slip of the tongue because when asked if that's what Taylor did he refused to answer that question. Dez didn't handle it the right way and it was used as a learning experience for the team.
As for Jerry Jones liking this publicity, you've got to be kidding. Or Pruitt is acquainted with Bob West who has been down on Jones since the falling out between the two JJ's resulted in a mutual parting of the ways of Jimmy Johnson. Jones has his faults but even Jerry can't like all the negative publicity taking place around the Cowboys right now. It's true that Jones is not shy about keeping the Cowboys in the news but between the Greg Hardy issue and Dez's outburst in the locker room is concerned I'm sure Jones would much rather not have that to deal with or have that associated with the Cowboys. You just have to hate Jones to believe such negative publicity is something he relishes.