• Rookie CB Mike Mickens perfectly timed a breakup on a deep ball from Tony Romo to Sam Hurd. The effort caught praise from Dave Campo and Wade Phillips. Phillips liked Mickens' patience in not interfering with Hurd.

• RB Tashard Choice had an active morning in the passing game. His best grab came from the slot when he plucked the ball blindly on a Romo throw that was behind LB Bradie James.

• WR Jesse Holley had a good low-to-the-ground grab of a Jon Kitna throw in between CB DeAngelo Smith and S Pat Watkins . Holley came up holding the ball as if he was pleading with the official that it was a catch.

• Not sure if Montrae Holland is ready for the No. 2 center job. Taking reps in the afternoon, he had three mixups with Jon Kitna. Cory Procter and Ryan Gibbons split the other backup center snaps.

• With Felix Jones slowed with a sore toe, wide receivers Isaiah Stanback and Willie Reid handled kickoffs in the afternoon special teams practice.

• Watkins had an acrobatic pick of a Romo throw into double coverage to Jason Witten. WR Patrick Crayton nearly came up with the first deflection, but he tipped it into the air to Watkins.

• LB Keith Brooking came up with a pass deflection at the goal line on a throw to Witten, but on the next play, saw Romo's pass to Marion Barber go oh-so-close over his hands for a touchdown in the two-minute drill.

• Also in the two-minute drill, DE Stephen Bowen came up with a fourth-down sack of Kitna for the first-team defense.

• LB Stephen Hodge made a nice hustle play, tracking down Choice from behind and poking the ball free for a fumble.

• In the afternoon workout, Romo and Roy Williams connected on all six pass attempts in seven-on-seven and team drills.

• San Antonio Silver Stars guard Becky Hammond attended practices and displayed a decent arm afterward.

• TE Scott Chandler returned to practice after sitting out Sunday's afternoon workout with kidney stones.

How could a hardcore Aggie who spent four years in College Station not know all the words to the Aggie War Hymn?

It's been a while. It's been almost a year now. It's been a little while since I sang the whole thing. Most of the time, if I forget the words, I have my buddies there next to me to help me out.

Hate to say it, but that doesn't sound like a very good excuse. They say there's no such thing as a former Aggie. Are you ashamed about this?

(Laughs) I guess so. A little bit. A little bit.

When is the last time that you sang the song?

The Oklahoma game my senior season, my last day at Kyle Field. We didn't sing it at Texas.

What is your favorite Aggie tradition?

Sawing Varsity's horns off is my favorite.

The Aggie War Hymn obviously wasn't too memorable for you, but do you have a favorite time that you sang it?

During fall camp two-a-days, the team would sing it together. That would probably be the most memorable, because all the guys are in there signing loud and no one has a good voice.

Couldn't Martellus Bennett help you with the words here?

I don't think so. Hate to say it, but I don't think so. Maybe I'm wrong, but I doubt it.

Tim MacMahon

The neck brace was removed Monday.

Three months after the Cowboys practice bubble collapsed and fractured the vertebrae in his neck, Joe DeCamillis will be on the sidelines to coach his special teams in Thursday's game against Oakland.

"I mean, I won't be head butting the players any more, I know that," DeCamillis said. "I will try to stay out of the way of the gunners.

"Other than that, nothing will be different at all."

Mike Westhoff is a good friend. The New York Jets special teams coach has been on the sideline with a cane in recent years due to bone cancer in his leg. He offered DeCamillis suggestions on how to position himself for safety.

"I'm not too worried about it," DeCamillis said. "You guys [media] are more worried about it than I am.

"My wife is more worried about it."

David Moore