This is how they try to Cowboy up

A new segment on the “Fox NFL Sunday” pregame show called “Grumpy Old Coaches” features Barry Switzer, 69, and Jimmy Johnson, 64. Both played at Arkansas, although at different times, and both coached at Arkansas. They later were on the same staff for three seasons at Oklahoma and were rival head coaches at Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

So they go back a long way.

But there was speculation about bitterness between them when Johnson abruptly left the Dallas Cowboys after the 1993 season after winning two consecutive Super Bowls and Switzer replaced him.

“When I left the Cowboys, there was a little tension,” Johnson said on a conference call last week.

Chimed in Switzer, who was also on the call: “Wasn’t my damn fault!”

Continued Johnson: “After about three years, I called Barry one day and said, ‘Barry, listen, I know we have not talked and there was some tension when I left the Cowboys and I just wanted to tell you there is no hard feelings at all.

“And he says, ‘What the [heck], are you dying?’ ”

Trivia time

Switzer won three national championships during his tenure at Oklahoma (1973-88). Who did Switzer succeed as the Sooners’ head coach?

The power of TV

ATP player Justin Gimelstob is retiring from tennis and hoping to work in sports television. So after he lost his first-round U.S. Open match to Andy Roddick, Gimelstob was allowed to conduct the post-match interview on USA Network.

“What were the keys to the match, besides you being way better than me?” Gimelstob said.

The question caught the attention of Jay Leno’s people, who hired Gimelstob as the “Tonight Show” U.S. Open correspondent. His off-beat report was shown Friday night.

Gimelstob told Morning Briefing he couldn’t believe all the attention he got at the Open carrying around a “Tonight Show” microphone.

“I felt like a cult hero,” he said. “I had to be the most popular first-round loser in the history of the U.S. Open.”

It’ll get worse

Shaquille O’Neal claimed one of the reasons he has filed for divorce is a conflict over money. “He thinks she took some of his money,” said Leno. “Wait till the divorce goes through.”

Short quips

NBC football pregame host Bob Costas made a surprise appearance during comedian Frank Caliendo’s taped segment on Fox’s pregame show Sunday. Although looking more like Rodney Dangerfield, Caliendo was doing his John Madden impersonation when he made a joke about Costas’ height. The 5-foot-6 1/2 Costas suddenly appeared on the set and said, “Listen Caliendo, I’ve had it up to here with you mocking me all the time.”

The segment ended up with Costas supposedly popping Caliendo in the nose, which drew this response from Howie Long: “Frank just got his butt kicked by a preschooler.”

No introduction needed now

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, whose first job with the league was in the mail room, in 1981 introduced himself to then-commissioner Pete Rozelle by letter.

When Goodell was a guest on HBO’s “Costas Now” last week, Costas had an original copy of that letter.

“You’re a young guy. You say, ‘Respectfully, Roger Goodell, I look forward to any employment or any opportunity,’ ” Costas said.

Said Goodell: “In other words, I begged.”

Trivia answer

Chuck Fairbanks, who left Oklahoma to become coach of the New England Patriots.

And finally

Referring to Peyton Manning, Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times wrote: “With the Indianapolis Colts’ three-year record of 2-11 in exhibition games, they’re now saying he can’t win The Little One.”

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larry.stewart@latimes.com