Sports

Cowboys Randle And 'The Meat On The Bone'

May 28, 2015 / 6:47 AM CDT / CBS Texas

By Mike Fisher | @fishsports

IRVING (105.3 THE FAN) -- The Joe Randle quote hangs there, incendiary to his listener, insulting to his predecessor.

DeMarco Murray, Randle told the Cowboys media on Wednesday, "had a good year last year, and I got to sit back and watch a lot. And I felt like there was a lot of meat left on the bone."

In context, the quote isn't as outrageous as it first seems. First, it's not inaccurate: departed rushing champion DeMarco Murray gained 1,845 yards last year and was an MVP finalist. But that doesn't mean his talent and execution was perfect.

Was there ever a better hole to hit? A better cut to make? A 20-yard run that could've been a 60-yard run?

But Randle, working to deal with questions about his off-the-field maturity while also getting the first crack at replacing Murray, also issued three other quotes that, when combined with his "meat-on-the-bone'' remark, paint a more complete picture.

1. "I haven't ever been nothing but a star," Randle said. "And I was still a star last year because I had a star on my helmet, so I'm just going to keep being me, Joe Randle."

Translation: Hopefully an increased understanding of his high-profile and grand opportunity … the sort of thing that should prevent an adult from stealing underwear and cologne from a department store.

2. "I'm going to try to go out there and grind as hard as I can and see which role I end up in," Randle said. "If they ask me to (be the No. 1 guy), I'm ready for it. And if they believe in me, I believe in myself, that's for sure."

Translation: There is some humility mixed in here, and there should be; it's entirely possible that Randle ends up as part of a running-back-by-committee approach, with Darren McFadden also involved … and maybe with a summer trade for another big-bodied veteran runner.

3 "Everything you go through in life you learn from it and I learned from it and I've moved past it,'' Randle said of past indiscretions. "I've grown up. I've made some young and silly mistakes, but I'm moving forward."

Translation: Well, it's self-evident. Now it's about actions over words … and about a mindset that goes beyond the headline-grabbing "meat-on-the-bone'' quote.