FRISCO, Texas -- Dez Bryant appeared in the locker room Thursday and seemed to be in a good mood, which was more than the Dallas receiver could say for the first two days of the week.The 2014 All-Pro missed medical appointments and team meetings over two days away from the Cowboys this week, and coach Jason Garrett said he was trying to avoid news on his injured right knee that he thought would be bad but was better than expected.Bryant declined to comment but kept a steady presence in the locker room for the 45 minutes it was open to reporters, at one point playing music loudly the same way he did last season when he was out with a broken foot and had a contentious relationship with the media.Later, he sat smiling on a counter looking into the locker room while talking to a member of the public relations staff. And then he took to Twitter to try to explain himself.I made a poor decision based on how I felt about my knee (and Garrett) addressed it to me and I understood the consequences, Bryant tweeted Thursday afternoon. He also called himself day to day.Garrett said Bryant missed an MRI on Monday and a team meeting Tuesday before finally getting the exam Wednesday. The MRI revealed a hairline fracture in a bone in his right knee, which he injured in last weeks win over Chicago.Its possible Bryant wont miss Sundays game at San Francisco because the Cowboys have had similar scenarios with injury in the past. But he has missed the first two days of practice this week, an indication hes unlikely to play.It stems from someone who is very passionate about what he does and he did not handle this the right way, Garrett said. He expressed that to me. He expressed that to other coaches and teammates. You can understand why he did what he did, given the passion that he has for the game and for this football team and where he thought he was. Im not excusing any behavior that he has.Tight end Jason Witten, in his 14th season and closing in on the franchise record for games started, said he respected Bryants passion and appreciated the relationship they have.Anytime things like that happen, we all look at it and say, maybe we could do this different or do that different, Witten said. That happens. And every situations different. You handle it, you address it and you move forward as a team.Garrett said there were repercussions but didnt specify whether there was a fine for Bryant, who signed a five-year, $70 million contract before last season.Dez understands he has a responsibility to be here, Garrett said. He was completely well-intended. Hes a driven guy and his response to this was not the right one. It was an understandable response given his personality and everything he puts into this.According to Garrett, Bryant was reacting to the initial diagnosis in the 31-17 win against the Bears. He injured the knee on a catch on the second play of the game but came back and caught rookie quarterback Dak Prescotts first career touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.Bryant missed seven games last season, the first five after breaking his right foot in the opener. The foot wasnt the same all season, and he also battled ankle and knee injuries. The Cowboys opted to sit him the final two games when they were out of contention on the way to a 4-12 finish.Garrett said the team had indirect communication with Bryant while he was absent, declining to be more specific.We just address it. We solve it. We move on, Garrett said. We have very direct conversations. He understands it. Thats not to suggest that everything he does going forward is going to be handled the right way.Witten defended his teammate.There was a lot of moving parts with the other stuff and moving logistics, Witten said. We all understand the standards and expectations for us. Weve got to handle that and sometimes thats difficult when you have setbacks with injuries or potential injuries.Game notes Pro Bowl T Tyron Smith missed his second straight practice with a back issue that flared up late last week and caused him to miss the Chicago game.---Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Schuyler Dixon on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apschuyler Swell Bottle 17 Oz Sale . The Vancouver coach and an announced sellout crowd of 18,910 watched in dismay as the Canucks lost 7-4 to the New York Islanders on Monday night by squandering a 3-0 lead in the third period. Swell Water Bottle Wholesale . -- The goal posts lying flat on the field, Arizonas fans lingered on the field, congregating around the locker room entrance nearly 30 minutes after rushing out of the stands. http://www.ukswellbottle.com/swell-marble-bottle-sale-uk.html . Bryant, who signed a five-year, $34 million contract as a free agent with Cleveland in March, reported symptoms on Monday morning, a team spokesman said. Swell Bottle Green Jasper . Pence singled in the winning run with no outs in the ninth inning to give the Giants a 7-6 victory over the San Diego Padres on Sunday. Swell Uk . Kozun faked to the forehand and beat Monsters starter, Calvin Pickard, pad side in the second round for the winner. Spencer Abbott also scored in the shootout for the Marlies (25-13-4). SPRINGFIELD, N.J. -- As usual at a major, Mother Nature decided she needed to add her stamp to things. Thats fine, except it threw a monkey wrench into some golfers strategy for how they were going to play the course. And what did that mean for the caddies in Round 2?Lets find out!Collins: How much different was the course Friday compared to Thursday? Caddie: Um (thinking hard on how to describe it) ... overall, I would say it was 4 shots different, easier.Collins: Whats it like to be out there after a rainstorm like that knowing the PGA of America isnt going to play lift, clean and place? Caddie: Thats the thing -- mud balls. Mud balls were an issue early on ... right after the rain came we were picking up mud, so you gotta play either way left or right for balls moving, hopefully. Collins: Hopefully? What does hopefully mean? Caddie: Hopefully because the ball doesnt always do what its supposed to do ... when its got mud on it. And sometimes it does a lot more than you expect, and you cant play that much. I mean how do you aim left of a green when the pins on the right side of the green expecting the ball to move that far?Collins: Whats the challenge caddying in conditions like that when youre getting mud balls and course conditions that are so different? Caddie: Well, its soft and you want to be firing at the pins because you know you can, but if you have the mud balls, then you gotta be kinda playing conservative. And (yet) you know youve gotta be kind of aggressive cause its (playing) easy. So the biggest challenge is accepting mud balls. Its like when you hit it in a divot in the fairway. You know its rub of the green and everyone else is dealing with it. Thats what you gotta think; everybody else is dealing with it. Cause if you start thinking its just you, youre wrong! But a lot of players think that way.Collins: Which hole did you see the biggest difference between Thursday and Friday? Caddie: Oh, No. 4! I was out yesterday morning early watching golf before our round. Jason Day, Phil (Mickelson), and Rory (McIlroy) came through and they all hit 8-iron ... That was in the morning. In the afternoon yesterday, we got up to the tee and the guy IIm working for .dddddddddddd.. he hit 4-iron! Same (hole location), same day. So in the morning yesterday, the wind was helping off the left, and in the afternoon it was like into left to right. So it switched around. Collins: And today howd it play? Caddie: Today it was pretty much just left to right, pretty light and wet. And it was on the top shelf, so if you were playing it yesterday, theres no way to land it on the top shelf and have it stop. Now today with it wet, we played to have it land all the way on the top shelf and stick. And it does. Collins: And if you have a mud ball on a par-3, thats your fault! Caddie: (Laughing hysterically.) Mud ball on a par-3!Collins: Would it really be that bad to play lift, clean and place during a major? Caddie: Im not a fan of it. Collins: (Honestly shocked.) Youre not? Caddie: I think they should just play it down. Thats the way (the game) was intended to be played, and if you get that (mud ball) you deal with it. I think it makes better character (for a player). I think you shouldnt touch the ball til you get on the green. If (weather conditions are) that bad, then I think you shouldnt be playing. A lot of guys would disagree with me, a lot of players especially, but (trails off thinking about it) ... I think its just part of the game. I dont know. Thats how I feel about it. I like watching tough golf. I like playing the tough golf, tough conditions, you know? I think its more interesting than easy golf. For these (pros) too, watching these guys test their skill ... I like it when its bouncing and running and you have to think about your pitch spot and how much its gonna release. Like the Canadian Open last week, British Opens, those are fun.Collins: So when its soft and easy you like the mud ball concept because it means losing a little control. Caddie: Otherwise theyd all be shooting lights out ... youd see a few more 63s, 64s, 65s, and you had ball in hand? Itd make it easy ... Inconsistencies, and hopefully everybody gets the same amount of inconsistencies, and it evens out. ' ' '