The Dallas Cowboys had a practice fight broken up on Wednesday. After the fact, safety Jayron Kearse didn't seem to have a problem with it.
Joint practice fights happen often. Training camp fights between the offense and defense of the same team, however, aren't as positive.
Dallas is entering a critical year in Mike McCarthy's tenure. He's expected to win now, especially with a veteran quarterback already in tow, and a team full of weapons on both sides of the ball. Distractions, such as training camp fights, aren't always appreciated. No one told Kearse this, however.
"We ain't taking no s— from nobody — all 32 teams — we ain't taking s— from nobody," said Kearse after practice, via the team's official website. "Whether it's our offense or the next offense. We're trying to show we're the best in the business, so it gets spicy out here, it's gonna get spicy on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays; whenever we line up, that's how we're gonna come."
Are training camp fights a good thing for Cowboys?
Despite what Kearse says, training camp fights the likes of which Dallas had earlier this week are not a positive experience. If, say, some drama breaks out between two players battling for a position, that can be twisted as said personalities building camaraderie, or perhaps finding out who 'wants it more'. But an all-out brawl? Count us out.
Micah Parsons, meanwhile, came to a similar conclusion as Kearse, but for different reasons. He feels this level of competition will only make his teammates better.
"Hell yeah, I need that," Parsons said. "I'm here to make them better. I push myself to the greater good and me pushing myself is only gonna make them better, at the end of the day. I don't care who I'm up against. I don't care if it's Tyron (Smith), if it's Zack (Martin), if it's Tyler Smith — I'm gonna beat the hell out of them."
Heated competition can absolutely make players better — violence which can lead to injuries is a different problem altogether. Dallas ought to learn the difference.
