fisticuffs

On Sunday night, after the Dallas Cowboys lost a 51-48 slugfest to the Denver Broncos, there was nearly another slugfest in the Dallas dressing room. But the clash had nothing to do with the Cowboys and everything to do with the media members who cover them. 

Richie Witt from DFW Sportatorium tweeted that there was a "skirmish" between reporters, forcing the dressing room to close early. He also promised to name names on Monday.

After sleeping on it, Witt decided not to divulge the names of those involved, but he did elaborate on the confrontation in a blog post:

Marring Sunday's beautiful game was an ugly scene in the Cowboys' locker room, in the form of a "fight" between local media members. After sleeping on it I've decided not to name names because 1) I don't want to dignify their actions and overshadow the game; 2) I understand discipline, and possibly jobs, could be at stake. In general, what went down: A photographer from CBS 11 and on-air reporters from CBS 11 and ABC Channel 8 got in a turf war with a reporter from ESPN Dallas. Just jostling for position around Sean Lee's locker for a gangbang interview. It happens. I've been on both ends of this. Sometimes you're holding your recorder, it's in the "shot" of a TV camera and your arm gets gently nudged to move it down. No biggie. And sometimes there's something in your camera's view and you – hopefully politely – ask the obstrusive object to alter its position. Happens several times in every post-game locker room in every stadium every week. But on Sunday the ESPN Dallas reporter took offense to being having anyone dare "put their hands" on him. He bristled. He cussed. He physically challenged a photographer and a reporter. He caused Lee to end the interview and head to the showers. He was eventually escorted out of the locker room by Jerry Jones' body guard, Roosevelt. After being let back in, the glares and words and accidentally-on-purpose shoulder contact continued, prompting the Cowboys' public relations staff to prematurely close the locker room and usher all media out. It was unprofessional. It was embarrassing. The media – especially in the wake of a wonderful, milestone game like that – aren't supposed to be the story. Note to everyone involved: Grow up.

Based on the outlets Witt mentions, we can probably narrow it down to this guy, this guy, this guy, this guy, this guy, this guy, this guy, this guy and this guy. None of them have mentioned the incident on Twitter. 

About Brad Gagnon

Brad Gagnon has been passionate about both sports and mass media since he was in diapers -- a passion that won't die until he's in them again. Based in Toronto, he's worked as a national NFL blog editor at theScore.com, a producer and writer at theScore Television Network and a host, reporter and play-by-play voice at Rogers TV. His work has also appeared at CBSSports.com, Deadspin, FoxSports.com, The Guardian, The Hockey News and elsewhere at Comeback Media, but his day gig has him covering the NFL nationally for Bleacher Report.

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