Arguments in the Dallas locker room are always weird. There's the infrequent spat about equipment rotations in the gym or who said what to whom. Most conflicts, however, revolve around food in some way or another. Missing items in the breakroom cabinets or fridge, barbecue superiority, and whatever weirdness our alumni network keeps posting to the group chat. Hot Dog Pie, in particular, has started more than one incident. There usually aren't fists thrown but it's not unheard of. It's mostly a lot of yelling and then it's done. Joey counts his lucky stars that he missed the Great Food Fight of 2040, widely regarded as the worst fight ever in Dallas, but there's still the occasional piece of hardened, moldy marshmallow fluff that gets blown out of the vents when the air conditioning kicks on in the locker room.
As a Captain now, the managers and coaches look to Joey to be one of the mediators when there's a problem. It seems weird to Joey at times, since he's used to thinking of himself as a low-key, out-of-the-way kind of guy and leadership just isn't really his thing. Picking the team up after a loss or keeping the momentum going after a win is much more in his wheelhouse. It's fascinating to him that his teammates listen when he speaks at all, that they take his recommendations to heart is stunning and kinda cool. That said, his main approach is to observe first and then find and present the middle ground. Common ground and a unified front with Dallas defensive captain Hex Aqua-Key'Kiann is a necessity. And then they work through it.
If somebody is accused of stealing and there's proof, apologies are encouraged, replacements bought, and fixes for the problem implemented. In the case of arguments about barbecue, everybody goes out to the smokehouse three blocks away from the stadium after practice for a practical demonstration. Usually everybody is too busy with their own platters to debate which is better because ultimately barbecue is an art form unparalleled in the existence of mankind.
If you have a recommended fix for Hot Dog Pie, he's taking suggestions.
As a Captain now, the managers and coaches look to Joey to be one of the mediators when there's a problem. It seems weird to Joey at times, since he's used to thinking of himself as a low-key, out-of-the-way kind of guy and leadership just isn't really his thing. Picking the team up after a loss or keeping the momentum going after a win is much more in his wheelhouse. It's fascinating to him that his teammates listen when he speaks at all, that they take his recommendations to heart is stunning and kinda cool. That said, his main approach is to observe first and then find and present the middle ground. Common ground and a unified front with Dallas defensive captain Hex Aqua-Key'Kiann is a necessity. And then they work through it.
If somebody is accused of stealing and there's proof, apologies are encouraged, replacements bought, and fixes for the problem implemented. In the case of arguments about barbecue, everybody goes out to the smokehouse three blocks away from the stadium after practice for a practical demonstration. Usually everybody is too busy with their own platters to debate which is better because ultimately barbecue is an art form unparalleled in the existence of mankind.
If you have a recommended fix for Hot Dog Pie, he's taking suggestions.
![[Image: JoeyMarston.gif]](https://sig.grumpybumpers.com/host/JoeyMarston.gif)
