Over the course of the past year or so, the Dallas Cowboys have had a myriad of storylines which not just local fans care about, but NFL fans in general. There's always soemthing to talk about with this team.
But, aside from any of the contract drama, trade situations or Jerry Jones' obligatory spotlight-stealing moments at each of his press conferences, there's one thing we don't do enough: praise those who deserve it.
In a social media age where many of us are drawn to the negative or the speculative stories, Cowboys legend and current broadcaster Troy Aikman went out of his way to offer his honest praise to some current cowboys, starting with quarterback Dak Prescott:
"I think that Dak handles it really well. His leadership skills come out ... you know, all receivers, they do want the ball. The running backs want the ball ... Dak manages that exceptionally well."
Aikman's comments came on one of the more recent episodes of ESPN's "Get Up!"
I think most Cowboys fans can wholeheartedly agree, here, too. With all that comes with managing two upper-echelon receivers like CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, Prescott has done a phenomenal job.
Sure, there was an injury which caused Lamb to miss a handful of games, but both of them still wound up going over 1,000 yards and Pickens, specifically, had himself a career year.
That's a testament to Prescott and the leadership he possesses. It is also something that will continue to propel this team forward. Put all questions or offseason hype about this roster aside, and it's still Dak's team. His leadership and tone setting will be the difference.
Troy Aikman didn't stop at just praising Dak Prescott for his leadership
In the same breath he praised Prescott, and rightfully so, Aikman also highlighted the Cowboys' receiving duo of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens:
"Also credit to CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. I felt that last year, they were on the same page from Day 1. There was always a question when they picked up Pickens, what was that dynamic going to be between those two? Those two, by all accounts, worked well together ... I think it was a good setup and Dak has been a great facilitato
It isn't easy being an alpha-minded wide receiver, having another one with a similar mindset, come in and play alongside you. Just look at history. Many of the great wide receivers of this generation have a hunger for the football. That's just how it works.
But, both Lamb and Pickens did handle things well. We don't know if there were ever any arguments or disagreements behind the scenes, and even if there were, all the credit in the world goes to this locker room for keeping it private.
What we saw, week-in and week-out, was a pair of top-tier wide receivers who wanted to make plays and win football games, even if it meant watching the other one shine a little brighter one week versus the next.
So, to Aikman's point, give credit where credit is due. Not only to Prescott, Lamb and Pickens, but to this coaching staff. I think one of the biggest oversights from casual football fans, over this past year, has been what Brian Schottenheimer has done to the culture of this team.
There were plenty who didn't believe in Schotty, but he has quickly proven to be the right head coach for this football team and someone who helps maintain a strong, positive culture within his locker room.
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