Jason Garrett uses the term "right kind of guy" often. He’s coined the phrase "Cowboy Way" and defined what that is. He’s brought back pride and swagger to a franchise in despair. He’s making every player earn the Star he’ll wear on his helmet if he makes the 53. I think one way he’s brought all this about is because he’s defined what it is to be a Cowboy.

I’d bet my last dollar that Garrett went into his first meeting as Head Coach and defined what a Cowboy Football Player is...

A Cowboy is Bob Lilly throwing his helmet 50 yards out of anger at loosing and chasing an opposing QB 25 yards to get a sack in the fourth quarter. A Cowboy is the Manster playing four games with a broken leg. A cowboy is Emmett Smith playing an entire half of football with a separated shoulder. A Cowboy is Jason Witten playing with a broken jaw wired shut or continuing to run after losing his helmet and breaking his nose while absorbing a vicious hit to gain an additional 30 yards. A cowboy is DWare beating hell outta the Saints only a week after injuring his neck. A Cowboy is Tony Romo trying to sneak back on the field to continue playing after having his collarbone broken. Cowboys play through pain for their team-mates.

Cowboys are tough; they’re guys like Robert Newhouse, Walt Garrison, Bill Bates and Daryl Johnston. Cowboys are professionals such as Harvey Martin, Drew Pearson, Darren Woodson and Larry Allen. Cowboys work their butts off in practice like Michael Irving, Jay Ratliff and Dez Bryant do/did.

Cowboys are team players, who are proud of the role they play in making everyone a winner; who love their team-mates. Guys like Everson Walls who gave his team-mate one of his kidneys.

By defining what a Cowboy is, Garrett connected the past success of the franchise with Cowboy legends. He brought the past into the present and in so doing made each player a part of the proud Cowboy tradition. He’s making every player earn his Star so that once it’s permanently affixed; it means he’s joined a lineage of men who earned the accolade America’s Team.

Garrett’s convinced his current players that they’re as much a part of the past Super Bowl victories as the Cowboys who played the games. Each player owes every other Cowboy to have ever worn the Star his very best on every play in practice or a game.

Cowboys are disciplined, tough, prepared, invested, loyal and honor-bound to win for themselves, their team-mates, the fans, The Star.