Cowboys WR Miles Austin hits balls on the range. (Twitpic)

The final foursomes are out on the course here in South Lake Tahoe, which means we’re about to wrap up for the day. Don’t worry, we’ll be back at it again tomorrow. But first, let’s hear from a familiar face — Cowboys WR Miles Austin.

He finished hitting balls on the range — in between signing an endless string of autographs — and stopped to talk. Austin was in good spirits, talking up the Cowboys’ devotion to physical fitness … but not wanting to discuss what’s up with recently arrested WR Dez Bryant.

“It’s important to all of us (to stay in shape), and I feel like everyone’s been doing a good job staying in shape, especially after we broke (mini-) camp,” Austin told me on the range. “That’s what I’ve been doing. Back at the facility, training, and now I’m here.”

Austin said the players do keep tabs on one another, just to make sure guys are doing what they are supposed to… Not, like, crazy. But just enough.

“I’m sure some people do,” he said. “Not everyone speaks to everyone on a regular basis, but for the most part, guys see other guys around every now and again. If not, at team functions or some place where we meet up.”

As for this year, Austin agreed, “It’s an important one.” And one important factor will be Bryant. After his arrest, there are more questions. But Austin mostly steered clear of those.

“To be honest with you, I don’t have much information on it,” Austin said. “So, whatever it was… My family has been in town, so I haven’t been up on other things. I’ve been hanging with my family, not really doing much.”

I tried again to elicit a reaction, but Austin said he hasn’t read or  heard much about it. He wasn’t going there.

“I didn’t really get the whole thing,” he said. “But I’m sure people are going to… (pauses) The Cowboys will get more details. To be honest, I don’t really know anything about it.“

Instead, what Austin did want to discuss was being in Tahoe. Yeah, he loves it.

“My family, we didn’t take many vacations when I was younger, so to be able to spend time with your family at such a beautiful part of the country, I think is a blessing in itself,” Austin said. “I’m going to take advantage of being asked to come here. I’m fortunate. I’m going to try to play my best. Just going to enjoy it as a family and take it from there.“

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