At the very least, Mr. Jones believes he's in a position to question Marion Barber's toughness. Barber didn't play in Pittsburgh yesterday with calf and pinkie toe injuries, and Jones roundaboutly called him a sissy yesterday. From Star-Telegram.com:

Jones believed Barber’s dislocated right pinkie toe was an injury that he could have played with against Pittsburgh. Before the team boarded for its flight to Pittsburgh on Saturday, Jones was stunned Barber did not make the trip.

After not practicing all week and with an additional sore calf, Barber felt he couldn’t play. Jones said Barber could have taped and braced the toe well enough to allow him to play.

"He can play with that injured toe," Jones said. "He can play with the soreness and a combination of those things. I see nothing that led us to believe he couldn’t."

That's a fantastic way to alienate a running back. I'd love to be there when Jones calls Barber into his office and says, "Awww, does him him a wittle pinkie toe boo-boo?"

I think it's usually best to tread lightly where another man's injury is concerned, especially for a guy like Barber, whose toughness, to my knowledge, has never been up for debate before. I'm sure Mr. Jones is frustrated after the loss, but unless he's dealt with the exact same injuries and performed the exact same tasks he's asking someone else to perform, it's probably not wise to call that guy a wuss.

I wouldn't count on that Barber/Cowboys relationship lasting a whole lot longer. If Jones thinks Barber's a sissy, and is willing to publicly insult him about it, I can't see him making Barber a cornerstone of the franchise, either. And I can't see Barber wanting to play for a guy who thinks he's Charmin-soft.