Aikman: Differences with Barry behind them

(April 12, 1996 @ Associated Press)
By The Associated Press

IRVING, Texas (AP) - Troy Aikman and Barry Switzer were on such icy terms they rarely spoke in the last half of the 1995 season.

Since then, the pair has had a meeting "to settle our differences," the Cowboys quarterback says.
Neither would comment on what was resolved at the meeting, which occurred in the past two weeks, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported today.

"That's between me and Troy," said Switzer, who called the powwow "very productive."
Aikman said, "We're just going to put everything behind us and work on next season."

Problems began after reports got back to Aikman that defensive line coach John Blake complained to Switzer that Aikman seemed to regularly single out black players as targets for occasional angry outbursts.

According to the newspaper, teammates said after Aikman heard that report, he went to them and to the coaches to see if they had a problem with his approach. He was livid that Switzer did not back him more when the issue came up, teammates said.

Blake left after the regular season to become head coach at the University of Oklahoma.
Aikman did not hide his discontent about team problems over the last half of the 1995 season. At the Super Bowl, he said he would seek a meeting with owner Jerry Jones soon after the game to discuss his unhappy relationship with Switzer.

Jones confirmed recently that that meeting took place, the Star-Telegram reported.

"What we met about was what we could do to give us the best chance to get back to the Super Bowl," Jones said. "We had a pretty complete visit about how to get better. It included a litany of things, including the additional emphasis on doing the little things."

Asked whether Aikman and Switzer are now on good terms, Jones said:

"I don't think that relationship will be a deterrent from us having a successful season or competing for the

Super Bowl. Troy and Barry are very intelligent people who want to see this team be the world champions in 1996, and they'll do anything to get it done."

Despite nagging knee, back and calf injuries, Aikman helped lead the Cowboys to an unprecedented third Super Bowl championship in four years with a 27-17 victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Jan. 28.
Aikman said it was the most difficult season of his career because of all the internal strife that had to be overcome.

"I don't think this team should have had to endure some of that," he said. "One game, one victory, would not change the way I feel about" what happened during the season, Aikman said.

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