Thursday, November 17, 2005

Parcells wants Dallas Cowboys focused on Lions, not playoffs

Parcells wants Dallas Cowboys focused on Lions, not playoffs
11/17/2005 8:28 PM
By JAIME ARON
AP Sports Writer

TIDBIT: IRVING, Texas (AP) - When the Dallas Cowboys returned to team headquarters this week, still giddy from a thrilling victory in Philadelphia, coach Bill Parcells had something special waiting for them.

Mousetraps. Everywhere.

Dangling from shoelaces tied to ceiling vents, traps hung inside their main entryway, in their locker room, in the walkway to their lunch room and perhaps elsewhere, too.

Parcells was sending two messages at once. He was reminding them ``not to eat the cheese,'' his euphemism for ignoring the hype that comes from winning four out of five games, and warning them that overconfidence will get them ``trapped'' by the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

``It's cute, it's funny,'' running back Julius Jones said. ``It's a reminder for us to stay focused. We've still got a lot of things to accomplish.''