When there’s a legendary coach nearby, it makes sense to pick his brain.
Even if it’s not the same sport.
So Cowboys coach Jason Garrett took most of his staff to a Southern Methodist basketball practice Tuesday, to learn from legendary coach Larry Brown.
“You just got to talk to him and have a conversation with him and take good mental notes, because when you go home, you’re going to talk a lot of notes and remember what he was talking about, because it’s really valuable stuff,” Garrett said, via WFAA in Dallas. “. . . You can just tell there’s such a good culture they’re developing here, and it starts with [Brown] and his staff. It’s fun for us to be here watching these guys play and develop and grow and really develop into a really good basketball team.”
Garrett dropped by last year, and decided to bring the rest of the coaching staff yesterday for a chance to talk to Brown.
And while he’s the only coach to win titles in college and the NBA, he also might have a lesson for the Cowboys, on how to handle a roster thinned by injuries and salary cap penalties.
“You don’t always have all the guys that you want,” Brown said. “So the most important thing is: Teach ‘em up and make ‘em better.”
Of course, Brown is also on his 13th coaching job in the last 43 years, so he’s also learned about packing and moving, which is a lesson Garrett might need if he can’t get the Cowboys beyond 8-8 soon.