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FRISCO, Texas – Michael, Michael, Michael.

Preach on Michael Irvin, and he was born with the gene to preach since his late father was a preacher man.

Can't tell you the countless hours having listened to Michael going on and on, even before his 12-year Hall of Fame career with the ��ݮ��Ƶ�������, of course during and no doubt afterward. And for sure talking about during his television career, like all those times the Ring of Honor wide receiver would show up on assignment at training camp. Must listen sessions, even if having to wait for hours on him.

Why, can remember listening to him expound on his qualities after his Miami Hurricanes defeated Oklahoma to win the Orange Bowl and consequently the 1987 season National Championship with a 12-0 record, celebrating by telling those Sooner defensive backs after the 20-14 win – all while sitting on an equipment cart in the locker room for a podium – if you can't cover me now, you sure ain't going to be able to cover me when meeting in the NFL.

Or after Irvin became legendary head coach Tom Landry's final first-round draft choice in 1988, posing his first day at the Ranch next to a Landry life-size cutout, saying while smiling, "My new daddy." Or all the times he'd just stop in my cubical-sized office right next to the players' entrance, just wanting someone to hear him vent. Or the countless hours in the locker room, especially after Friday's practices when, as they say, the hay was in the barn. Simply must-listen times.

Well, Michael was at The Star last Friday for head coach Brian Schottenheimer's Cowboys Alumni Day, one of about 25 former players over the eras, from Bob Lilly to, well heck, Joe Looney. Michael wouldn't have missed this for the world. You kidding me? Invited not only to watch practice but sit in the team meeting, then the position meetings, even getting to monitor the walk-through.

As Schotty said, "No. 1, one of my favorite days of the offseason. Wanted them to see our energy, see our juice. … Those guys paved the way for where these guys sit today … wanted those guys to know they are always welcome."

Better watch out for what you promise, especially with Michael. Next thing you know he'll be asking for space in the staff locker room.

Michael was all in on this day. Loved the meeting room experience, bringing back old times. Loved being on the practice field sideline. Actually gathered the wide receivers after practice, seemingly illustrating how to get off the line of scrimmage. The guys, most not even old enough to have watched him play in the NFL (1988-99), were all ears. Afterall, this was Michael Irvin.

Now, didn't get a chance to hook up with Mike after the post-practice BBQ lunch. But by the time he got home, thanks to YouTube, he hooked up with me and you and you and you. Threw down a 27-minute, 54-second one-man dissertation on his day at The Star, as only Michael is wont to do.

And let me preface all this by saying Michael Irvin was not on board with the Cowboys hiring Brian Schottenheimer as the next head coach. He was outwardly campaigning for Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to bring Deion back into the fold, though never a serious consideration for Jerry and Stephen Jones. Wanted a different direction after 7-10, not more of the same ol', same ol'.

"You know, I was worried coming into this year, after coming out of last year, saying we need to do things to bring hope back to the Cowboys, hope back to the fan base," he'd say. In other words, Michael feared Schottenheimer hiring was no more than a continuation of the past since he had been here for the last three years.

Friday woke him up.

"It was amazing. … It was simply amazing. I loved what Coach Schottenheimer is wanting to do."

Michael went on for nearly 24 minutes without ever mentioning talent. Without analyzing this player or that player. Nothing about scheme needs. Nope, and if he said it once he said it 20 times:

"It's about competing; it's about pressure. You have to learn, have to learn those two things."

Yep, Michael saw right through moving that basketball goal into the meeting room. Moving the ping-pong table from the player lounge into the locker room. Taking the guys out on a paint-ball excursion. These have nothing to do with providing fun and games. There are ulterior motives.

"It's about how much you compete, and how good you are under pressure and how you create this 24 hours a day."

Think about it: During the team meeting that day, Schottenheimer had players coming up front and center, seeing how many free throws they could make in a 30-second span, one against the other. Michael loved seeing Sam Williams up there trying to shoot free throws in front of the guys, reminding me of how former Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett would try to create distractions for his kickers during field-goal sessions or challenging an offensive lineman of his teammates' choice to catch a punt that would call off practice, even if he knew he was going to do so anyway.

"I get what he's doing. He's creating competitive (stuff) in the meeting room with a basketball. He's creating pressure. Competition. I didn't see anybody on their phones. He created competition under pressure."

In fact, even called up two of the former players to compete, to sort of prove his point. Chose Bradie James and Looney. Doesn't matter who you are. If you got an ounce of compete in your soul, you want to win, no matter what the competition is. Heck, now there are loud debates in the locker room on who's the best ping-pong player. See what Schotty means?

Then for the old boys, it was on to the individual meetings rooms. Of course, Michael is sitting in the receivers room. He's witnessing receiver coach Junior Adams calling up CeeDee Lamb and Jonathan Mingo, front and center, on the board. A play is called, and the two players must not only diagram the play but also point out the responsibilities for each of the players in the routes, running backs and tight ends included. Better know your stuff. No one wants to embarrass themselves in front of the guys.

"I love what I'm talking about, competition under pressure."

Then it was out to practice, and nowadays these OTAs have been dumbed down by the Collective Bargaining Agreement from what Irvin was used to in what Jimmy Johnson called "Quarterback School" workouts, a misnomer since these were not just for quarterbacks. We're talkin' everybody. And back in the day before a salary cap and free agency, there was no such thing as "voluntary." Your job could be on the line every day. Go ask kicker Massimo Manca, he of being dispatched to the infamous "asthma field," his excuse for struggling along during conditioning runs. Go ask John Roper after falling asleep during a team meeting.

Michael said he was impressed by the pace of the practice, the speed in which the players operated at, no matter if it's Pro Bowler Lamb or rookie free agent Traeshon Holden. During the 75-minute workout, Michael saw the two sides of the first-time head coach. Schottenheimer calls the guys up after the first half of the workout, Irvin recalls. Praises them for their effort. Gave them a short break.

But after a sloppy, somewhat lethargic start as they resumed, Michael says Schottenheimer immediately stops practice, calls the guys up again.

"So he sets the tone. Calls everyone up again. 'This is unacceptable.' Holds everybody accountable. That's how you create culture."

Michael points out when a coach does that, everyone starts looking around for the culprit. They all hope it's not them letting their teammates down. Even in what amounts to a flag football practice.

When talking with Dak Prescott about Michael's impression of practice, basically summing up his message being learning to compete under pressure, Dak concurred, "That's what this is all about, for sure."

As for a final impression on Schottenheimer, a guy younger than Mike, he had this to say: "What I saw (Friday), what I needed to see, so I can tell you, that (stuff) ain't going to go away because I saw a man trying to grab all of this opportunity that he has, and he's changing that culture."

And as for this team so many from afar are skeptical of, mostly because of last year's losing record, few giving no quarter to the number of high-profile player injuries having occurred along the way, including losing the starting quarterback, and also forgetting Dak's high level of play in 2023, well, listen up, Mike has a fresh perspective on what could take place around here:

"OK, we working on the right stuff. Telling ya'll, I walked out of there really excited about this season. And I'm going to tell you a lot of people are going to be sleeping, going to be sleeping like I don't know what (on this team).

"You gonna sleep, and then we going to creep."

Michael's words to hope by.