When the Dallas Cowboys first acquired George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers, many decried the move as desperate and a controversy waiting to happen. Pickens had a well-earned reputation for a certain degree of drama over the years. Incidents in college impacted his draft stock and incidents in the NFL reaffirmed those concerns, ultimately contributing to his trade.
Playing in the bright lights of Dallas has a way of magnifying things, both good and bad. Many felt it would only be a matter of time before some sort of controversy arose with the Cowboys’ newest weapon. As fortune would have it, skeptics didn’t have to wait long for validation.
Pickens allegedly backed out of a previous commitment catching the ire of organizers of a Pittsburgh area youth camp. TruEdge Sports didn’t mince words when they released a scathing statement about Pickens. They said his actions display a “disappointing lack of accountability” that “shows a disregard for the families and children who were excited to meet him.”
They’ve since backed off such statements after clarifying their communication was filtered through his representation and not with the receiver himself. Clarification was good but, in some ways, it was too little too late for daily news cycle. The headlines had been printed, and the damage had been done. Anyone looking for controversy had found it, and the first bit of Pickens drama was officially in the books.
Drama is far from foreign for Cowboys fans. Boisterous personalities like Dez Bryant and Terrell Owens regularly drew headlines for reasons other than catching the football. Distractions come with the territory ‘round these parts, so it’s safe to say as long as Pickens is getting along with his teammates and producing on the field, there’s no reason to sound the alarm.
The change in culture from Pittsburgh to Dallas is rather significant. Things like this may be cause for concern up in the Steel City but down in Big D they’re old hat. If Pickens hasn’t noticed, it’s production on the field that matters on the Cowboys. It’s why many fans have grown so irrationally frustrated with Dak Prescott’s lack of success in the postseason and why after 30 years of struggles it’s still somehow “Super Bowl or bust” in Cowboys fan circles.
It takes a lot to rock the boat in Dallas. Fans here are accustomed to drama and controversies; all they seem to care about is producing on the field and postseason success. If Pickens can provide that on the Cowboys, he’ll notice patience runs extremely deep.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Pickens’ Drama in Dallas gets first episode out of the way before training camp
Reporting by Reid D Hanson, Cowboys Wire / Cowboys Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
