Dak Prescott’s right: More people do need to pick up their own trash

ARLINGTON – Still not convinced the Dallas Cowboys are America’s Team? Let me give you yet another exhibit.

While sitting on the bench during Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott finished drinking a cup of water and causally tossed the cup at a nearby trash can. The cup bounced off the trash can and wound up on the ground.

So what did Prescott do? The rookie from Mississippi State promptly got up, took about five steps, picked up the cup and graciously tossed it in the trash can.

Those few precious seconds that would have made Miss Manners very proud went viral and made Prescott a YouTube sensation.

Really. It did.

I can’t blame Prescott’s inspirational move on a slow news day, because there were a full schedule of NFL games on Sunday. There were some NBA and NHL games, and a lot of NASCAR drivers made a lot of left turns Sunday when Jimmie Johnson won the Sprint Cup Series in Miami.

And don’t get me started on the world of politics.

But a Dallas Cowboys quarterback picks up a cup and tosses it in a trash can? Now that’s big-time news, and one of the reasons why the Cowboys are America’s Team.

Whatever the Cowboys do, it makes news. Good, bad or in between.

And it gets dissected all across this great land. Especially by life-long Cowboy-haters.

Cup Gate just took it to another level and made Prescott a role model in the eyes of many. Prescott, though, rightfully sees it differently.

"More people need to pick up their trash if it was that big of a deal,’’ Prescott told the media on Tuesday. "I just simply missed the garbage can and didn’t think much of it.

"Get up and put my trash where it belongs.’’

Maybe Prescott will make others start exercising good manners. I can’t tell you how many times while washing my hands in an airport restroom and someone walks out of the toilet – without washing their hands.

That’s nasty.

I can’t tell you how many times I’m at a dinner table, and someone pulls out a napkin and blows their nose right at the table.

That makes me want to vomit.

And I can’t tell you how many times I’m in a crowded locker room and gets bumped by a media member, and he doesn’t have the decency to say excuse me.

That’s inappropriate and tells me you have no class.

I’m betting if you follow those same people to their homes you would probably find clothes all over the floor and toilets that need flushing.

I’m sure we were all raised by respectable human beings. So exercise some respect, and you will get that same respect in return.

Flush the toilet, step away from the table and blow your nose, say excuse me. And, as Dak Prescott would say, PICK UP YOUR TRASH!!!

This story was originally published November 22, 2016 at 7:08 PM with the headline "Dak Prescott’s right: More people do need to pick up their own trash."