The next issue of Dallas Cowboys Star Magazine, kicking off the 26-issue weekly run through the playoffs, will feature, among a lot of other goodies, an exclusive interview with Calvin Hill, the former running back who now serves as a player development consultant for the team.
Hill is among the Cowboys support staff who will share constructive conversations with Dez Bryant in the coming days, weeks, months and years, all aimed at helping the young wide receiver get through what has been a tumultuous start to his NFL career.
In the wake of an arrest on charges of domestic violence involving his mother, there seems to be plenty Bryant has to learn about life off the field. But one lesson all young players have to learn is how to not personal problems affect the job that must be done between the chalk. That goes for Bryant and the teammates who are counting on him.
"Jerry (Jones) talks about it, Jason (Garrett) talks about it – this year, well, no year, but this one in particular – is not a year to be distracted," Hill told the magazine. "Right now you're getting ready for that first game against the New York Giants and getting ready for this season. The focus for everybody, collectively, should be on winning a championship. If that's not your focus, then you're hurting your teammates. For team leaders, the older guys, this might be an opportunity. They have to get this whole thing in hand.
"You go to training camp and the focus is all football, pretty much all day. But we're not going to be in training camp for forever. So, guys just have to move on. There may be lots of reasons, but there are no excuses, to lose focus of the mission."
In addition to the story of Hill and the team's response to Bryant's recent troubles, the upcoming, new-look issue of Star Magazine *also features a profile of returning offensive lineman Pat McQuistan, a retrospective on 26 years of Cowboys coverage by retiring sportswriter Ken Sins, a pullout poster featuring the 2012 Cowboys schedule and a whole lot more. Click here for *Dallas Cowboys Star Magazine *subscription information.*
