Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman has decided once more to answer Texas Tech counterpart Mike Leach.

The whole cross-state verbal spat started when the Cowboys drafted Texas A&M quarterback Stephen McGee in the fourth round Sunday. In an interview with our Tim MacMahon, Leach said: "I'm happy for Stephen McGee," Leach said. "The Dallas Cowboys like him more than his coaches at A&M did."

McGee and Sherman weren't amused and expressed their dissatisfaction with Leach on Monday. In response, Leach said he didn't mean to offend or disrespect A&M, the coaches or McGee.

"There's been far more rhetoric around this than I ever would have expected," Leach said. "Under the best of circumstances, there is some variance in how people assess and discuss quarterbacks because everybody is looking for different things. ...

"But based on all the fuss and commotion on this, I can't help but wonder what round Coach Sherman would have drafted Stephen McGee, given the fact he was once a head coach in the NFL."

A few minutes ago, a response from Sherman pinged into my e-mail and several other media members around the state.

"There is nothing Mike Leach could ever say that would offend me," Sherman said in a statement. "I do find it unfortunate, however, that a college coach feels the need to question the handling of a player by a staff particularly without any knowledge of the facts or the extent of a player's injury. It is equally bothersome that a Football coach would question the draft status of a player. This doesn't make any sense to me.

"I have stated numerous times before the draft I thought Stephen McGee was a late third or early fourth round pick. It is apparent the Dallas Cowboy's felt the same way. It was a great pick."

Newstex ID: DA-2643-34505639